Wood Pavilions With Open-Air Courtyards Will Serve As Playgrounds For Pandas

Situated in Chengdu, China, is the Chengdu National Giant Panda Research and Breeding Center, where the world’s leading experts on panda preservation gather to observe, look after, and protect the giant bears.

While pandas have officially been downgraded from “endangered,” the population still remains vulnerable. Now, the research institute is looking to expand its campus within the confines of a national forest park, creating more space for scientists to house and study the animals’ behaviors.

Enter EID Architecture’s group of four panda pavilions, which has recently been approved by the city park district administration. The site will not only serve researchers but will also welcome the public to participate in educational and recreational activities while visiting the pandas.

The impressive façades, which are made from pressure-treated cedar wood panels and concrete walls, come equipped with water nozzles built-in so that a fine mist is continuously released for the pandas’ optimal temperature and humidity.

Four open-air circular courtyards will act as playgrounds for the bears to roam freely while they engage with nature. According to Design Principal Ping Jiang, the sprawling site was inspired by the natural landscape of the city’s prairies, fusing architecture with the surrounding landscape.

Within the pavilions, visitors will be able to enjoy an immersive experience of the pandas’ lifestyles, including indoor and outdoor activity spaces, living quarters, administrative offices, and supporting facilities to keep the research center running around the clock.

“The design of the panda pavilions is a convergence of landscape, architecture, and land art. While the project provides a pedestrian-friendly navigation experience for visitors, it prioritizes an animal-friendly environment to minimize the alienation of ecology,” Ping Jiang added.

[via Hypebeast and Arch Daily, images via EID Architecture]