Professor Zhao Kui’s Studio of HUST: Winner of World Design Awards 2024. The Ge zi Flower Bridge is located in Xuan’en County, Enshi City, Hubei Province. The bridge spans over the gurgling water with a nimble posture, complementing the beautiful local forest scenery. From a high vantage point, the Ge zi Flower Bridge is like a handicraft created by nature dancing gracefully on the clear water; Standing on the bridge, watching the rolling clouds, feeling the alternation of time and sequence, as if merging with nature.ers return to the hall” and echoing the circular elements of the Celebrity Sculpture Park to the north.

Ge zi Flower Bridge, its design inspiration comes from the county flower of Xuan’en County – Gongtong, also known as Ge zi flower. At the end of spring and the beginning of summer, the flowers of the Chinese parasol tree bloom one after another. The inflorescence is round like a bird’s head, and the bracts are clean, white, and large like wings, like a white dove spreading its wings to fly. Therefore, it is named “Ge zi Flower”. The upper structure and railing of the bridge are designed in the shape of Ge zi flowers, with a smooth and lightweight design. As the sun sets, a group of white egrets hover and dance on the bridge. Pressing the shutter button casually creates a picturesque scenery.

To increase the stability and aesthetics of the bridge, the Ge zi Flower Bridge integrates traditional aesthetics with modern engineering technology. The main structure adopts a modern wooden frame system, mainly made of laminated wood covered with PTFE film, and is enclosed by the curved surface of the bridge body woven with bamboo strips. Wooden beams are mostly irregular curved beams, using curved glued laminated wood structures, which is the first of its kind in Enshi area; This choice not only echoes the concept of harmonious coexistence of the natural environment, but also demonstrates a profound consideration for the application of sustainable building materials. The wood used in the bridge not only perfectly retains its original warm texture and natural texture, showcasing the unique warmth and elegance of wood, but also achieves a qualitative leap in weather resistance, anti-corrosion and other aspects, ensuring the long-term beauty and safety of the bridge, reflecting the harmonious coexistence of human wisdom and natural resources.

Ge zi Flower Bridge is a two-way four lane municipal road bridge with a total length of 85.6 meters. This bridge not only carries the heavy responsibility of transportation, but also is a carefully crafted leisure destination for residents. The natural extension of bridge structures on both sides of the road provides residents with more space for resting and cooling on the bridge. Xuanen’s Ge zi flower bridge has achieved a perfect unity of structure, image, and technology; Fully reflecting the designer’s respect for local culture and outstanding application techniques of wood, it has become a beautiful scenic spot that cannot be ignored in Xuan’en County.

Project Details:-
Firm
Professor Zhao Kui’s Studio of HUST

Architect
Zhao Kui

Project Name
New Timber Lounge bridge-Ge zi Flower Bridge in Xuan’en County

Project Category
Public Landscape Design Built

Team
Xiao Qiming, Huang Jing，Xu Yue, Chen Wenling, Yu Yixuan; Qin Sisi,Gao Ge

Project Location
Lianhuaba Village, Zhushan Town, Xuan’en County, Enshi Prefecture, Hubei Province, China

Country
China

Photography ©Credit
Professor Zhao Kui’s Studio of HUST

Professor Zhao Kui from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, mainly researches regional architecture and heritage conservation. After years of field research, a lot of traditional building materials from different regions have been collected. In practical engineering projects, the studio focuses on emphasizing the harmonious relationship with traditional architecture, fully considering the regional impact of construction, and combining local climate and terrain conditions, social and cultural environment to seek methods for the application of local architectural technology, traditional craftsmanship, and building materials under modern conditions; Or creatively utilize modern materials, technologies, and construction methods to create buildings with regional characteristics.

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