Cabin Fairy Town / Parallect Design

Cabin Fairy Town / Parallect Design - Exterior Photography, Windows, Forest
A community of wooden houses shuttled in the gaps of natural vegetation. Image © Yingda Xu

Cabin Fairy Town / Parallect Design - Image 2 of 32Cabin Fairy Town / Parallect Design - Exterior Photography, ForestCabin Fairy Town / Parallect Design - Interior Photography, Stairs, BeamCabin Fairy Town / Parallect Design - Interior Photography, Beam, FacadeCabin Fairy Town / Parallect Design - More Images+ 27

  • Architects: Parallect Design
  • Area Area of this architecture project Area:  1198
  • Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2021
  • Photographs
    Photographs:Yingda Xu
  • Chief Designer: Di Huang
  • Design Team: Meng Xu, Mingfeng Xiao, Baolei Liang, Ying Sun, Min Ding, Ying Jiang, Wuxinzi Deng, Xiangdong Xiao
  • Partners: Xian Dongluezheye, Suzhou Re-design Studio
  • City: Jiujiang
  • Country: China
More SpecsLess Specs
Cabin Fairy Town / Parallect Design - Exterior Photography, Forest
Semi-bird’s eye view of the project. Image © Yingda Xu

Text description provided by the architects. The Wooden Cabin Town is located on an island in the West Sea of Lushan, southwest of Jiujiang, Jiangxi. It was designed by Shanghai Parallect Architecture Studio. The predecessor of this water area is Xiu River, one of the five major rivers in Jiangxi. From the 1950s to the 1970s, the Xihai Barrage, known as Asia's largest dam, was built here, and it formed a unique island in the lake area: like clusters of jungle floating above the water. And what we hope to present is a cluster of small wooden cabins floating above the jungle. The design includes a 24-meter-high observation tower, a multi-functional hall, and 19 prefabricated forest wooden cabins.

Cabin Fairy Town / Parallect Design - Exterior Photography, Waterfront, Forest
The light gradually lit in the sunset . Image © Yingda Xu
Cabin Fairy Town / Parallect Design - Image 2 of 32
Island, jungle and cabin. Image © Yingda Xu

The fusion gesture between the building and the lush natural cork oak forest on the island is the starting point of the project. Therefore, as the core part of the space upgrade project of the island, the new building is constructed entirely on the basis of the demolition of the old building. The integrated design makes it easier for the wooden cabin to be transported to the island for assembly. The wooden cabin is elevated by an independent foundation, and the ground is repaired and restored. The waste from the demolition of old buildings is also buried in situ as much as possible to become the foundation of the multi-functional hall.

Cabin Fairy Town / Parallect Design - Exterior Photography, Windows, Forest
A semi-bird’s eye view of the project. Image © Yingda Xu
Cabin Fairy Town / Parallect Design - Exterior Photography, Waterfront, Coast
Overlooking the town from the tower. Image © Yingda Xu

The design of master plan owes much to the site and nature rather than the architect: the surrounding trees determine the boundaries of the building. The rules of core space and edge expansion are made: the axis of new buildings is set in the core area of the original architecture, and buildings are filled in the blank area among trees. Compared with the rigid rules and rigor, we hope to introduce more bottom-up adaptability and spontaneity in this project which chases the wild fun of the jungle.

Cabin Fairy Town / Parallect Design - Exterior Photography, Forest
Buried by the wanton growth of nature. Image © Yingda Xu
Cabin Fairy Town / Parallect Design - Image 30 of 32
Masterplan. Image Courtesy of Parallect Design
Cabin Fairy Town / Parallect Design - Interior Photography, Stairs, Beam
Rich framed relationship between individuals. Image © Yingda Xu

Thanks to such natural endowments and design strategies, the final proposal is breathing: 3 types of cabin modules are embedded in the site, and the platform presents a rhythm of different heights to adapt to the terrain. The orientation and openings of the wooden cabins are carefully arranged to make them a viewing frame for each other. The main material of the cabin is Hongxue pine wood with insect-proof and anti-corrosion treatment, which still exposes the original wooden texture. We don't even want this place to look like a clean and tidy new building, but rather an intimate dialogue between materials and the environment that has been going on for several years.

Cabin Fairy Town / Parallect Design - Exterior Photography, Forest
The tower shows different permeability with the change of perspective. Image © Yingda Xu
Cabin Fairy Town / Parallect Design - Windows, Facade
3 types of wooden houses. Image Courtesy of Parallect Design
Cabin Fairy Town / Parallect Design - Exterior Photography, Windows
North view of the multifunction hall . Image © Yingda Xu

What is more special is that at the beginning of the design, the program to introduce has not yet been determined. Therefore, while the space itself constitutes a landscape system, the owner also put forward requirements for the ductility and adaptability of future functions. We have conceived and listed some programs that may be implanted here, which also serve as part of the basis for the design of the wooden cabin. Based on the multiple possibilities in the future, the three types of wooden cabins evolved show different structures, scales, and openness. The "hollow" design also reserves space and structural foundations for later development.

Cabin Fairy Town / Parallect Design - Interior Photography, Windows, Stairs
Different types of wooden houses are combined with each other. Image © Yingda Xu
Cabin Fairy Town / Parallect Design - Exterior Photography, Windows, Forest, Garden
Fallen leaves on the platform. Image © Yingda Xu

The multifunctional hall on the central axis of the "town" is an enlarged version of the small wooden cabin, like an "instruction" for the future functions of the three types of wooden cabin modules, and it is also the only space in the "town" that introduces indoor functions. The top of the ceiling is covered with shingles.

Cabin Fairy Town / Parallect Design - Exterior Photography, Handrail
Walk through platforms and corridors. Image © Yingda Xu
Cabin Fairy Town / Parallect Design - Interior Photography, Beam, Arch
The "hollow" wooden house, as a landscape space that walks through and rests, also creates conditions for future function implantation. Image © Yingda Xu

The interior space passes through the glass, the central landscaped courtyard, and public steps form an opposite view to the entrance platform on the south side. The landscaped courtyard satisfies the demand for evacuation and also built a multi-level indoor and outdoor connection with multifunctional halls, public steps, corridors, and observation towers when the event was held.

Cabin Fairy Town / Parallect Design - Interior Photography, Beam, Facade
Looking at the front courtyard from the multifunction hall. Image © Yingda Xu

The steel structure observation tower is the highest point of the entire island, visitors can have a good view of the whole lake area when standing on the top. The façade of anticorrosive wood grille designed to reduce wind resistance presents various permeability from different viewing angles: when people look from the boats on the lake, the towers erected in the jungle are looming. At sunrise and sunset, sunlight seeps from the gaps in the grille.

Cabin Fairy Town / Parallect Design - Interior Photography, Wood, Facade
Watchtower and multifunctional hall building. Image © Yingda Xu
Cabin Fairy Town / Parallect Design - Exterior Photography
Watchtower on the island. Image © Yingda Xu

The special vision of the project makes us full of curiosity about his tomorrow. We also envisioned countless implantable functions and events for him: camping sites, homestays, drone obstacle races, hot air balloons, nature classrooms, yoga, Outdoor activities..., the space itself carries infinite possibilities. Or no one cares, with the barbaric growth of plants, they are gradually being swallowed up by the green, returning to a secret realm.

Cabin Fairy Town / Parallect Design - Exterior Photography, Forest
Morning mist cleared. Image © Yingda Xu

Project gallery

See allShow less

Project location

Address:Jiujiang, Jiangxi, China

Click to open map
Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
About this office
Cite: "Cabin Fairy Town / Parallect Design" 29 Oct 2021. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/970914/cabin-fairy-town-parallect-design> ISSN 0719-8884

A community of wooden houses shuttled in the gaps of natural vegetation. Image © Yingda Xu

木屋小镇 / 平介设计

You've started following your first account!

Did you know?

You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.