Located on an island in the West Sea of Lushan, Wooden Cabin Town by Shanghai Parallect Architecture Studio includes a 24-meter-high observation tower, multi-functional hall, and 19 prefabricated wooden cabins set in the forest. A fusion between building and the island’s natural cork oak forest was the starting point of the project.
From the 1950s to the 1970s the site was home to Xihai Barrage, Asia’s largest dam. The dam formed an island in the lake that resembled clusters of jungle floating above the water.
New construction on the island is built on the footprint of old buildings. This meant it was easier for each cabin to be transported to the island for assembly as the wooden cabin is elevated by independent foundations, and the ground is repaired. Waste from the demolition of old buildings was furthermore buried in situ to become part of the foundation for the multi-functional hall.
The final design includes three types of cabin modules that are embedded in the site in response to their terrain. The orientation and openings of the wooden cabins are carefully arranged to make them a viewing frame for each other. The cabins are made primarily of Hongxue pine with insect-proof and anti-corrosion treatment, which still exposes the original wooden texture.
Finally, the multifunctional hall is an enlarged version of the small wooden cabin. Situated on the central axis of the ‘town,’ it is primarily intended to accommodate indoor functions.
