Xuanpu Pavilion Shapes Water, Concrete, and Spirit into a Sculptural Sanctuary

Arpitha SApril 9, 20262 Mins read2.2k

Xuanpu Pavilion © Chen Xi Studio

Defined by water and sculptural form, the Xuanpu Pavilion by UAD emerges as an intriguing landmark at Zhejiang University’s Zhoushan Campus, redefining the role of a commemorative structure. Designed to mark the campus’s 10th anniversary and the 15th anniversary of its marine disciplines. Also known as the Hanging Fall Pavilion, the project transforms a conventional memorial brief into a dynamic public environment shaped by movement, interaction, and atmosphere.

Conceived as a water pavilion, it blurs the boundary between art and architecture, inviting visitors to pause, gather, and engage with the space. More than a monument, it becomes a living setting where memory, culture, and everyday life converge seamlessly.

The pavilion is 50 square meters and is an intimate but powerful architectural gesture. It has a sculptural water roof on top of a dynamic brick structure. Designed as an everyday space, prioritizing gathering, rest, and informal exchange, weaving memory into the campus’s calm, sea-influenced landscape. The pavilion invites movement and interaction; at the core lies a subtle spiritual presence, creating a place where reflection, connection, and daily life seamlessly converge.

The sculptural pavilions’ central element features a circular water basin and a fair-faced concrete wall that come together to define its striking identity, giving rise to the Water Pavilion. Water becomes both a medium linking space, perception, and the Ocean College’s maritime character. The delicate cascade forms a shimmering curtain that lends the pavilion its name, the Hanging Fall. Positioned between the campus’s cultural axis and a lush natural slope, the site balances the energy of daily movement with moments of quiet retreat.

The circular water basin is anchored and supported by a warm brick wall, which also shapes the space with a quiet yet powerful presence. The form oriented toward the campus axis, the wall unfolds like a narrative surface, tracing fifteen years of the college’s history as a cultural memory. Through its modest footprint, careful materiality rooted in culture, and precise spatial composition, the pavilion transforms commemoration into an intimate experience deeply rooted in its surroundings.

Set against a wooded slope, it adopts a strategy of concealment, revealing itself gradually along a winding path through the trees. As the water basin gently dips into the landscape, it mirrors the beautiful shifting sky above, blurring the line between ground and reflection. Inside, the floor and seating are seamlessly embedded into the rising terrain, creating an environment where architecture, movement, and nature unfold as one continuous experience.

The architecture balances civic presence with an intimate, human-scaled design; the pavilion invites moments of pause and quiet reflection within the bustling campus life. The design is more than just a pavilion; it is a living experience where stillness can be felt as well as seen. Here, past and present culture and nature gently intersect, shaping a contemplative architecture that resonates far beyond its subtle form.