this village hut in china opens and closes in response to the region's weather

a team led by professor weiguo xu of tsinghua university has built a tourist reception center in china that opens and closes in response to the weather. the project is located in the village of wujiazhuang in dingfangshui county, zhangjiakou — a region with an undulating topography that is preparing to host the 2022 winter olympics. in addition to serving as an information point, the structure is also capable of functioning as a stage for a variety of performances.

the team from tsinghua university — who also completed the world’s largest 3D printed concrete bridge earlier this year — designed a structure comprising 16 irregular panels, three of which are operable using mechanical devices. when the external temperature is between 16 and 29 celsius (61-84 fahrenheit), the three panels open in different directions, ensuring both ventilation and views.

when the temperature drops below 16°C (61°F), the panels automatically close and the ground heating system warms the space. conversely, when temperatures rise above 29°C (84°F) the air conditioning system kicks in. storms or snowfall can also be detected so that the building is able to protect itself. each reaction is automatically carried out thanks to a connected three-part system: sensors that collect environmental information; software responsible for calculating and processing the data; and a mechanical device that performs each movement.

the structure — titled the ‘operable interactive village hut’ — is located on a slope and appears as a continuation of its context. the irregular 16-sided ‘crystal’ echoes the form of the mountainous backdrop, while its material — glassfibre reinforced concrete — seeks to mimic the region’s grass rammed earth walls. the interior follows the irregular introverted-inclining folding form, with a highest point of 5.5 meters (18 feet). embedded into the site’s northeast slope, locally sourced red bricks outside the pavilion create a natural amphitheater.

project info:

name: operable interactive village hut
location: xiahuayuan village, wujiazhuang, zhangjiakou, china
design team: xu weiguo, han dong, gao yuan, zuo jie, ji yanzhen, li yuqian, etc.
tsinghua university, school of architecture-zoina land joint research center for digital architecture (JCDA)
panel fabrication: BAOGUI stone art company
window fabrication: muhwa construction co., ltd.