In all cultures, the moon has always fascinated man: its perennial cycles have been associated with phenomena of nature and human existence such as fertility, birth and death, health and illness.
In a remote location in the mountains where there is still a strong rural heritage, the moon as the emblem of an ancient culture becomes the symbol of social and economic rebirth, thanks to a territorial marketing policy that aims to promote the area through tourism and new business development opportunities.
Syn Architects, commissioned by the Shandong Lushang Group developer to plan an area of about 55 square kilometres, has come up with a project that aims to create a balance between memory and innovation, culture and productivity, of which Hometown Moon is the representative manifesto. The work, immersed in the landscape, houses a chapel for events and celebrations marked on the roof by an iconic semi-spherical silhouette 12 m in diameter, reminiscent of a moon rising from the water.
A portico introduces visitors beyond the reception and service areas to the chapel’s full-height cubic volume, where the other half of the moon above is visible: a cavity that captures natural light, diffusing it into the room and onto the moss-covered rocks.
The building suggests a dual poetics which is one of the key principles of the Tao: both on the roof and inside, the half-moon is recomposed in its entirety thanks to its reflection on the water or on the corrugated steel ceiling, playing with the principle of yin and yang and subtending a universe in balance thanks to the synergic opposition of opposites.
A bare and essential expressive language, characterised by exposed concrete, steel, and glass finishes, gives a sacred and dreamlike aura to the space that Le Corbusier would have called “ineffable”, where artificial light is minimal.
A work that is both contemporary and archaic, evoking eternal symbols through a timeless architecture designed to remain an integral part of its context. Because, as a poem of the Song dynasty said, “mountains and rivers evolve over time, clouds and the moon remain the same”.
Photo
Zheng Yan
Location
Shandong, China
Project Year
2021
Source
Domusweb