TEMPORARY TEAHOUSE A COMMENTARY ON CLIMATE

Text description from architects.

Climacool Teahouse is a temporary bamboo installation constructed by line+ studio in Chengdu’s Taikoo Li, in collaboration with adidas and ZERO. The project investigates spatial responses to urban climate through lightweight materials and atmospheric design strategies. Bamboo serves as the primary structural and environmental medium, selected for its speed of assembly, flexibility, and relevance to local vernacular architecture.

Located in a dense commercial plaza, the teahouse installation is organised around a central grove of live bamboo, beneath a suspended LED ring that references the movement of air. The concept emerged from an earlier airborne design, which was reconfigured due to urban safety restrictions. The bamboo grove replaces the idea of suspension with grounded verticality, creating a climate-responsive space informed by natural airflow and thermal comfort. The overall form is composed of two concentric cylinders. Fresh bamboo stalks bend radially from the upper ring and are anchored at the base, forming an inward-facing forest canopy. The ring above, made from lightweight digital fabrication, acts as a visual and climatic element. Dry ice, misting systems, and mechanical fans are integrated into the structure to modulate temperature and simulate a level-5 breeze (8.0–10.8 m/s), offering perceptible airflow within the space.

Four core design elements comprise the installation by architectural firm line+ studio: the Bamboo Grove, Bamboo Strips, Bamboo Furniture, and Environmental Control. The interior spatial core, composed of live bamboo, creates a layered vertical enclosure. Bamboo stalks are fixed between a lightweight tensioned canopy and the ground, forming a cylindrical grove with a shaded, enclosed interior. Continuous woven bamboo strips form the vertical and horizontal surfaces of the outer enclosure. These strips extend to form seating elements on the plaza side, integrating building envelope and public interface. The system conceals mechanical and electrical systems while softening site boundaries. All seating and tables are produced from untreated bamboo using traditional construction methods. The furniture design references Chengdu’s teahouse culture and contributes to the spatial programming of the pavilion. Due to time constraints, the architectural team completed parts of the fabrication process on-site. Cooling elements include a central misting unit beneath the ring canopy and secondary misting under the perimeter benches. Fans embedded in the floor beneath the central circle create vertical airflow in sync with the Climacool shoe campaign’s performance concept.

The installation’s construction was completed within a five-day window, requiring coordinated prefabrication and on-site assembly. Restrictions on working hours and weather disruptions were addressed through phased deployment and adaptive workflows. Following the exhibition period, modular seating units were removed and relocated to various urban public spaces, extending the material and functional life of the project. The installation is part of an ongoing investigation by line+ into spatial strategies that accommodate urban climate and ephemeral use, using minimal means and materials adaptable to local contexts.

Rather than a permanent structure, Climacool Teahouse operates as a temporary urban interface, providing short-term environmental comfort and spatial orientation. It explores the role of architecture in creating microclimatic relief and contributes to the discourse on lightweight, adaptive urban installations.

CLIMACOOL TEAHOUSE
LOCATION Chengdu, China
ARCHITECT line+ studio, in collaboration with adidas and ZERO
PHOTOGRAPHY Arch-Exist Photography and line+