Located near the Li River and at the foot of the mountains, Stream Restaurant / Atelier Guo occupies a long and narrow plot, pressed against a rocky cliff face. A drainage channel, partially natural and partially constructed, runs through the lot, following the contour of the mountain. The arrangement of the space, the podium, and the restaurant's roof are designed based on the geometry of this channel, abstracting and reflecting the profile of the mountain.
An extensive roof covers the activity area, the indoor dining hall, and the tea house, providing various shaded and semi-open spaces under its wide eaves. The building rests on both ends, following two tangent lines originating from the mountain slope, framing spatial sequences facing the mountain, along it, or towards the old riverside pier. The podium is situated at a lower level than the terrain, supporting a roof via slender prismatic columns.
Conceived as a single continuous movement around the existing channel, the roof dialogues with the mountain on a territorial scale, while simultaneously organizing the progression, transition, and climax of the internal sequence. On a more personal scale, the podium adjusts to the cliff, the watercourse, and the existing vegetation, incorporating local characteristics and design refinements without losing the clarity of its organization.
The adjustments made on site added a new layer to the project, harmonizing the concepts conceived on paper with the complexity and richness of the real landscape. A notable discovery during construction—a large exposed rock—led to the redesign of the entrance, which now features progressively widening trapezoidal steps and offset curved handrails, lending dynamism to the staircase. A linear counter runs along the mountain and the channel, serving as the experiential center of the restaurant, where chefs interact with the public, displaying fresh ingredients and refined culinary techniques, with the steep stone wall and wild nature always visible in the background.
The gastronomic journey unfolds horizontally, comparable to a living scroll of shanshui landscape painting. In contrast, the tea house, situated under the trees, offers a distinct experience: that of crossing the channel and penetrating the mountain itself. Thus, the restaurant establishes two complementary connections with the environment: one focused on contemplation and another on habitation.
The ribbed concrete gives the architecture a tactile sensation similar to carved stone, allowing it to discreetly integrate into the mountain slope and register the passage of time through wear. Fresh and delicate bamboo leaves were pressed into the concrete, creating a striking texture that remains secondary to the structural and spatial expression of the building. These imprints, although flattened, are finely detailed, becoming denser near the base of the columns and more dispersed at the top, like abstract brushstrokes hovering over the podium and rising between the pillars, where the gentle balance of the bamboo grove meets the enduring weight of the mountain in a single architectural manifestation.
The Bawan Village Visitor Center was conceived by the Trace Architecture Office (TAO). Bawan Village is located on the western bank of the Lujiangba Basin, adjacent to the southern slopes of the Gaoligong Mountains.
The surrounding landscape is characterized by agricultural terraces, orchards, and stone houses, arranged in a succession of planes where the mountainous terrain transitions into subtropical plains. The village evolved progressively according to the local topography, resulting in a built environment that demonstrates an intimate connection between architecture and the natural environment.
