“There is something you need to hear…” — Robert Macfarlane, Underland
Wutopia Lab transformed an abandoned water pump house located in Dongtanyuan Outpost Farm—a subsidiary of Bright Food (Group)—into what they call the Shrine of Everyman.
Before the Renovation
The client wanted to leverage the excellent riverside views of the water pump room, repurposing this abandoned farm infrastructure as a rest stop for visitors. However, the goal was not to create another architecturally manipulated structure disconnected from its users or the local context, as is often the case with typical landscape ornaments.
During Renovation
A key aspect of traditional Chinese culture is the creation of shared memories that elevate everyday places to sacred spaces. This inspired the idea of using milk chocolate as a theme. Milk chocolate, reinvented by the Shanghai food industry during times of material scarcity—linked to the predecessor of Guangming Food (Group)—was a cherished blessing and an essential part of many Chinese people’s dietary memories.
The decision was made to use milk chocolate as a thematic element for the water pump room, aiming to awaken forgotten memories of ordinary people enjoying life despite hardships. This transformation turns an abandoned facility into a sacred space for the everyday individual—the Shrine of Everyman.
The design features a brown semi-circular pool suspended over the river, symbolizing chocolate and creating a boundary that separates the pump room from its surroundings.
Replacing the old pump house, a new structure of thirteen layers of semi-transparent polycarbonate panels rises above the water, symbolizing milk. Inspired by the designer’s daughter’s love of cloud motifs, staggered doorways and overlapping silhouettes are crafted from the layered panels, reshaping the visitor’s experience into one filled with subtle surprises after initial impressions fade.
The pump room’s base cantilevers from a rectangular semi-basement, extending up to 4.6 meters. Structural engineers used beam cantilevering near the basement and thin plate cantilevering within 2.5 meters of the pool edge. This design achieves a floating effect, visually distinguishing the new pump room from the surrounding landscape when viewed from both the highway and the water.
The new structure spans 9.6 meters horizontally, with steel beams measuring at least 85mm and steel columns 60mm in size. A thin steel plate roof connects the components, suspending the light, translucent polycarbonate panels to form the cloud-inspired doors that comprise the Shrine of Everyman.
The semi-transparent qualities of the panels combined with the isolated pool landscape create an aura of sacredness. The direct pathway leading into the pump room enhances this sense of ceremony. Entering the Shrine of Everyman feels like stepping into a temple shaped by the collective memory of ordinary people. From within, visitors can gaze into the distance at the beautiful human-made scenery reclaimed by countless everyday individuals.
It is important to remember that everyday miracles are accomplished by ordinary people.
“You are absolutely completely in void, like being in outer space… You get to the point where there is no God, no past, no future, just now and the next millisecond.” — Robert Macfarlane, Underland
Easter Egg One
After the milk chocolate pump room structure was completed, everyone admired its beauty. When asked if solar panels would be installed, the boss replied, “No.” Later, he explained that doing something beyond what everyone expects is what sets their studio apart.
Easter Egg Two
When the pump room was first built, the owner asked what functions it offered. The team replied, “There are many ways to interact with this pump room: you can confess, hold a runway show, or simply reflect.”
Project Drawings
△ Axonometric Diagram
△ General Layout Plan
△ First Floor Plan
△ Elevation Drawing
△ Section Diagram
△ Structural Detail Drawing
Project Information
Project Name: Milk Chocolate Pump House
Design Company: Wutopia Lab
Lead Architect: Yu Ting
Project Architect: Mu Zhilin
Design Team: Xu Nan, Mi Kejie
Construction Drawing Design Company: Shanghai Zhumeng Architectural Design Co., Ltd
Owner: Shanghai Qianyi Agricultural Development Co., Ltd
Construction Unit: Shanghai New Garden Industry Co., Ltd
Structural Consultant: Miao Binhai
Lighting Consultant: Zhang Chenlu
Photography: CreatAR Images
Location: Chongming, Shanghai, China
Time Frame: April 2020 – October 2021
Area: 35 square meters
Materials: Polycarbonate panels, steel
Must log in before commenting!
Sign Up