This ethereal pavilion located the banks of the HuangPu River in Shanghai references the original temporary structure built on the site in 2013 with 20,000 white ropes. Schmidt Hammer Lassen redesigned the pavilion as a permanent space for exhibitions and events that maintains the cloud-like appearance of the 2013 structure. Take a closer look after the jump.


The Cloud Pavilion, Schmidt Hammer Lassen, curved glass, pavilion, China, temporary pavilion, green architecture, steel column, exhibition space

The new pavilion looks like a space created by extruding the outline of a cloud. Its curved glass envelope references the way clouds are depicted in traditional Chinese prints as a symbol of good fortune. The curved glass is sandwiched between the rectangular podium and roof and surrounded by slender steel columns that blur the appearance of the volume.

Related: Schmidt Hammer Lassen Unveils Striking Pavilions at the Shanghai West Bund Biennial

The Cloud Pavilion, Schmidt Hammer Lassen, curved glass, pavilion, China, temporary pavilion, green architecture, steel column, exhibition space

“At night the ceiling is illuminated against a reflective mirrored surface giving the illusion of an abstract floating cloud along the riverfront, and acts as a marker for citizens to meet and rest,” said Chris Hardie, design partner at Schmidt Hammer Lassen.

+ Schmidt Hammer Lassen

Photos by Peter Dixie