Tianmianshang Pavilion: Redefining Space and Shelter

Innovative architecture blurs boundaries between interior and exterior realms

Located behind an orange grove in Huizhou City, the Tianmianshang Pavilion stands as a testament to the evolving dialogue between architecture and its users. Designed by the Art Institute of Xiaoyan, this award-winning structure reimagines the fundamental elements of shelter—floor, roof, and walls—inviting visitors to reconsider their relationship with built environments. The project’s inspiration draws from the symbolic significance of the floor as a site of action and congregation, while intentionally blurring the distinction between roof and ceiling to create a holistic sense of enclosure.

What distinguishes Tianmianshang is its undulating floor and roof, which generate a series of threshold spaces that resist simple categorization as interior or exterior. The strategic arrangement of walls and columns further complicates these boundaries, resulting in a spatial experience that is both dynamic and ambiguous. According to the design team, this approach encourages organic interactions, allowing users to develop personal affinities for different subspaces within the pavilion’s seemingly uniform framework.

The pavilion’s construction employs a combination of concrete and lightweight steel. Concrete columns and irregularly placed walls not only provide structural stability but also contribute to the layered spatial complexity. The steel roof, crafted as a single, seamless piece, enhances the building’s visual unity and imparts a sense of lightness, making the structure appear to float amidst its natural surroundings. This design aligns with contemporary architectural aesthetics while emphasizing harmony between human activity and the environment.

Research underpinning the project references Rem Koolhaas’s exploration of the threshing floor as both a site of labor and communal gathering, reinforcing the pavilion’s role as a space for action, reflection, and connection. The collaborative process, involving students and tutors from the Art Institute of Xiaoyan, presented challenges in coordination and communication, ultimately resulting in a design that embodies collective creativity and innovation.

Recipient of the Bronze A' Design Award in 2025, Tianmianshang exemplifies excellence in integrating art, science, and technology. Its inventive approach to spatial organization and its commitment to enhancing quality of life underscore the pavilion’s significance as a cultural and architectural landmark in rural China.

The Tianmianshang Pavilion invites visitors to pause, reflect, and engage with space in new ways—offering a compelling vision of how architecture can foster deeper connections between people, place, and nature.