Architecture studio IARA has reinvigorated an abandoned aqueduct in Huangshan, China, by attaching a sheltered timber bridge on top of its stone structure.
Named FW JI Covered Bridge on Aqueduct, the project in Fengwu Village is shortlisted in the infrastructure and transport project category of Dezeen Awards 2024.
IARA has added a covered bridge to a stone aqueduct in China
The narrow stone aqueduct, which crosses over the Fengxi River in the north of the village, dates back to the 1960s and is a well-loved local landmark.
Its revamp by Beijing-based IARA is part of a broader revitalisation programme for the area, which responds to its ageing demographic and insufficient public facilities.
FW JI Covered Bridge on Aqueduct is built from cross-laminated timber IARA looked to both preserve the aqueduct and celebrate its place in the community with the cross-laminated timber (CLT) bridge, which doubles as a sheltered community space for gathering.
"During the initial design phase, we conducted surveys with the villagers, and 'memory' was the most frequently mentioned word," IARA's founders Jingqiu Zhang and Lubin Liu told Dezeen.
The roof is formed of corrugated aluminium
"To honour the collective memory of the village, we preserved the original aqueduct, not only maintaining its structural integrity but also retaining the traces of time imprinted on its surface, such as the perennial moss and vegetation," the duo explained.
"Villagers also expressed ...