Shrine of Whatslove

Project Name: Shrine of Whatslove

Firm: Wutopia Lab

Chief Architect: YU Ting

Project Architect: Liran SUN

Client: Fengyuzhu

Digital construction: RoboticPlus.AI (Kuan-Ting LAI, Zhe LIANG, PeiYi HUANG, Zixun HUANG, Yuhong HA)

Structural consultant: Structure AND Architecture OFFICE (Zhun ZHANG)

Lighting Consultant: Chloe ZHANG

Location: Qinglongwu, Tonglu, China

Area: 6.8m2

Project year: March 2019

Photography: CreatAR Images

With Shrine of Whatslove, a red triangle robotically woven carbon-fiber structure, Wutopia Lab attempted to arouse discussion on what’s love in modern life and how to intervene the rural construction.

The client, Fengyuzhu, commissioned the company to design something for the Cultural and Creative Complex of Fangyukong Guesthouse project. Rather than a hotel, restaurant or bookstore, Wutopia Lab choose to bring out a building that can inspire people to think on daily issues.

The triangle motif represents the original architectural prototype shape of sheds built by ancestors. Rather than using concrete, steel, glass or wood to build the shrine, a red line was used to weave it. This technique was inspired by the ‘Zhusiyingshe’ – a Chinese traditional culture wrapping red line around an idol for good luck. The shrine is more a visual image of a red line than a physical space, it does not need to shelter from the wind.

The 4m high and 3.8m wide entire structure was weaved with a continuous line of carbon-fibre – density is controlled at 18kg per cubic metre and the bearing capacity of 400kg is achieved. After a month of testing, using 7200m of continuous carbon fiber bundles, the red Shrine of Whatslove was completed in 90 hours.

Standing by the main entrance of Fangyukong Guesthouse, the red triangle shrine is like a signpost.