TAO shrouds In-Between Pavilion in a veil of stainless steel

  • Trevor Schillaci
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    Architect: Trace Architecture Office
    Location: Shenzhen, China
    Completion Date: 2023

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    Trace Architecture Office’s (TAO) In-Between Pavilion is a multilevel exhibition space wedged between two residential towers in Shenzhen’s Nantou Ancient Town. A stainless steel mesh veil is draped from the building’s exposed steel structure to shade an inner-layer of glazing.

    The pavilion was built for Shenzhen’s Diverse Homology Museum. Part urban renewal project, part museum complex, the new institution occupies four nearby structures. Its programming narrates the history of the Pearl River Delta in Southern China, the most urbanized and densely populated region in the world.

    Museum exhibitions narrate the history of the Pearl River Delta region. (Chen Hao)

    Curated by Diameter Narrative Design, the museum’s concept revolves around its contradictory title, “Diverse Homology” (the term homology denotes likeness between entities). Seeking to emphasize the diverse cultures and ecosystems found through out the region, as well as its long and varied history, the title posits that these conditions are similar precisely through their difference.

    Each of the museum’s three exhibition pavilions explores a unique theme. The largest of the structures, designed by URBANUS Architecture and Design, holds The Integral Bond of the Economy and The Continuous Sight of Nature exhibitions. Node Architecture and Urbanism designed The Inherited and Shared Culture pavilion. TAO’s In-Between Pavilion is devoted to the theme of “The Inherited and Shared Administration.”

    In-Between Pavilion fits tightly between two residential buildings. (Mei Kejia)

    In addition to its curatorial mission, the Diverse Homology Museum contributes to the urban renewal of Nantou Ancient Town, a neighborhood contained within present-day Shenzhen that was initially settled around 300 A.D.

    Most of Nantou’s historic architecture was destroyed in the 1980s after Shenzhen’s reclassification as a special economic zone. The liberalization of Shenzhen’s economy prompted mass migration and a population boom, spurring the rapid urbanization of Nantou. Many of the structures were constructed hastily, without regard for legality or sensible planning. In recent years, efforts have been undertaken to renew this sector of the city.

    In-Between Pavilion marks TAO’s second urban renewal project in Nantou. The first of which, entitled “A Hamlet within the urban village,” completed construction in 2022.

    Section (Courtesy TAO)

    Composed of three distinct volumes, In-Between Pavilion delicately negotiates the tight urban conditions of Nantou. A central staircase connects the three volumes, leading visitors through successive exhibition rooms. The full form of the building is barely perceptible given its close proximity to neighboring structures, which occlude visibility.

    The stainless steel net encloses walkways that wrap the building. (Chen Hao)

    The pavilion’s amorphous appearance is further obscured by its stainless steel mesh facade. Suspended from hanger modules connected to the building’s steel structure, the veil shades the museum’s walkways and floor-to-ceiling glazing.

    High-tension springs and extension rods were used to install the wire net, pulling the mesh tight around the buildings profile. Additional braces were added to secure the drapery against high winds.

    The building is set back from the street to create a publicly accessible sidewalk. (Chen Hao)

    As part of the project’s urban renewal mandate, the architects set the building back from the street, creating a sidewalk around the footprint of the building. The pathway is intended for museum visitors and will also help residents navigate the block’s narrow street.

    At ground level, the building’s veil is mounted to the edge of the sidewalk, creating a covered passageway. To allow entry to the museum the veil splits apart halfway up the height of the structure at each corner.

    This yielded ground floor space is compensated for on the upper levels of the museum which gradually step outward as the building rises with the support of sloped columns.

    The design of In-Between Pavilion embraces the rapidly changing urbanism of Nantou. (Chen Hao)

    “Over the years of construction, Nantou Ancient Town presents an active state of rapid change—constantly regenerates by temporary and fragmented additions and revisions, reflecting the unique vitality of the urban village. Like an invisible organism, all materials within this domain possess a property of transience and adaptability to the organic changes,” said Hua Li, founder of TAO.

    In this way, the transparent and ephemeral veil which cloaks In-Between Pavilion accurately reflects the transitory state of the built environment in Nantou.


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