Sou Fujimoto Unveils Images of Public Pavilion for Haikou's Waterfront in China

Written by Christele Harrouk
Published on February 16, 2021

After MAD’s Wormhole Library, the city of Haikou revealed a pavilion by Sou Fujimoto Architects. Scheduled for the end of spring, the ribbon-like white pavilion with an accessible roof will be one of the first public waterfront interventions to be completed in the spring of 2021. Shaping the future of Haikou city and Hainan Free Trade Port, the master plan of 16 permanent destinations re-imagines the future of coastal living.

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Hosting public and cultural activities, the city of Haikou exposed its plans to build 16 public pavilions by the seaside. Inviting the world’s top architects and artists, the master plan that spans over 32km of waterfront - 19.6 km coastline in Haikou Bay and 12.5 km coastline in Jiangdong New Area - “will combine cultural enterprise and pioneering urban development to establish Hainan Province as a model for future coastal living”. Bringing long-term sustainable vitality to the city, the landmark project puts in place large-scale permanent pavilions along the coastlines of Haikou Bay and Jiangdong New Area in the northern coastal city of Haikou on the island of Hainan.

While MAD Architects’ Wormhole Library and Sou Fujimoto’s circular structure are scheduled to be completed and operational in the spring of 2021, all 16 pavilions are expected to be ready by the end of 2021. Working across disciplines to create distinctive interventions, other architectural participants include Bjarke Ingels (BIG), Kengo Kuma, Ong-ard Satrabhandhu, Patrik Schumacher (Zaha Hadid Architects), Stefano Boeri, Thomas Heatherwick, Winy MAAS (MVRDV), Liu Jiakun, and Zhu Xiaodi. Covering a total area of more than 10,000 square meters of wetland area, the project “utilizes limited resources in a more sustainable manner and reconsiders our relationship with nature,” according to project curator Weng Ling.

Haikou’s ‘Pavilions by the Seaside’ is envisioned as a new cultural destination, and a viable model for future cities globally, to serve local residents and attract international visitors. The development of these 16 pavilions will integrate diverse artistic content and programming and act as multifunctional spaces for public services to educate and support the local community.

Introduced in June of 2020, the master plan transforms Hainan Province, an island at the southernmost point of the country, into a free trade port by the middle of the century." With a high sense of historic responsibility, each pavilion has been turned into a masterpiece along Haikou Bay, creating an iconic landmark for Haikou", explains a spokesperson at the Haikou Tourism and Culture Investment Holding Group.

Pavilions by the Seaside

Project curator: Weng Ling
Architect/Institute: Bjarke Ingels (BIG), Kengo Kuma, Ong-ard Satrabhandhu, Patrik Schumacher (Zaha Hadid Architects), Sou Fujimoto, Stefano Boeri, Thomas Heatherwick, Winy MAAS (MVRDV), Liu Jiakun, Ma Yansong (MAD), Zhu Xiaodi, Jaeho Chong, Liu Shuo, Li Ruoxin
Artists: Anish Kapoor, Sakamoto Ryūichi, Shen Wei, Kimsooja, Lin Tianmiao, Xue Song, Yang Fudong, Zhang Peili, design team AHA
Pavilions Locations: Haikou Bay and Jiangdong New Area, Haikou, Hainan, China