Ginkgo Tea House

Project

The Tea House is located on the west shore of the Swan Lake, covered by a Ginkgo Forest. The Ginkgo tree has been cultivated in China for over 1,500 years and has a lifespan from a few centuries to over 1000 years. Being in such a timeless environment, the building should mainly embrace the surroundings.

Visitors walk from the train onto a floating wooden carpet punctured by trees. Once in the pavilion, the cozy rooms in between trees host the tea house. Three different levels offer three different viewpoints.

Materiality is a key element. Wooden structures integrate themselves in the sequence of the forest. Glass panes dissolve the façade, allowing sights across the pavilion. The construction refers to the traditional Chinese wooden joinery.

Impact

MADAM recipe for architecture.

#3 Melt architecture with nature
Ginkgo Tea house fits in a complementary grid to the forest to interfere as little as possible with its continuity. The building finds its way between the trees. Literally a tree-hugger.

#11 Be playful

The pavilion becomes more playful as you go up. Slabs fold up, a slide goes down from the 2nd floor and only the ones who manage to climb up the net will get the best views. Kids take over. Architecture works together with the program to develop kids’ creativity and encourage their relation and respect towards nature.

#13 Keep it flexible
Adaptability is sustainable. The project is made out many same size rooms, all of them merging together in a single architecture. The pavilion allows different programs simultaneously. This way we ensure resilience.

Creatief Ondernemerschap

MADAM is an architecture and urbanism practice based in Amsterdam and Madrid.

Our driving force is the conviction that out-of-the-box-architecture generates greater added value for investors and users.

We identify opportunities and tailor the most exciting plan, always looking for the unexpected value. It may be a programmatic crossover or a singular spatial experience, we pursue the unexpected added value in every detail of every project, persistently and full of imagination.