IARA piggybacks stone aqueduct with sheltered timber bridge in China

Architecture studio IARA has reinvigorated an abandoned aqueduct in Huangshan, China, by attaching a sheltered timber bridge on top of its stone structure.

Named FW JI Covered Bridge on Aqueduct, the project in Fengwu Village is shortlisted in the infrastructure and transport project category of Dezeen Awards 2024.

The narrow stone aqueduct, which crosses over the Fengxi River in the north of the village, dates back to the 1960s and is a well-loved local landmark.

Its revamp by Beijing-based IARA is part of a broader revitalisation programme for the area, which responds to its ageing demographic and insufficient public facilities.

IARA looked to both preserve the aqueduct and celebrate its place in the community with the cross-laminated timber (CLT) bridge, which doubles as a sheltered community space for gathering.

"During the initial design phase, we conducted surveys with the villagers, and 'memory' was the most frequently mentioned word," IARA's founders Jingqiu Zhang and Lubin Liu told Dezeen.

"To honour the collective memory of the village, we preserved the original aqueduct, not only maintaining its structural integrity but also retaining the traces of time imprinted on its surface, such as the perennial moss and vegetation," the duo explained.

"Villagers also expressed the need for a space to gather, eat, and seek shade during the summer. As a result, we decided to transform this aqueduct into a comfortable public covered bridge for daily use."

Budget constraints and limited site access informed IARA's use of prefabricated CLT for the bridge structure, which hugs the existing aqueduct with a series of pentagonal frames.

Affixed to this framework are two long benches that run along the aqueduct's entire length – one for sitting and one for leaning – and provide additional bracing for the structure.

"Inside the bridge, seating areas and two rows of reclining chairs offer villagers various options for rest and taking in the view," Zhang and Liu told Dezeen.

"These elements also serve as natural safety barriers," they added. "Moreover, the benches are designed to integrate with the X-shaped columns, making the furniture an essential part of the structure's stability."

Crowning FW JI Covered Bridge on Aqueduct, two overlapping angled sections form a lightweight roof, which is topped with wooden rafters and sheets of corrugated aluminium.

At either end of the bridge, the original stone water channels of the aqueduct have been connected to the village by paths paved with stones from the Fengxi River below.

Other covered bridges in China include a structure by LUO Studio that is formed of hundreds of wooden elements and a crossing by Atelier FCJZ that doubles as an art gallery.

The photography is by Huien Song.

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