Junya.Ishigami+Associates . + domusweb
Like a one-kilometre-long walkway in the middle of the water, a narrow belt, albeit variable in width, crosses a lake from side to side in the Chinese wetlands of Bailuwan.
The water penetrates the building under the glass partitions that serve as exterior walls, creating interior strands like a thin beach that continues into the distance. Visitors are invited to follow this covered path bordered by two shores, which varies in width from 5 to 20 metres. An entrance can be found at either end of the building, which visitors can traverse in full, discovering over the course of their stroll a variety of areas designed as a visitor centre, shops, relaxation spaces and dining facilities, among others.
The building’s sinuosity, the transparency of the lateral walls and the continual presence of water all lead to the creation of a new landscape, where built and natural elements merge and become one.
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