Wutopia Lab’s ‘Flickering Peak’ is a playful convergence of light and space. The architectural project was completed in Coffee Village, Hainan, reimagining the Sun River Art Center into ‘three mountains and a sea’, a loose translation from a classical Taoist story. The central and auxiliary buildings of the art center, cloaked in a white semi-transparent facade, create three peaks in the distance. Situated at the heart of the island, an artificial sea cradles the entrance of the art center to satiate the desire for an ocean view.
The project is a marriage of history and modern architecture, serving as a rich site for cultural significance. Coffee Village was once home to a plantation established by overseas Chinese workers returning from Indonesia. The land’s history of struggle and exile transformed into a beacon of hope for a prosperous future, serving as a point of inspiration for Wutopia Lab.
The semi-transparent shells of ‘Flickering Peak’ find refuge in soft geometry. The group sought to create a new visual language that combines natural elements and existing structural parameters, working within lush surroundings and the original foundation of the building. In place of traditional perforated aluminum, the structure’s white Ferrari panels offer dimensional stability.
The combination of natural and architectural elements forms an interplay of space and light. The name borrows from the varying levels of transparency on the buildings’ exterior, which create a flickering effect under the sun. By day, the light against the building reflects a sense of softness and sanctity. By night, vibrant colors emanate from the heart of the art center. Taking cues from the old and new, strong and subtle, dynamic and still, ‘Flickering Peak’ mirrors the spirit of miracles and hope from its local community.
