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Arch marino elaineyu sp22 05 wetlandperspective

THE SMALLNESS OF US

A museum of biodiversity, the project is a celebration of diverse life forms and is organized into land, air, and sea. Formally, it is comprised of individual vessels sharing various boundaries with their external environment, creating conditions for different species to thrive. The land modules are situated on a terraced field facing the estuary, arranged in growing spirals as in sunflowers and built with crushed stones from a local quarry, a reflection of the site’s geological development. The sea vessels form a floating network that fluctuates with the tidal water levels. Large grid shell structures built with bamboos have both enclosed greenhouses and open-air aviary, largely situated on the wetland. This is where the land meets the sea; its unique conditions create vibrant, distinctive ecosystems that bring resilience to our environment.

The aim is to explore an architecture that is created to be part of the landscape, thereby blurring the line between the two. Its large scale typically seen in earthworks rather than buildings is intended to evoke the sense of smallness in us and the need to contemplate our place in the world, in relation to all other beautiful beings that are full of wonders.