Design and architecture firm: CCD/Cheng Chung Design, Hong Kong

The details: Floating above Quiandeng Lake in Foshan, China, water is the recurring element of this flexible pavilion, built to accommodate concerts, art workshops and installations, large-scale exhibitions, and more. “The local custom regards water as wealth,” says Joe Cheng, founder of CCD/Cheng Chung Design. “The water element runs through the interior—it’s the soul of the whole project. Water is like a stage changing in the wind and blurring the internal and external boundaries.” Guests enter the main hall, which recalls an urban living room with a geometric layout and walls wrapped in multiple layers of local wood to form a bookshelf-like area that encourages visitors to rest and relax. Simple yet fluid, light moves freely throughout the space for a dramatic effect, enhanced by artwork, including a floating sphere informed by traditional local furniture. “The vitality of this space is implied by the art of water drop,” he points out, “which is continuous and endless.”

This article originally appeared in HD’s  August 2020 issue.