A striking temporary art installation called "Osmanthus Moon" has been unveiled at Century Park in Shanghai, designed by HCCH Studio to celebrate the traditional Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. The translucent dome structure incorporates intricate bronze lattice work featuring osmanthus flower motifs, creating a luminous pavilion that serves as both architectural art and cultural tribute.
The installation draws inspiration from the osmanthus flower, a plant deeply associated with autumn in Chinese culture and traditionally linked to Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations. The project establishes a unique dialogue with the work of folk Zao Hua artists, whose "stove flower" painting practice is recognized as an important element of China's intangible cultural heritage. This connection between contemporary architecture and traditional craft forms a central theme of the installation.
Positioned on the semicircular lawn of Century Park, the pavilion takes the distinctive form of a translucent dome designed to evoke the appearance of a full moon. The structural framework features stylized osmanthus motifs integrated into a bronze lattice pattern that resembles intertwined vines. A lightweight, elastic fabric is carefully stretched across this bronze framework, creating a continuous surface that can be illuminated from within.
The design philosophy behind Osmanthus Moon explores the intersection of traditional decorative patterns and modern construction techniques. The architects drew inspiration from the ornamental language of the Vienna Secession movement while also incorporating the geometric principles found in Buckminster Fuller's famous dome structures. This blend of historical and contemporary influences creates a unique architectural vocabulary.
Visitors can access the installation through two irregularly shaped openings that lead into an enclosed interior space. The ground beneath the dome features osmanthus patterns painted by Zao Hua artists, which correspond directly to the bronze framework overhead. This creates a meaningful spatial and visual relationship between the movement of traditional craftsmanship and the static nature of the architectural structure.
The pavilion transforms dramatically throughout the day, offering different experiences as lighting conditions change. During daylight hours, natural sunlight filters through the fabric surface, producing a soft, diffused glow that creates an evenly lit and peaceful interior environment. As night falls, internal illumination systems activate, transforming the entire pavilion into a semi-transparent volume characterized by shifting shadows and subtle gradients of light.
Commissioned by the Power Station of Art in Shanghai and created by the Shanghai-based architectural practice HCCH Studio, Osmanthus Moon was presented as a twelve-day temporary installation. The project serves multiple purposes: it functions as a seasonal observance of the Mid-Autumn Festival, explores the relationship between natural motifs and material technology, and examines themes of cultural continuity in contemporary art and architecture.
