Led by Prof. Shuaizhong Wang, this collaborative research project involves Nanjing University, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, ETH Zurich, and Southeast University, and explores the integration of ordinariness with circular construction concepts.
Red Canopy is a structure situated on the northern slope of Xiangtang in Pukou, Nanjing. The pavilion, constructed from bamboo of varying thicknesses and woven fabric, spans 750 square meters. Its size, form, and distinctive red color add character to the landscape, revealing the hidden poetry of the slope. Designed to respond to the natural, historical, and social environment of Xiangtang, the structure stands as a testament to sustainable architectural design.
Supported by six pairs of columns that define its spatial boundaries, the suspended roof consists of 2-meter-wide woven fabric strips. These strips serve a dual purpose: acting as tensile components and defining the space below. Curved bamboo ribs stretch across the fabric, transferring forces to the support points and creating a hybrid structural system. This continuous surface provides shade during Xiangtang's hot and humid summer. Remarkably, the construction was completed in five days by 12 architecture students from Nanjing University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Red Canopy combines ordinary materials with circular construction principles to achieve a sustainable design rooted in local practices. The main components were sourced locally and assembled using low-tech construction methods common in the village. Thin bamboo strips, harvested nearby with the help of local villagers, form the ribs, while the woven fabric is made from inexpensive polypropylene, commonly used for weather protection in the area. This practicality-oriented approach balances the temporary and permanent, natural and artificial, local and global. By minimizing processing, all components retain high reuse potential, allowing them to be returned to the villagers for future everyday uses.
Red Canopy aims to integrate space, structure, materials, and construction, serving as a new anchor for spatial development in Xiangtang. It acts as a medium connecting residents and visitors, history and the present, and the village with the outside world. An exhibition of the project, featuring discussions by several professors and experts, including Prof. Zhao Chen, Prof. Hu Youpei, Zhang Zhun, and Guo Liaohui, is being held in Xiangtang's main hall from July 19 to 26. This exhibition showcases the results of the project and provides a platform for further exploration of circular construction and sustainable design.
