• Danxia World Heritage Gateway - West-line Studio

    Danxia World Heritage Gateway - West-line Studio

  • Danxia World Heritage Gateway - West-line Studio

    Danxia World Heritage Gateway - West-line Studio

  • Danxia World Heritage Gateway - West-line Studio

    Danxia World Heritage Gateway - West-line Studio

  • Danxia World Heritage Gateway - West-line Studio

    Danxia World Heritage Gateway - West-line Studio

  • Danxia World Heritage Gateway - West-line Studio

    Danxia World Heritage Gateway - West-line Studio

  • Danxia World Heritage Gateway - West-line Studio

    Danxia World Heritage Gateway - West-line Studio

  • Danxia World Heritage Gateway - West-line Studio

    Danxia World Heritage Gateway - West-line Studio

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Small spaces

2019 WAN Awards Entry: Danxia World Heritage Gateway - West-line Studio

Danxia World Heritage Gateway - West-line Studio is an entry in the Small Spaces category at the 2019 World Architecture News Awards.

by Jessica Evans 29 August 2019 2019

Located in the Chishui region, northern Guizhou province, the popular tourist rest spot is characterised by stunning red cliffs, peaks and streams. The building’s design is sensitive to those characteristics of the landscape as the local Danxia red stone allows it to become completely embedded into the surroundings.

The materials come from natural river flooding as the project sits at the base of a mountain, from which the top originates a river. When torrential floods erupt, various sizes of Danxia stones are transported downstream by the river, collected by workers and easily cut thanks to their high-porosity.

The spot is located in a V-shaped canyon that is 6m wide at its narrowest point. On the northern side a twisted corridor responds to the stream’s dynamics. However, the southern side is more important as it is composed of a group of seven little stone boxes that are characterised by a rainwater collecting system, a light capturing system, as well as tree courtyards. The stone boxes include facilities such as the tourist reception hall, the exhibition hall and the tea hall - where local spring water is used to prepare the tea.

The project aims to abstract the site’s characteristic features which is shown by how the forest is symbolised by a dense assembly of stone pillars and the mountain by the undulating roof, whilst the relationship with water is brought into the project by the rainwater collection system, which - along with the coloured light system - creates a ritual space.

 

The World Architecture News Awards showcase the best international design in both current and future projects. Entries for the 2019 Awards are now open - for further information and to submit your entry please click here.

West-line Studio
China

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