Shanghai studio Xisui Design drew on natural shapes for the minimalist Thin-Shell Metal Woven Pavilion, which was designed as a sunken resting space on a pond in China.
The ovoid metal pavilion was made to be lightweight, wind-resistant and provide shade from the sun, while also letting some light in.
The arched structure of eggshells informed the design of the pavilion
"We drew inspiration from the natural world, particularly the weaving methods of birds' nests and the load-bearing arched structure of eggshells," Xisui Design project manager Yang Peng told Dezeen.
"These influences guided us to achieve a design that is pure and lightweight, ensuring a precise prefabricated, modular, and demountable construction solution that is relocatable." It was constructed from bolted-together metal plates
Sunken into a pond in Hefei City, Anhui Province, China, the pavilion was made from 469 bespoke pieces of metal CNC-cut in different sizes and precisely and bolted together.
Each metal plate is 2.5 millimetres thick and the structure is comprised of two layers of plates.
"CNC precision machining in the factory allows for uniform and efficient control over errors and process standards, avoiding the impacts of weather, tool shortages, and on-site management challenges," Peng said.
A sunken walk leads to the pavilion
The eight-metre wide pavilion was assembled without the use of welding, instead using flexible bolt joints to make it easier to disassemble an...