corten-clad twin pavilions frame shifting sea views along chinese coastal valley

twin steel pavilions reinterpret gable-roof viewing platforms

Located in a coastal valley in Xiangshan, Ningbo, China, Twin Pavilions replaces an underused viewing deck with two steel structures overlooking the sea. The project, conceived by the collaborative team between Atelier LuxNox and Found Projects, reinterprets the original gable-roof form as two single-pitch volumes arranged perpendicular to one another. Concrete walls beneath the structures define circulation and form a semi-enclosed courtyard facing the coastline. The two pavilions share a common structural system and material palette while developing distinct identities.

overall view toward the sea | all images courtesy of Atelier LuxNox and Found Projects

Corten steel and concrete define Twin Pavilions’ materiality

The pavilion closer to the mountain rises vertically with a compact footprint, while the pavilion facing the sea extends parallel to the shore with a lower and more elongated form. Both volumes are clad in Corten grating of varied densities and thicknesses, allowing daylight to produce shifting impressions of transparency and solidity across the facades. Seen from the foothill, the two structures, designed by Atelier LuxNox and Studio Found Projects, form an asymmetrical yet balanced composition within the landscape. Through differences in scale and proportion, they organize a sequence of movement, framed views, and moments of pause, turning the experience of looking towards the sea into a continuous spatial sequence.

twin pavilions set on the coastal hillside

two triangular pavilions arranged perpendicular to one another

seating facing the sunrise over the sea

passage beneath the single-pitch volume

one pavilion opens toward the mountain slope

stair leading to the upper viewing pavilion

framed view toward the sea

the other side of the triangular pavilion frames the green hillside

corten grating and climbing vine

light through the facade

twin pavilions at dusk

project info:

name: Twin Pavilions
architects: Atelier LuxNox | @atelier_luxnox, Found Projects | @found.projects
location: Xiangshan, Ningbo, China

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edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom