The Lake House: Life Experience Pavilion by Wutopia Lab

Nestled within the park's landscape, the new Life Experience Pavilion rises on the waterfront of Daning Park. It is a place where the indoors and outdoors merge, and the linear spatial design invites visitors on a soothing journey of discovery. The park's specifications required the preservation of existing buildings and vegetation, including two trees adjacent to the facade. Yu Ting's team at Wutopia Lab transformed this constraint into a defining design feature. 

The Lake House: Life Experience Pavilion, vegetation forming part of the building, © Guowei Liu

Horizontal layers of light and shadow create a sequence of walkable, habitable spaces. Preserved trees, vertical greenery, a lobby, an exhibition hall, three individually designed VIP rooms, a colonnade lined with willow trees, a terrace, a footbridge and a café are strung together to form a linear architectural narrative. The design strategy was based on the guiding principle of a “house within a house”. The pavilion consists of two facade systems. Without any structural alterations, the existing buildings are enclosed by these two levels of facade: an inner metal shell and an outer ceramic cladding. While the metal shell functions as a new climate boundary, the ceramic cladding serves purely as a design accent. The original building envelope remains intact in terms of insulation and waterproofing.  

The Lake House: Life Experience Pavilion at night, © Guowei Liu

The project had to be completed within 45 days. This required the use of a modular construction system that could be easily transported to and assembled at the construction site. Key materials and detailed solutions were determined early on in the design process. The supporting structure is based on lightweight steel profiles with a cross-section of just 150 x 150 mm. Thanks to the slim design, the beams and columns could be seamlessly integrated into the facade system, enabling the supporting structure and shell to merge visually and functionally. The delicate facade structure comprises decorative aluminium strips measuring 20 x 20 mm, arranged in a regular grid pattern. 

The Lake House: Life Experience Pavilion terrace, © Guowei Liu

Despite increasing urbanisation, the Chinese population's deep connection to nature remains strong. This cultural sensitivity is also evident in the design of the Life Experience Pavilion, which makes use of materials that are often overlooked or discarded elsewhere. Ceramic panels, recycled tiles, plaster and slabs made from marine plastic, and mushroom leather form a multi-layered, subtle narrative. The pavilion's architecture represents more than just interior design. It conveys an attitude: preservation and conservation.