Linpan Cloud Eye: Chengdu Dayi Rural Neighborhood Center / Archi-Union Architects

Sitting in the three-story courtyard, the mountain stream is surrounded by clouds in the morning, and you can see the distant fields and hills from the fence, and the mountain scenery on the back side is also penetrating outward from the hole turned up on the roof, constituting the window that the internal and external landscapes are looking at each other from a distance, from which the concept of “cloud eyes” is derived. The “forest plate” is the concept of external space, blurring the boundary between the artificial and the natural, while the “cloud eye” is the bridge connecting the internal and external space, coming from nature and going to the mountains and fields. The outline configuration is derived from the undulating mountains behind, extending and folding along the vertical trend in space. The boundaries between “inside and outside,” “roof and facade,” and “top and ground” are blurred by geometric topology, creating a sense of non-directional space. The roof is torn at the second and third floors to form the shading of the facade and terrace respectively, defining the relationship between “being seen” and “seeing” through geometric transformations of the whole. The entrance on the ground floor does not directly face the external road; pedestrians follow the bamboo fence to walk to the courtyard entrance. Here, the flowing roof serves as the entrance canopy, while the outdoor platforms on the second and third floors also vertically overlap in this space. Transitioning from the calm and soothing exterior space of the courtyard to the nodal space at the entrance of the building, the progressive spatial rhythm guides one through a gradual transition from motion to stillness.

The rural neighborhood center integrates two fundamental functions: cultural and community health services. It is covered by a continuous roof system, creating a cohesive point-like vertical layout. Three outdoor spaces enclose it at the center: an entrance bamboo courtyard, a green courtyard capable of accommodating community life and gathering activities, and a landscaped terrace enclosed by the roof of the third floor. Due to the influence of a rainy climate, traditional local constructions in western Sichuan often feature numerous semi-outdoor walking spaces resembling “covered walkways” to shield against wind and rain. This spatial typology is also extended to the traffic organization within the outdoor spaces interconnected with the community center. Multiple pathways connect the outdoor spaces with the building, and through large-scale openings and overhead structures, they tightly link the interior and exterior spaces in terms of both sightlines and circulation routes. The community center integrates the coordination of three types of pedestrian flows: lingering, crossing, and mingling. It caters to various groups, including vacation resort residents seeking leisure and entertainment, nearby community residents, users of the community center, and administrators. Each group engages in different activities such as strolling, gathering, performances, reading, extracurricular tutoring, and training. While these individuals and activities have designated locations and areas, they can also interact positively within an open and fluid spatial framework. Ultimately, we aim for the community center to become a social hub that sparks public energy.

The first floor features significant elevated areas, allowing the building to hover above the bamboo grove in a suspended manner. This design extends the gray space to an outdoor courtyard surrounded by low bamboo fences. Visitors sitting in the courtyard can easily gaze through and take in the distant pastoral landscape of the grasslands. The second-floor space exhibits a more restrained character compared to the first floor. The roof system on the second floor slopes downward, creating a separate usage space for the community center. The viewing platforms on both sides are also enveloped by forms, enhancing privacy. Handcrafted bamboo weaving is used on both interior and exterior ceilings, bringing the natural properties of the material and exquisite craftsmanship closer to the users, making the gathering space even more comfortable. The third floor serves as an open outdoor space, fully exposed to nature and the surrounding environment. This level is open from north to south, forming a visual corridor. On the platform, one can experience the mountain behind the building and enjoy views of the creek and campground to the south. The natural frame formed by the surrounding mountains gives a sensation of being not inside the building but standing amidst the mountains. The traditional sloping roof invitingly presents itself, allowing people to observe the form of the roof and the texture of the tiles up close. As users of the building, they can better experience the immersive context of being surrounded by space and nature.

Non-local locality. The roof structure system consists of three circular curved beams arranged from the inside out, with complex curvature variations that make traditional beam-column joints no longer applicable. The structural design of the “cloud eye” adopts a design logic that conforms to the form of the structure. By using the form curve to locate the three corresponding circular steel beams, a uniformly distributed connecting beam is generated through digital means. Then, all curves are rationalized into straight lines while ensuring accuracy, greatly reducing processing costs. As a result, the roof part forms a unified structural cover. The interior and exterior facades are adorned with locally crafted bamboo weaving, embracing the concept of “taking materials” and “taking art” from the region. This integration incorporates traditional intangible cultural heritage bamboo weaving techniques from the Sichuan area, weaving humanistic art into the physical space. Natural, local handicrafts replace traditional hard materials for the installation of interior ceiling surfaces and handrail surfaces.

Intelligent construction has opened up new creative perspectives for rural development. The “water wall” 3D printed by robots serves as the central element of spatial division, translating the dynamic and natural imagery of water into digital form. In the initial design phase, algorithms were used to capture the momentary dynamics of the creek water when it was still, and then this dynamic process was expressed through a textural architectural language. The generated folded texture is compiled into machine-readable code, allowing robots to complete the prefabrication of wall panels. This way, we’ve achieved an intelligent end-to-end process from algorithm-driven design to robot-assisted additive prefabrication construction. While the project may not be large in scale, it has been the result of considerable effort from a large team of researchers and design implementers. We firmly believe that the integration of digital design technology with architectural tradition and the humanistic environment is a new direction for rural construction. In our creative process, we honor both culture and nature, seeking a balance between “architectural form” and “natural form” within the framework of constructive principles. Grounded in technology yet returning to nature, this is the affirmation we hope to gain from this endeavor.