team_bldg’s the fan is a multisensorial gateway in china
TEAM_BLDG’s The Fan is a site-specific installation that transforms the ancient valley of Jinshanling in China into a sensory landscape of movement and sound. Positioned along a stone-paved path leading to sculptor Sheng Jiang’s hidden exhibition, Being in the Open Field, the structure is a multisensorial gateway that enlivens this path with a ritual of light, shadow, and sound.
It introduces a layer of ephemerality the site’s otherwise rigid landscape — framed by Ming Dynasty relics and dramatic cliffs — swaying like Tibetan prayer flags with white gauze dancing with the hums of the mountain winds. As light filters through the translucent fabric, silhouettes of birds and insects animate its surface, while at sunset, the gauze takes on the appearance of fluttering ‘Buddha robes.’ Embedded bells chime softly, echoing Buddhist notions of ‘surprise and joy,’ while T-shaped steel frames mirror the Great Wall ruins nearby.
all images © Jonathan Leijonhufvud
the installation nods to tibetan prayer flags
Inspired by Tibetan prayer flags, the design balances the site’s concrete, steel, and stone sculptures and functions as both a visual and auditory guide. For TEAM_BLDG, the goal was to create a lightweight, wind-responsive structure that shelters visitors while harmonizing with the ancient environment. The Fan comprises 40 T-shaped steel pipe units (3m x 2m) arranged in a linear sequence, anchored to a terraced concrete foundation. Articulated joints provide structural flexibility, allowing the framework to adapt to the valley’s uneven terrain. Suspended from transverse rods, more than 120 meters of soft white gauze ripple with the wind, introducing an ever-changing visual rhythm.
Before installation, full-scale prototypes were tested in Shanghai under simulated wind and rain conditions. Initial field trials revealed excessive wind loads caused instability, prompting structural reinforcements to anchoring nodes. on site, despite harsh autumn winds, the team manually assembled the installation in two days, leveraging the T-shaped units’ adaptability to accommodate rocky terrain.
The Fan is a multisensorial gateway that transforms a path into a ritual of light, shadow, and sound
transforming the ancient valley of Jinshanling in China into a sensory landscape of movement and sound
it introduces a layer of ephemerality the site’s otherwise rigid landscape
fluttering installation likes the clothing lines of Buddha statues
as light filters through the translucent fabric, silhouettes of birds and insects animate its surface
