The 2024 Chengdu International Horticultural Exposition will be held from April 26 to October 28, 2024, in the Eastern New District of Chengdu, Sichuan, China. Using horticulture as a medium, it aims to convey the concept of green development and a poetic, ideal living environment to the world, creating an event that embodies the characteristics of the era, international standards, Chinese elements, and the unique charm of Chengdu.

Western Sichuan Gardens

The overall design of the Xingcheng Exhibition Garden is based on the Western Sichuan Garden, which stems from the cultural system of Western Sichuan. It reflects the understanding of nature, humanity, and living spaces by the inhabitants of this land, expressing the artistic and cultural sentiments of Chengdu's people and their interpretation of "poetic dwelling." Western Sichuan Gardens are characterized by a natural and elegant aesthetic, with a focus on simplicity, grace, and tranquility.

"Flower paths have not been swept for guests before, but now my humble gate opens for you." The small grey-tiled Dragon Gate, hidden within the bamboo grove, greets visitors. Its shape is like a volume of book, which opens the prelude to the exhibition garden and welcomes citizens and tourists.

Bamboo and Lotus Flowing Water

The main building of the exhibition follows the principle of garden-first, with architecture as a scenic feature. It is hoped to create a transparent, light, elegant and artistic landscape building, making the building the highlight of the exhibition garden. Bamboo forests and lotus ponds are the most common and representative landscape elements in Western Sichuan gardens. They can be found in many classic Western Sichuan gardens such as Du Fu Thatched Cottage, Wangjiang Park, Chongzhou Painting Pond, Xinfan East Lake Park, and Xindu Guihu Park. There are figures of bamboo and lotus. There were also a large number of lotus flowers in the ancient Maha Pond in Chengdu. The “Maha Lake” designed for this Chengdu World Horticultural Exhibition responded to this culture.

Lotus leaves and bamboo clumps have become sources of inspiration for the creation of architecture. The exhibition hall uses the image of " Lotus Leaves Standing Gracefully ". The building is like a huge lotus leaf in the pool. A clump of bamboo below spreads out in all directions, and the bamboo poles turn into the veins of the lotus leaf. Light curved roof. The light and delicate architectural features of Western Sichuan folk houses such as sloping roofs, small green tiles, long eaves, and thin eaves are reflected in a dramatic and abstract art form. In order to enhance this dramatic and romantic color, the middle part of the lotus leaf was hollowed out, and the entire lotus leaf-shaped roof became a huge rainwater collector, responding to the theme of the Expo in the form of a large-scale art installation. Rainwater collects from all directions to the center, slowly pours into the lotus pond, and merges into a lake, symbolizing that Xingcheng Group, as a Fortune 500 company, gathers talents from all walks of life to create wisdom and wealth.

The floor-to-ceiling ultra-white glass all around the building blurs the boundaries between indoor and outdoor areas, further highlighting the power of the bamboo grove in the center. The indoor floor of the exhibition hall has sunk 0.6 meters. When visitors sit down, their line of sight is slightly higher than the water surface of the pond. The water and sky are the same color, and they can take in the beautiful scenery reflected in the water. Forests, fields, water, and houses are intertwined and integrated throughout the building, both inside and outside.

The Whisper of Bamboo

The design of the exhibition garden architecture closely aligns with the theme of this year’s Expo, "Park City • Beautiful Habitat," with a strong focus on "green, low-carbon, sustainable, inclusive," as well as "new concepts, new technologies, and new materials." Since 2018, the Archermit team has been involved in various bamboo-related architectural projects, conducting extensive exploration and research on bamboo materials and bamboo culture. While designing the "Bamboo Lotus" scheme for the Expo, the team was also simultaneously working on the design of the "Chongzhou • Bamboo Courtyard Rural Art Museum." This museum uses a full bamboo structural system and incorporates a variety of bamboo architectural research results into its hybrid bamboo structure.Initially, the architectural plan for "Bamboo Lotus" intended to use a hybrid bamboo structure, combining laminated bamboo and raw bamboo. However, due to time constraints and cost considerations, the team was ultimately forced to use a steel structure supplemented by raw bamboo decorations for this building.

We used parametric technology to design and simulate the construction of the irregular steel structure, hyperbolic metal roof curtain wall, and raw bamboo installations throughout the process, ensuring the building's feasibility and high level of completion. The overall structure uses recyclable steel as the main load-bearing framework, while the eco-friendly raw bamboo art installation serves as the focal point of the interior space, allowing visitors to experience the unique charm of Sichuan's bamboo culture both inside and outside. The interior decor and furnishings incorporate recycled materials such as straw bricks, as well as handmade rattan furniture from Huaiyuan, Chongzhou, which is recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage, seamlessly blending traditional Western Sichuan living scenes into the space.

Western Sichuan gardens are not only for leisure and sightseeing but also often carry deep spiritual and commemorative significance. We hope that this small building, inspired by lotus and bamboo, will allow visitors to grasp its symbolic meaning and inner spirit after their visit. It aims to awaken a shared cultural sensibility unique to the Chinese people, and tell a vibrant, new story of the Western Sichuan Linpan for the 2024 Chengdu International Horticultural Expo.