The Fan - Outdoor Exhibition Installation of The JIANGS in Jinshanling
In 2023, the sculptor Sheng Jiang's solo exhibition, Being In The Open Field, was held in Jinshanling, Chengde City, Hebei Province, China. The exhibition is located in a valley with endless mountain ranges and lush plants, and the ancient Great Wall relic, built in the Ming Dynasty, stand tall on the northern mountain range that comes into view.
▲ 横向杆件连接起总长120米的布料
Transverse rods connect a total of 120 meters of fabric
The exhibition is located at the end of the developed area of Jinshanling, and most of the exhibits are placed inside the landscaped architecture Jinshanling The Upper designed by Atelier Deshaus, which makes the visual sense and the visiting route of the exhibition hidden relatively. Therefore, the JIANGS commissioned TEAM_BLDG to design an outdoor installation in the valley outside the exhibition venue, which will serve as a“clue”throughout the exhibition.
▲ 装置为展览增添视觉昭示感
Installation creates a visual statement for the exhibition
When arriving at the site for the first time, the rugged cliff, the ancient Great Wall relic, as well as the architecture with concrete and steel structures attached to the terrain, the Buddha statues and stone sculptures by sculptor Sheng Jiang, all present a very hard characteristic. We want to achieve a relatively soft and light installation that complement the hard landscape. In our conception, the installation should like a natural tree, it can capture the wind while also providing shelter for someone who walking on the stone-paved exhibition path. Therefore, Sheng Jiang and us thought of the prayer flags from Tibetan Buddhist simultaneously and used it as the inspiration for the design.
▲ 访者在起伏的风幡下穿行
Visitor walked under undulating wind flags
▲ 石砌展道上蜿蜒的装置
Winding installation on the stone path of the exhibition
▲ 轻盈的装置与周边硬质景观形成互补
Lightweight installation complements the surrounding hard landscape
At the beginning of the exhibition,“The Fan”installation appeared. The “experience”about walking under the undulating wind flags leads visitors into the exhibition hall. The installation uses about 40 3M*2M T-shaped steel pipe units to form an array layout, and connects a total length of more than 120 meters of white soft gauze through transverse rods. Articulated joints in the steel tubes allow the suspended fabric to swing in the wind, causing the installation to naturally change shape. The foundation of the installation coincides with the terraced exhibition route, and each set of T-shaped steel pipes can be flexibly adjusted according to the height and length of the stone-paved exhibition path. Light“The Fan”face the ancient Great Wall on the mountains to the north, they create dialogue and balance in the eternal environment.
▲ 装置结构可根据展道灵活调整
Structure of the installation can be flexibly adjusted according to the path
Apart from the steel pole structure, soft gauze and concrete foundation that is stable and suitable for the mountain road, this installation has no superfluous decorations. The design hopes to interpret the most basic structure to visitors through a concise form of “what you see is what you get”.
▲ 装置与周边山地之势契合
Installation fits in with the surrounding mountains
As a clue to the exhibition, we embedded bells in the two transverse rods of each installation T-shaped structure in order to create the effect of hearing their sound first on the mountain road. When the pneumatic installation swings with the wind in the quiet valley, the bells in the pole will ring. Wind chimes have the meaning of “surprise” and “joy” in Buddhism. The clear wind sound blowing the chimes gives the moving viewer a special auditory experience.
▲ 装置为访客带去一丝庇护
Installation provides shelter for visitors
▲ 飘舞的装置如同佛像的衣纹
Fluttering installation likes the clothing lines of Buddha statues
In order to improve the accuracy of construction, we did a lot of installation proofing at the Shanghai office and factory at a 1:1 scale, artificially simulating wind pressure and rainwater environments in the process. After the testing was completed, all prefabricated components were transported to Jinshanling site performs on-site assembly and pre-construction.
▲ T型骨架允许悬挂的布料随风摆荡
T-frame allows the hanging fabric to swing in the wind
The pre-construction period was autumn, and the actual wind pressure in the valley far exceeded our initial prediction range. The top fabric could not withstand the excessive wind load, causing the installation to overturn. Subsequently, we further optimized the installation structure and anchoring nodes based on in-depth analysis of the actual environment and pre-construction experience. After repeated tests, we finally manually completed the assembly and construction of “The Fan”in a limited time of 2 days. Due to the high flexibility of the T-shaped structure, the occasional protruding stones or sunken spaces on the mountain road can be well accommodated with the installation. Therefore, “The Fan”on site showed a state of fit that conforms to the surrounding mountainous terrain finally.
▲ 装置引导户外观展动线
Installation guides the outdoor viewing line
In the exhibition, “The Fan”illuminated by sunlight attract beetles and birds to land on the surface of the installation. People can see the silhouettes from the original owners of the valley under“The Fan”.When the setting sun shines in the breeze, the installation likes the clothing texture of the Buddha statues fluttering in the wind. It gives ordinary stone-paved exhibition path an “unusual”sense of ritual and brings an extra sensory experience to visitors.
▲ 装置与古长城遗迹对望
Installation faces the remains of the ancient Great Wall
▲ 白色的天丝柔纱布
White tencel gauze
▲ 从建筑中庭望向装置
Looking at the installation from the architecture’s atrium
▲ 简洁而纯粹的构造形式
Simple and pure form of construction
▲ 山谷里的装置,建筑和密林
Installations, architecture and forests in the valley
Project Name: The Fan - Outdoor Exhibition Installation Of The JIANGS In Jinshanling
Function: Installation, Exhibition
Design Period: 2021.07 - 2022.08
Construction Period: 2023.09
Location: Chengde, Hebei
Building Area: 240 SQM
Installation Design:TEAM_BLDG
Architects: Xiao Lei, Deng Zhaojing, Yang Yuqiong, Lin Yufeng, Hong Shining
Architecture Design:Atelier Deshaus
Landsacpe Design:Shunmyo Masuno + Japan Landscape Consultants (courtyards and gardens), Turenscape (environment)
Cooperation: N/A
Type: Installation
Status: Completed
Photographs: Jonathan Leijonhufvud