The VVE Plant Pavilion

This project was featured in "The Shanghai Urban Space Art Season 2023," curated and constructed by Mr. Chen Jun, Dr. Pedram Ghelichi, and Dr. Han Man in collaboration with students from Tongji University in September 2023 in Shanghai, China. With the theme "Cohabitation," this art season explores new strategies and methods for Shanghai's metropolitan construction, highlighting the importance of fostering a harmonious relationship between humans and nature as a community of life. It also focuses on the diligent practices of low-carbon and sustainable development, setting a benchmark for global megacities.


The VVE Plant Pavilion is an installation that reimagines the interaction between visitors of Jiabei Country Park and greenery and plantations. The design centers around the integration of vertical farming with an agile and lightweight structural system. The system is constructed using lightweight marineboard panels that utilize a unique interlocking and stacking mechanism. Unlike conventional timber, this system eliminates the need for complicated joints or precision craftsmanship. The panels can be easily interlocked due to the spatial arrangement of V-shaped joints. This simplicity in assembly offers two main advantages: Firstly, it allows a broader range of participants to engage in the construction process, promoting inclusivity and active participation. In fact, several students from Tongji University in Shanghai participated in and assisted with the assembly of this project. Secondly, the V-shaped cavities between the panels serve as suitable spaces for accommodating various plant types. With a modest budget and a construction period of just two days, this installation can be assembled, disassembled, and reassembled as needed. The deliberate incorporation of vertical farming aims to demonstrate that urban sustainable agriculture initiatives can be achieved in dense cities like Shanghai by leveraging the simplicity of the construction system.


Overall, the VVE Plant Pavilion showcases an innovative approach to urban space art, emphasizing the coexistence of humans and nature while promoting low-carbon and sustainable development in megacities like Shanghai.

Project Details

Project name: VVe Plant Pavilion

Exhibition Location: Jiabei Country Park No.1 entrance, Jiading, Shanghai

Design Team: CHEN Jun, Pedram GHELICHI, HAN Man

Plant System: Yocco (Tongji University)

Structural Consultant: ZHANG Zhun, CHEN Xuejian (AND Office)

Student Helpers: MAK Kwan Yeung Sharon, Yilan WANG, CHUNG Hiu Nam Hilary (School of Architecture, CUHK)

Construction Team: ZHANG Ruhua, CAI Deshui, SUN Xiyang, LYV Rui, YANG Yihao, FENG Kenan, DENG Jinyi, Nurziya, HAN Man, CHEN Jun

Planting Team: DENG Rui, YE Junlin, GUO Yue, PENG Lijuan, WU Qi

Photographer: YANG Min

Special thanks to Prof. ZHU Jingxiang, Prof. CHEN Jing, Mr. ZHU Feng, Mr. DAI Lining, Ms. HU Tianxia, Mr. HU Jian, Mr. ZOU Bin


Scale: approx. 3.9m*6.3m*2.4m

Exhibition Period: 2023.9.24-11.30

Design Period: 2023.5.18-9.10

Construction Period: 2023.9.15-9.17

Copyright © 2024 School of Architecture
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Privacy Policy
Disclaimer