![Pujiang Viewing Platform](https://api.mvrdv.com/media/uploads/project/943/02_Exterior night_crop.jpg)
Pujiang Viewing Platform
Perched on the hills to the south of Chengdu, the Pujiang Viewing Platform serves as both a visitor destination and an event space that takes advantage of the spectacular natural beauty of central China. Designed to blend into the surrounding natural environment, while also standing out as a beacon when seen from the plains below, the structure of earth-covered timber arches takes a telescopic shape, drawing visitors to the expansive viewing window and balcony that cantilevers over the slope.
- Location
- China Mainland
- City
- Pujiang
- Year
- 2022
- Surface
- 414 m²
- Client
- Pujiang County Planning and Resources Bureau
- Status
- On site
- Programmes
- Pavilion
- Themes
- Leisure , Public , Sustainability
The new town of Pujiang is currently under development to the southwest of Chengdu, with the intention of providing its residents a high-quality, sustainable lifestyle. In the hills to the east of Pujiang, a simple existing viewpoint offered commanding views over the growing town and the panorama of the Qionglai Mountain range behind it. MVRDV was commissioned by Pujiang County Planning and Resources Bureau to upgrade this viewpoint, turning it into a desirable destination for tourists, as well as an event space capable of hosting everything from weddings to government meetings.
MVRDV’s design comprises an arched pavilion covered with an earth berm that blends into the landscape, as well as the improvement of the path network to add multiple routes and a secondary viewing platform. The pavilion itself is made using a timber structure, serving as an example for other designs; despite the well-known benefits of wood in reducing the carbon emissions of construction, Chinese construction regulations, and the country’s industry at large, remain hesitant to adopt the material at scale.
The pavilion is entered via a small glass wall set into the earth berm on the building’s south-east side. Inside, the roof slopes upwards as the floor slopes downward, conforming to the slope of the hill. This slope forms a tribune that is ideal for presentations, or simply for sitting to take in the landscape through the 115-square-metre glass wall at the other end.
This glass wall incorporates a pair of sliding doors, together measuring 4.5 metres high and 8.4 metres wide, enabling the interior to open up to a viewing balcony outside. This balcony is made with a lightweight steel structure, and rests on a structural support that is cheekily embedded inside a rock, furthering the impression of a design in tune with its natural surroundings.
The landscape design of the project aims to enhance what already exists at the site. The plants used will reflect the site’s current biodiversity – including on the earth berm over the pavilion’s roof which, with a soil depth of 30 centimetres, will be capable of hosting a wide variety of grasses, flowers, and small bushes. Meanwhile, existing waterways will be used for rainwater collection and irrigation.
Two pathways can currently be found on site: an upper pathway that leads to the main viewing platform, and a lower pathway that descends the hill, alongside a stream, to a dead end. With the addition of a staircase, these two pathways form a loop, with the lower pathway and staircase now serving as a wilder “exploratory” route. Atop the staircase is the secondary viewing platform, taking the shape of a circle for 360-degree views of both the distant mountains as well as the nearby natural environment.
In addition to the project’s wood structure, which helps to keep its embodied carbon emissions low, the design incorporates a variety of strategies to also reduce operational emissions. The earth berm and its greenery provide a significant amount of insulation and thermal mass, reducing the effect of temperature changes, while the ceiling is layered in a way that allows natural ventilation to cool the space. Solar gain is kept to a minimum, thanks to the north-facing orientation of the large window, and the roof overhang and surrounding trees that protect the entrance from direct sunlight. The pavilion is designed to be off the energy grid, being provided with power from a field of solar panels that will be installed nearby, combined with on-site energy storage in the basement. The pavilion also makes efficient use of water, collecting both rainwater and greywater for reuse in irrigating the landscape.
These sustainable features make the Pujiang Viewing Platform a statement project, strongly establishing the identity of the emerging sustainable town at the foot of the hill. Visitors will be able to learn about its sustainable features through a digital guided tour enabled by tablets provided at the pavilion. At night, it will become a beacon in the hills, visible from the town below due to the light shining out of its grand main window.
Gallery
![](https://api.mvrdv.com/media/uploads/project/943/01_Aerial.jpg?width=1920)
![](https://api.mvrdv.com/media/uploads/project/943/02_Exterior day.jpg?width=1920)
![](https://api.mvrdv.com/media/uploads/project/943/02_Exterior night.jpg?width=1920)
![](https://api.mvrdv.com/media/uploads/project/943/03_Interior Restaurant.jpg?width=1920)
![](https://api.mvrdv.com/media/uploads/project/943/06_Platform_Update.jpg?width=1920)
![](https://api.mvrdv.com/media/uploads/project/943/08_Path.jpg?width=1920)
![](https://api.mvrdv.com/media/uploads/project/943/07_Stairs.jpg?width=1920)
![](https://api.mvrdv.com/media/uploads/project/943/230627_masterplan.jpg?width=1920)
![](https://api.mvrdv.com/media/uploads/project/943/230630_Pujiang Platform Masterplan concept.jpg?width=1920)
![](https://api.mvrdv.com/media/uploads/project/943/230630_Pujiang Platform Architecture concept.jpg?width=1920)
![](https://api.mvrdv.com/media/uploads/project/943/230630_Pujiang Platform spatial strategy.jpg?width=1920)
![](https://api.mvrdv.com/media/uploads/project/943/230630_Pujiang Platform Observation deck concept.jpg?width=1920)
![](https://api.mvrdv.com/media/uploads/project/943/Pages from 230630_Pujiang Platform A3 Booklet SD100_Page_1.jpg?width=1920)
![](https://api.mvrdv.com/media/uploads/project/943/Path sequence.jpg?width=1920)
![Credit achtergrond](http://mvrdv.com/media/uploads/03_Interior Restaurant.jpg)
Credits
- Architect
- Founding partner in charge
- Partner
- Design team
- Director MVRDV Shanghai
- MVRDV Climate
- Visualisations