Nestled within the verdant expanse of an ice-chrysanthemum plantation in Xiuwu, China stands a testament to architectural innovation - a library and tea-tasting room designed by Atelier Xi, composed of five interconnected, angular volumes. This architectural marvel, resembling a miniature village, draws inspiration from local village houses and the delicate composition of chrysanthemum petals, creating a harmonious blend of tradition and modernity within the natural landscape.
Designing with Purpose
Founding principal Chen Xi explains the studio's approach: "To avoid the imposition of a single large building on the flower field landscape, we divided the functions into five dispersed small cubic volumes." This vision of a blossoming architectural space, where each part opens up to the flower field in various directions, guided the design process, ensuring integration with the surroundings and maximizing the visual impact.
(Photo: Chao Zhang)
A Harmony of Form and Function
Sat on a circular site within the plantation, the 316-square-meter cluster of buildings harmoniously coexists with nature. Clad in white stucco and featuring expansive facade openings following the angular structural form, the volumes blend seamlessly with the landscape while offering breathtaking views of the surroundings. Each volume is strategically oriented to capture light throughout the day, enhancing the immersive experience for visitors.
Interconnected Spaces for Community
The inside of the library speaks of its brain-storming design with concrete floors and soaring ceilings, encompassing the smooth atmosphere with curved wooden walls. The interconnected spaces around a centralized lobby fulfill functions that include the reading room, music room, lounge, and tea-tasting room.
Flexible spaces cater to community activities, such as agricultural workshops and musical performances, fostering a sense of belonging and engagement.
(Photo: Chao Zhang)
A Transformative Experience
The tension between the building's angular exterior and soft interior creates a distinctive experiential quality, shifting daily tonight. By daylight, the white gable walls evoke the image of a northern village settlement. At the same time, at night, the silhouette dissolves into darkness, emphasizing the warm and inviting interior spaces reminiscent of a dreamlike sanctuary.
(Photo: Chao Zhang)
Embracing Tradition, Embracing Tomorrow
In the tea-tasting room, expansive openings frame views of the fields, inviting contemplation and connection with nature. Bookshelves follow the curved walls of the reading room, seamlessly integrating functionality with design. Meditation areas, storage, and services are discreetly tucked away throughout the space, allowing the main areas to remain open and inviting.
A Testament to Resilience
The fact that the construction was completed in 2021 was one of resilience and determination in the face of the restrictive measures of the pandemic, generally, which had, in most cases, halted the opening of anything like that. With these constraints gone, the library would stand as a beacon in the community for creativity, a lighthouse, signaling to the visitors that they were filled with the light of that world where architecture and nature finally merged and held fast-opening to an infinity of imaginations for all time.