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Architects: Atelier ArchFAN
- Area: 108 m²
- Year: 2023
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Photographs:Arch-Exist
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Lead Architects: Zixun Zhong
Moulin Rouge | Shuinian Station. The project base is on the side of a field road in Deyuan Street, Pi County, Sichuan. The original building is a rural water mill house with a history of more than 40 years. A water channel passes through the bottom of the building, and the perennial running water provides original and clean power for the drive of the water mill. With the development of the countryside, the function of water-milled houses has gradually disappeared, and houses with brick and wood structures have become abandoned and collapsed due to disrepair. The approximately 15 acres of land connected to the south side of the base is an ecologically excellent jungle. The town government hopes to attract investment and turn the 15 acres of land into a field activity place together with the water mill house. Our design tasks include the future functional planning and new building design of the entire approximately 15 acres of land. The first project to be implemented is the demonstration site in the area, and the start-up funds are minimal.
The design goal of the demonstration site is to improve the environmental image with limited capital investment, provide recreational space for surrounding residents or tourists, and provide a place for visiting intended investors to become a gateway to the entire project site and bring opportunities for regional development and renewal.
Growth on Site. The design focuses on locality and growth and responds to important environmental elements in a targeted manner: water channels, woods, and farmland. Drainage is the most important environmental element within the site. The upstream water channel is about 3 meters wide. It is divided into two branches by the water separation wall. They are introduced into the arc-shaped ends and are led out through the circular drain hole at the bottom. A vortex is formed during this period, which rotates the millstone. The design retains the remains of agricultural production, like a convenient "bridge" across the water channel, retaining the original flow relationship of the water body and providing the best perspective for viewing the vortex. Visitors can stop here to appreciate the movement of fluids, listen to the changing sounds of water under gravity, and recall the lively and busy scene of this place at that time.
There are several large trees on the site, growing close to the original buildings, and their naturally formed shapes are like the silhouette of the old mill house. What we designed is a "pavilion" under the tree, a pavilion with the original branches and leaves at the top, so as to continue the memory of the place under the shelter of the big tree. The southeast side of the site is an existing farmland, and the new building intervenes in the site like a "stage" to provide visitors with a second-story viewing platform from which they can overlook the fields. We were on the water channel, under the shade of the trees, looking at the countryside, and our thoughts were diluted in the sunset rural atmosphere with the distant smoke.
Effective Composition. Considering the requirements of economy and temporary nature, the design strategy we formulated is to use effective composition to realize the abstract landscape growing on the ground. The design responds to the three aspects of assembly, modularization, and mobility. High-strength bolt connections and prefabricated profiles are used to reduce on-site operations and reduce construction costs. The main stress-bearing components of each part adopt two sizes, 6 meters, and 4 meters, which can be evenly divided by 12 meters, in order to achieve the purpose of convenient processing, reducing losses, and saving materials. We chose an open space on the south side of the project to provide the possibility for the disassembly, movement, reorganization, and reuse of the structure. The design strives to achieve reversibility of construction through strategy and in-depth processing details.
Generic Space. We define the purpose of the building as a "station" and look forward to building general and composite functions under an intensive basic framework. The orange frame structure maximizes the space volume. Passers-by can see the "Moulin Rouge" hidden under the trees from a distance, providing a clear indication of attracting passenger flow. Detailed designs within the basic framework include solid wood tables and stools, a second-floor platform, a hanging basket swing, and a steel climbing frame. They provide places for rest and gathering for workers in the fields and along the roads and canals. At night, the lights of the inn came on, illuminating the twilight countryside.
