GN Architects has completed The Seaside Pavilion, a gateway structure on Chaishan Island in China, designed to infuse a sense of romance into the island’s rustic life. The pavilion is part of a government initiative to boost recognition of Zhoushan’s remote islands through architectural interventions.
Perched on a former cargo pier, the pavilion’s canopy features 36 slender blades that flutter in the breeze. The blades are created using local fishing nets stretched over a white steel framework, connected to a central axis that allows them to sway back and forth. Computer simulations calculated the optimum balance for each blade, which have counterweights at each end.
“The Seaside Pavilion, a wind-driven kinetic art installation situated on a derelict island wharf, aims to infuse a sense of romance into the island’s rustic life through design,” said GN Architects. “Drawing from traditional Chinese village imagery, where an ancient tree at the entrance symbolizes arrival and communal gathering, the pavilion establishes a symbolic ‘island gateway,’ completing the village’s spatial narrative while enhancing wayfinding and identity.”
The pavilion’s structure combines corrosion-resistant steel and anti-rust coatings, with timber used for the frame and seating areas. The design allows visitors to watch the sea and ferry arrivals and departures.
Image Courtesy: Dezeen
