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Architects: Atelier Scale
- Area: 300 m²
- Year: 2020
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Photographs:Nancy Studio
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Lead Architects: Huicheng Zhong
Text description provided by the architects. The Wave is a recyclable display garden designed by Atelier Scale. It locates at the 2020 Shenzhen Flower Show Bao'an Garden, with a size of 360 m2.
Within a visual-dominant flower show context, we realize there is a huge waste for every garden/flower show where most of the materials are turned into trash after the show is finished. Therefore, we think reflectively: using design to reconsider the life cycle of a temporary garden and promote sense of sustainability of a flower show. We come up with a prefabricated module system, with which we are able to rebuild the garden in another site with 90% of the material, after the flower show is over. The module is inspired by the texture of ocean, where the city of Shenzhen is located. Through tilting and moving of modules, a field of wave is created to simulate the ocean.
We believe the protagonist of the garden should be the plants, and the goal of design is to create a stage on which the protagonist shines. The "wave" becomes this stage, where plants "surf". Inside the garden, a gradient selection of flora from white, light blue to dark blue spread with the planters, represent the ocean wave. Colorful succulent plants with various shapes, together with colored herbs, represent the coral reef under the sea.
Besides the field of wave, the fish net trellis and wave pavilion trigger richer experience for visitors, through different forms of interaction. The fish nets hung under the trellis are so soft that light breeze easily make them swim like jellyfish. Visitors could "kiss" the nets in certain elevation as they move with the landforms. The wave pavilion rolls up with the "wave", with plants on the roof, and mirror-finish panel under the ceiling. The mirror magically reflects different environment based on visitors' location and viewing angle.
The given construction period is extremely short (one month), with which the module system (composed of total 335 aluminium planters) work perfectly. We have optimized the installation details of the two trellis, which are assembled without welding. With these helps we have been able to complete the construction/installation in advance, when others are still working hard in completing. The extra time has been used for plant maintenance to better prepare for the opening. However the construction process has not been easy. There are learn curves within each step of construction.
"The Wave" has been accepting visitors and will stay open until January 1, 2021. We look forward to seeing you in Lianhuashan Park, Shenzhen! After the exhibition, the Wave will be dissembled and re-installed in one of the park of Bao'an DIstrict in Shenzhen.
