a curved canopy tops the Floating white Pavilion in Songyang
Studio RE+N introduces an outdoor space steel kiosk on top of a mountain with tea terraces in Songyang County, Zhejiang Province, China. Located approximately 500 meters above sea level, the 85 square meter structure acts as viewing platform and a resting point within an active rural landscape. Located within the Organic Tea Valley of Xinxing City, the project engages in an environment shaped by tea cultivation and previously only accessible via narrow collection paths.
The design adopts a minimal intervention strategy, placing a lightweight structure on slender supports to reduce impact on the ground. The booth is curved roof it follows the contours of the hillside, creating a formal relationship with the surrounding topography. A path of granite steps extends the existing tea picking paths, creating a continuous circulation path connecting the pavilion to the terraces below. The structure appears at intervals along this climb, enhancing its integration with the landscape.
Spatial sequence is defined through a controlled transition from enclosure to opening. At the entrance, the edge of the roof limits the external views, creating a compressed situation. As the drive continues down along the stepped platforms, visibility gradually expands. At the lowest point, lifting the roof reveals a wide view of the tea valley. This development is achieved by aligning the geometry of the roof with the slope of the site.
the Floating Pavilion hovers above the tea terraces with the village beyond | all images by Kejia Mei
Lightweight steel construction supports the pavilion by Studio RE+N
THE design team in Studio RE+N uses prefabricated steel components for the structural system. The roof uses a composite assembly consisting of a steel mesh placed between the top and bottom plates, forming a tapered profile that integrates structural performance with drainage and visual continuity. The platforms are spanned by a cross beam using wedge-shaped stiffeners, while semi-circular openings at the column connections allow light to reach the lower surface. The tension cables between the columns act as safety barriers without obstructing the view.
Due to the steep terrain and limited access, all elements were prefabricated off-site and transported by carts and cable systems along existing agricultural paths. The lighting is integrated into the base of the columns, projecting upwards on the underside of the roof to create diffused lighting during the evening hours.
Since its completion, the pavilion has been incorporated into both visitor traffic and agricultural use. The path leading to the structure supports movement through the terraces while also improving access for tea growers during harvest seasons.
the pavilion appears to float above the terraced tea fields, its curved steel roof echoing the contours of the hillside
stepped platforms run down the slope alongside the tea terraces
tea farmers tend the terraces below the pavilion, whose stepped platforms have become part of the scenery
the blade-like steel roof catches the last light of the day, with the village and valley stretching into the distance
