BRIDGING TEAHOUSE
FR-EE / Fernando Romero Enterprise
Text description provided by architect.
The Bridging Teahouse by FR-EE is one of the 17 pavilions in JinHua Architecture Park in the city of Jinhua, China. The park is located in the Jindong New District, a new area masterplanned by Herzog & de Meuron since 2003.
Designed by the well-known Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, the park is set by the city’s Jiwu river on a strip of land some 2km long and dedicated to the memory of his father, the poet Ai Qing.Small pavilions designed by architects from all over the world occupy the land, together forming an important part of the development of the new district, while as unique entities they appeal to a range of people.
FR-EE’s Bridging Teahouse explores the typological interaction between two traditional structures from the gardens of ancient China: a teahouse and a bridge.
The bridge spans as a continuous concrete structure over a pond and stands out strongly in its flaming red color, traditionally the symbolic color of happiness in China.
Inside, a variety of micro platforms in different shapes and levels, create sequences of experiences for the visitors passing through the bridge - allowing for privacy and intimacy even when bigger groups move through the pavilion. The division between these platforms supports the structure of the pavilion, enabling it to span over the pond.
