At the Guangdong Nanhai Land Art Festival 2024, MAD Architects, led by Ma Yansong, unveils The Never Hut — a sculptural installation that transforms a former elementary school playground in the historic Yanqiao Village into an evocative space of memory, play, and community.
Set within a 600-year-old village rich with Qing Dynasty architecture, meandering waterways, and a landmark banyan tree, The Never Hut pays homage to the collective childhood memories of local residents. The installation translates these intangible memories into architectural form, reviving the site’s significance with a spirit of openness and imagination.
Architecturally, the pavilion takes on a playful, disc-like form – reminiscent of a flying saucer – supported by three delicate “tentacles” crafted from repurposed local fishing nets. These flexible elements respond subtly to wind, generating a dynamic interaction between movement and stillness. Underneath its wide, color-saturated canopy, the structure creates a shaded, circular gathering space where villagers and visitors alike can rest, connect, and reflect.
The design fosters a deliberate contrast between the vibrant colors of the structure and the muted, historic fabric of the village. This tension is not oppositional but dialogic – The Never Hut becomes a contemporary insertion that speaks to the past without replicating it, encouraging new communal rituals while respecting the legacy of place.
Functioning both as an architectural intervention and an artistic statement, The Never Hut is emblematic of MAD’s broader design ethos — one that prioritizes emotional resonance, cultural continuity, and spatial inclusivity. As Ma Yansong notes, “This project is about capturing the freedom and wonder of childhood while providing a space for the community to gather, reflect, and imagine what lies ahead.”
The installation builds upon MAD’s earlier work in Nanhai, notably Timeless Beacon (2022), and contributes to the evolving narrative of art in the public realm through the Art at Qiaoshan program. Now open to the public, The Never Hut invites architecture and art enthusiasts to engage with its unique synthesis of form, culture, and collective memory.
Editor
Anh Nguyên
Photo
Tian Fangfang, Zhu Yumeng
