Xuzhou Han Dynasty Stone Reliefs Experience Pavilion

Located in the Cultural Site of Han Dynasty in Xuzhou, the Han Dynasty Stone Reliefs Experience Pavilion sits at the foot of the Luotuo Mountain near the famous Zhulin Temple, surrounded by rolling hills and dense forests. The Pavilion is built on what used to be abandoned factories to avoid tree felling during construction. Spatially it also helps organize and complete the site environment. The spatial form of the Pavilion drew inspiration from the vernacular courtyards near the mountain. It consists of five courtyard-scale building with quadrangle pitched roofs, housing the indoor space and forming a well-arranged roof series. It gradually slopes uphill and extends into the environment in a low-rise and stretched posture, while the shape and scale of the roof harmonize with the cultural inheritance and environmental texture of the site. The choice of building material and method is highly localized. The stone façade exterior is built with locally available materials by workmen on-site using traditional masonry techniques. The natural appearance in a simple style is a living proof of the building’s native origin and a continuity of that feature. The battered walls show a sense of solidness which resonates with local characteristics both culturally and architecturally. The proper scale and locally-born skin and texture are a demonstration of the locality of the building in a humble and genial manner, rendering an organic integration with the surrounding natural environment.