Submitted by Berrin Chatzi Chousein
Penda designs an artificial landscape of hills and valleys that create natural environment for Wuhan
China Architecture News - Nov 03, 2015 - 12:31 16163 views
all images © Penda
Penda designed a topographical green landscape in Wuhan that refers to the clean water and healthy environment-the project is called ''Where the river runs'' and Penda's proposal for plot 1590 of the garden expo is a natural statement for the importance of clean water and a healthy environment. ''Where the river runs'' received 2nd prize in 2014 from the competition. The project is a river-like pathway guiding visitors through an artificial landscape of hills and valleys. Seeds of different plants are given to the visitors at each entrance and they get the opportunity to plant local flowers, vegetables, fruits or herbs along the "riverbed".
As people are hiking through the landscape and seeding their plants, they take over the function of a river as they bring life to the pavilion. Like the river does in an natural environment, the visitors become the starting point in the life-cycle of plants. They are an essential part to design the pavilion and that will increase the sensibility towards the importance of clean water and clean air.
Penda sees the location of plot 1590 as a connection inbetween other pavilions and it can be entered from 3 sides. Visitors are naturally guided through the riverbed. On their way they will pass by various landscape formations, like a narrow shore, high cliffs or a natural cave.
Throughout the walk, famous local poems and quotes are engraved into the vertical walls. All entrances are leading to the central plaza, where the visitors have time to rest, reflect or have a drink. A natural canopy offers shadow to the plaza. On their walk through the pavilion, the landscape offers the visitors a wide variety of visual, haptic and scented expression from different terrain-formations to various colorful plants, while they become an essential part in the circle of life.
> via Penda