Bridging Tea House

The design attempts to unify the two fundamental elements of a Chinese garden -- the bridge and the teahouse -- into a single structure.

Project Details

• Project Name: Bridging Tea House
• Client: Government of Jinhua City, Beijing China
• Project Type: Restaurant and Tea House
• Principal Designer/s: Fernando Romero
• Design Team: Fernando Romero, Eduardo Sosa, Maria Teresa Catrip, Carlos Bedoya, Leon Amezcua.
• Date of commencement of project: 2004
• Date of completion of project: 2006
• Location of site: Jinhua, Jindong New District, Beijing China
• Built-up Area: 250 m²
• Cost of Construction/Execution: $1,000.00 USD/m²

The division between the different individual 'cells' creates a structural maze that allows the pavilion to span over the pond.

Words from the designer:

"Our concept is based on two fundamental elements in the typological conformation of Chinese gardens: the bridge and the teahouse. Since our site was next to a water pond, we wanted to unify those both typologies into one single structure. Contemplation of the environment was the main goal. To achieve an intimate relationship with nature, the continuous concrete structure contains several micro-ambiances platforms that allow each group of users to have a different experience while enjoying a cup of tea. The division between the different individual 'cells' is at the same time the structural maze that allows the pavilion to span over the pond.

Bridging Tea House - Floor Plan. [opens in a popup window - 71KB image]

Challenges

Simplicity with complexity: we tried to create a simple volume with a structural division into spaces that have each their own identity, accessibility and privacy.

Realization

The building will be situated in between projects of Herzog and de Meuron and Michael Maltzan. After sending our schematic design to the Chinese organization, the communication stopped. We intended by various means to inform ourselves about the status of the project, but received no reaction. Almost a year later, when we considered the project as cancelled, the organization sent us an email with pictures of an almost finished pavilion."

Credits

• Text and Photographs: Courtesy, the Architect
• Compiled by: Varun M. Ajani