The 2024 Chengdu World Horticultural Expo will take place from April 26 to October 28, 2024, in the Eastern New Area of Chengdu, Sichuan, China. This event uses horticulture as a medium to promote the concept of green development and showcase the poetic beauty of harmonious living. The expo aims to create an event that embodies the spirit of the times, international standards, Chinese cultural elements, and distinctive Chengdu characteristics.
▲ Radiant and Colorful Bamboo Lotus © Existence of buildings
Western Shu Gardens
The design of Xingcheng Exhibition Park draws inspiration from the Western Shu Garden, rooted in the Chinese Western Shu cultural heritage. Reflecting the local inhabitants’ understanding of nature, culture, and residence, it expresses the emotions of Chengdu’s people through artistic and cultural spaces. This garden style embodies the Shu people’s interpretation of “poetic dwelling,” characterized by natural elegance, literary refinement, tranquility, and an emphasis on simplicity and grace.
▲ Aerial view of the exhibition garden © Existence of buildings
▲ Aerial view of the exhibition garden © Existence of buildings
The flower path, once unseen by visitors, is now open through the Peng Gate. Nestled among bamboo groves, the small green-tiled dragon gate resembles a book, symbolically opening the exhibition garden to welcome citizens and tourists alike.
▲ The Peng Gate now welcomes visitors © Existence of buildings
Zhuhe Liushang
The exhibition garden’s main building centers on the garden itself, featuring transparent, light, elegant, and highly artistic landscape architecture that completes the garden experience. Bamboo forests and lotus ponds, hallmark elements of Western Shu gardens, are prominently featured. These elements appear in many classic Western Shu gardens such as Du Fu Thatched Cottage, Wangjiang Park, Chongzhou Painting Pool, Xinfan East Lake Park, and Xindu Guihu Park. The ancient Maha Lake in Chengdu, renowned for its abundant lotus flowers, is also echoed in the Maha Lake designed for this year’s expo.
▲ Curved Wall Cloud Lane inspired by Chongzhou Painting Pool © Chengdu Tianfu Greenway Construction Investment Group Co., Ltd
▲ Typical Curved Wall Cloud Lane in Western Shu Gardens © Chengdu Tianfu Greenway Construction Investment Group Co., Ltd
The architectural design draws inspiration from lotus leaves and bamboo groves. The exhibition hall resembles a massive lotus leaf floating on a pond, supported by a cluster of bamboo poles that mimic the veins of lotus leaves, creating an elegant, curved roof.
▲ Vibrant Bamboo Lotus © Xiaoyin Architecture
The architectural details such as sloping roofs, small blue tiles, long eaves, and delicate overhangs reflect the traditional style of western Sichuan homes, expressed here in a dramatic and abstract artistic manner.
▲ Viewing the bamboo lotus amidst rice paddies and bamboo forest © Existence of buildings
▲ Transformation of residential architectural features in Western Sichuan © Existence of buildings
▲ Transformation of residential architectural features in Western Sichuan © Existence of buildings
To enhance the dramatic and romantic aesthetic, the lotus leaf’s center is hollowed out, turning the roof into a giant rainwater collector. This artistic feature aligns with the expo’s theme, channeling rainwater into the lotus pond, symbolizing Xingcheng Group’s role as a Fortune 500 company attracting talent and fostering innovation.
▲ Rainwater collector funnel © Xiaoyin Architecture
▲ Bamboo poles forming the lotus leaf veins © Existence of buildings
▲ Lotus leaf-shaped roof © Existence of buildings
The ultra-white glass walls blur the line between indoors and outdoors, emphasizing the central bamboo grove’s presence. The exhibition hall’s floor is recessed by 0.6 meters, positioning visitors’ sightlines just above the pond’s surface. This design merges water and sky reflections, creating a harmonious interplay between forests, fields, water, and architecture that seamlessly connects the building’s interior and exterior.
▲ Interior of the exhibition hall © Existence of buildings
▲ Interior of the exhibition hall © Chengdu Tianfu Greenway Construction Investment Group Co., Ltd
▲ Painting blending water and sky hues © Chengdu Tianfu Greenway Construction Investment Group Co., Ltd
▲ Integration of Lin Tian Shui Zhai © Existence of buildings
The Whispering of Bamboo
The park’s architectural design aligns with this year’s expo theme, “Park City, Beautiful Habitat,” emphasizing green, low-carbon, sustainable conservation, sharing, and inclusiveness, along with new concepts, technologies, and materials. Since 2018, Xiaoyin Architecture has engaged in multiple projects centered on bamboo, conducting extensive research on bamboo materials and culture.
▲ Details of original bamboo application © Existence of buildings
▲ Details of original bamboo application © Existence of buildings
While developing the “Bamboo Lotus” project for the expo, the team also worked on the “Chongzhou Zhuting Rural Art Museum,” which features a fully bamboo structural system. This hybrid bamboo structure integrates many advances in bamboo architecture. Initially, the ‘Zhuhe’ design intended to use a hybrid of glued and original bamboo. However, due to time and budget constraints, the final structure employs steel supplemented with original bamboo decorations.
▲ Main structure © Xiaoyin Architecture
▲ Original bamboo structure © Xiaoyin Architecture
▲ Architectural construction details © Existence of buildings
▲ Architectural construction details © Existence of buildings
▲ Architectural construction details © Xiaoyin Architecture
Parametric technology was used throughout the design and construction phases to simulate complex steel structures, hyperbolic metal roofs, glass curtain walls, and bamboo installations. This ensured the building’s high performance and quality. The main structure consists of recyclable steel, while the interior highlights ecological bamboo art installations, allowing visitors to experience Sichuan’s unique bamboo culture inside and out. Eco-friendly materials, including recycled straw bricks and Chongzhou Huaiyuan handmade rattan furniture—a national intangible cultural heritage—were incorporated into the interior design, blending traditional western Sichuan lifestyle elements into the space.
▲ Hyperbolic roof and original bamboo © Xiaoyin Architecture
▲ Architectural construction details © Existence of buildings
▲ Exhibition Garden Courtyard © Chengdu Tianfu Greenway Construction Investment Group Co., Ltd
Western Shu gardens serve not only as sightseeing sites but also hold significant spiritual and commemorative value. The small building inspired by lotus and bamboo imagery aims to resonate with visitors, evoking a uniquely Chinese literary sentiment and presenting a fresh narrative for the western Sichuan forest at the 2024 Chengdu International Horticultural Exposition.
▲ Enjoying the cool shade under large leaves © Existence of buildings
▲ Lotus Leaf Pavilion © Xiaoyin Architecture
Project Drawings
△ Sketch
△ Exploded diagram
Project Information
Architectural Creative Team: Xiaoyin Architectural Firm
Lead Architect: Pan Youcai
Design Director: Yang Zhe (Partner)
Technical Director: Chen Renzhen (Partner)
Design Team: Yang Rui, Hu Qinmei, Gou Yuanjun, Huang Yuting, Luo Yudan
Construction Drawing Team: Shanghai Landscape and Greening Construction Co., Ltd
Exhibitor: Chengdu Xingcheng Investment Group Co., Ltd
Sponsors: Chengdu Construction Engineering Group Co., Ltd., Chengdu Xingcheng Human Settlements Real Estate Investment Group Co., Ltd., Chengdu Tianfu Greenway Construction Investment Group Co., Ltd., Chengdu Xingcheng Cultural Industry Development Investment Co., Ltd., Chengdu Tianfu Rural Development Group Co., Ltd
Construction Agency: Chengdu Jinguancheng Huamu Horticulture Co., Ltd
Landscape Design Team: School of Landscape Architecture, Sichuan Agricultural University (Sun Dajiang), Sichuan Tianyi Ecological Landscape Group Co., Ltd
Regional Cultural Advisor: Wang Zenghui
Plant Configuration: Chengdu Manshidi Horticulture Co., Ltd
Smart System: Chengdu Smart City Information Technology Co., Ltd
Introduction VI: Chengdu Tianfu Greenway Cultural Tourism Development Co., Ltd
Construction General Contractor: Shanghai Landscape and Greening Construction Co., Ltd
Photography: Existing architectural images, Xiaoyin Architecture, Chengdu Tianfu Greenway Construction Investment Group Co., Ltd
Writing: Pan Youcai, Ge Xiangxin
Project Location: Chengdu World Horticultural Expo, Eastern New District, Chengdu, Sichuan Province
Building Area: 99 square meters
Building Materials: steel structure (wood grain paint), laminated ultra-white glass, corroded rock panels, aluminum roof panels, oak decorative panels, original bamboo, small blue tiles (porch)
Construction Period: April 2024
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