restaurant’s gentle curvilinear form encompasses ancient temple in china

Dapi Mountain Pavilion by Galaxy Arch rises in Henan

Chinese design group Galaxy Arch constructs ‘Dapi Mountain Pavilion’ in Henan Province accommodating a restaurant adjacent to an ancient temple. The refurbishment of the pavilion boasts a spacious garden and a platform with mountain views contributing to the touristic experience while also promoting local intangible cultural heritage and craftsmanship. Drawing from the local cultural heritage of ‘Clay Gugu’, a century-old clay sculpture craft featuring bird-like figures, the restaurant’s design showcases a smooth silhouette resembling a ‘Gugu bird spreading its wings atop the mountain’. The rustic-style architecture predominantly utilizes local natural materials like wood, rough stones, and slate tile. The entrance porch leads to the interior through a corridor topped by a pitched roof of a steel-wood composite structure. 

the architectural layout is defined by its gentle linear form

Attending to the topography of the site and visitor flow, the main entrance of the building is arranged on the east side utilizing the sloping terrain to form a stepped passageway. The architectural layout maintains the enclosed style of the original site, featuring a gentle linear form that connects the entrance spaces on the east and west sides, with a courtyard on the southern side for relaxation. To better integrate the building with the surrounding environment, the architecture does not exceed the height of the mountain gate of the Guanyin Temple, presenting a humble and modest posture in front of the ancient building. The design team preserves the discreet appearance of the volume standing among the mountains resonating with the nearby millennia-old buildings.

Adopting the traditional sloping roof form, the main structure utilizes modern construction techniques to create a more lightweight architectural form while maintaining the element of uplifted eaves. The eave height gradually rises at the eastern and western entrances, creating a sense of entrance, while being slightly lowered in the middle to avoid collision. In contrast, the contour of the mountain shows the highest point in the middle, gradually decreasing towards the sides, creating tension that contrasts with the direction of the building.

stone, wood, rammed earth, and slate tiles compose the pavilion

To minimize the impact on the mountain, the foundation height of each column varies according to the contour of the terrain. Additionally, to control construction and transportation costs, the building utilizes small-sized column components. Local materials are used in the construction, such as grey stone from Taihang Mountain, locally preserved laminated wood, rammed earth, and textured slate tiles on the roof, aiming to reflect the building’s integration into the natural environment. The architecture incorporates elements that reflect the theme of ‘Clay Gugu’, through forms crafted from sticky clay from the Yellow River and the feature of two small holes at its tail, emitting a ‘gu gu’ sound when blown into.

project info:

name: Dapi Mountain Pavilion
designer: Galaxy Arch

design team: Ji Xin, Ge Jiaqi, Chen Chao, Wang Zhi, Xi Ting

location: Henan Province, China

photography: Lv Xiaobin – Arch-Exist Photography | @archexist

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