China Garden Hotpot Restaurant Green Architecture

Chengdus leisurely and warm temperament makes it a tourism magnet in Southwest China. And hotpot,

as part of the local cultural characteristics, has become synonymous with Chengdu, which is not only a 

food culture, but also a leisure lifestyle. At the end of 2018, MUDA-Architects received a renovation 

design commission in Sansheng Township, Chengdu. Sansheng Township is located in Chengdu suburb, 

known as "Chengdu green lung", with unique natural conditions and ecological resources. MUDA takes 

this opportunity to integrate hotpot culture with natural ecological environment, creating a restaurant that 

respects the original ecology and in line with modern consumption style.

Garden Hotpot Restaurant is in the hinterland of Sansheng Township, surrounding a lotus pond, hidden 

in a eucalyptus forest. On the premise of paying the greatest respect to the natural environment, MUDA 

decides to eliminate the architectural scale, leaving out walls, only using pillars and boards to lightly hide 

the building in the woods, letting the building gently integrate with the site and delineating the shape of 

lake in a light and peaceful way.

The construction forms along the lake, looking like the steams and smokes from the boiling pots curling 

between the pillars and trees. Thin columns are evenly distributed on both sides, and the free curve of the 

roof forms several transparent viewing frames, so that different views can be appreciated during the whole 

process of walking. The bottom platform is consistent with the curve of the roof, and the same method is 

used in the design to echo each other, demonstrating the consistency and integrity of the whole space.

In total, the building has a circumference of 290 meters, with the height of 3 meters, and the width varies 

with the natural environment. The platform is made of anti-corrosive wood, and the roof is made of 

galvanized steel sheet, coated with white fluorocarbon paint, which complements the surrounding lush 

environment. A series of steel columns with a diameter of 88 mm is used as the supporting structure, and 

it blends into the straight trunks of eucalyptus trees and disappears into nature. The curved wooden railing 

by the lakeside is built for customers to enjoy the views, and blur the boundary of the lake, which brings 

people closer to nature. 

The natural environment of the site is beautiful but complex. Tens of eucalyptus trees must be preserved, 

and the terrain is tortuous with a maximum drop of nearly 2 meters. In order to respect the natural 

environment and minimize human intervention in this natural site, MUDA conducted manual mapping and 

recorded of the site in person, and the building was designed according to the location of eucalyptus trees 

and lake. Moreover, the free curve of the roof is designed according to the site characteristics and function.

At the same time, it is also an experiment for MUDA in small scale and low cost architecture. The 

construction team, local migrant workers, have no professional knowledge and tools. In order to 

ensure the quality, architects simplified complex structural nodes and made strategic adjustments 

in a way that workers could understand. The whole building applied steel structure welding technology, 

which greatly shortens the construction period and reduces the cost.

The first phase completed in April is open to the public, which is highly integrated with the nature. The 

building is light and transparent. Users sit around the lake, and the landscape spray permeates the whole 

space, starting a romantic and wonderful ecological hotpot tour.

Project location: Chengdu, China 

Project type: Architectural design 

Design area: 1800 square meters 

Design time: 2018-2019 

Architect: MUDA-Architects 

Chief Architect: Yun Lu 

Design Team: Yun Lu, Jiandan Xu, Qiming Sun, Xue Chen, Yixiu He, Xiaoqiao Liu, 

Dian Rong, Shangyun Zhou 

Construction supervision unit: Chufeng Architectural Decoration Design Co.,Ltd 

Construction supervision team: Xianyong Wu, Fei Jiang, Wenjie Tang, Songlin Li 

Construction Team: Hao Chen, Chuangui Zhou, etc. 

Materials: Galvanized Steel sheet, Fluorocarbon paint, Wood plank 

Photography: Arch-Exist, MUDA-Architects

Image Credit: Arch-Exist

Image Credit: Arch-Exist

Image Credit: Arch-Exist

Image Credit: Arch-Exist

Image Credit: Arch-Exist

Image Credit: Arch-Exist

Image Credit: Arch-Exist

Image Credit: Arch-Exist

Image Credit: Arch-Exist

Image Credit: MUDA-Architects

Image Credit: MUDA-Architects

Masterplan

Floor Plan

Space Diagram

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