Xintiandi Temporary Reading Pavilion
In such a fashionable and highly commercial venue as Xintiandi, this temporary installation would be not only cutting edge, but also a bit serious, just like a daydream.
For 2016 World Book Day, Shanghai based Atelier Archmixing was commissioned to create a temporary reading pavilion in Shanghai downtown’s hottest fashion venue, Xintiandi. After fifteen days’ design, fifteen days’ material preparation and five days’ construction, the pavilion opened to the public in April. 23th. After another fifteen days, it was cleared.
How to provide a temporary structure with comparable size and fashionable quality as its surroundings with high-rise residences, boutique shops and large span elevated commercial bridge? How to bring public reading and communicating atomosphere into such a profit-oriented context? How to keep the balance of distinguishing and integrating in design? Together with the task of quick execution and limited budget, all these are big challenges.
In the middle of the sidewalk, the architect erected a light steel structure, 28.6-meter-long, 5-meter-wide and 8.5-meter-high, covered with transparent acrylic plates. The significant size guaranteed the accommodation of more people’s participating in various events as well as passing through freely. The rhythm and transparency are visually attractive and welcoming, encouraging public sharing.
The design of light and sound imitating the seaside shinning and tide-waving make the pavilion even more like a daydream. In addition to create a romantic and relaxing reading space in the congested metropolis, they are also functionally oriented, such as excluding the nearby traffic noise.
