Patch-City Pavilion / ROOI Design And Research

Architects: Rooi Design and Research
Area: 800 m²
Year: 2022
Photographs: SFAP
Construction: Yanloo Interior Shanghai Co. Ltd.
Chief Designer: Zuoqian Wang
Design Team: Zuoqian Wang, Jiaji Shen, Dan He
Client: ifanr, ICON Real Estate
City: Guangzhou
Country: China

Patch-City Pavilion, designed by ROOI Design and Research in Guangzhou’s Tianhe District, revitalizes a former primary school site to reconnect with the local community and blend historical context with modern urban culture. Commissioned by digital trend brand ifanr, the pavilion serves as a versatile venue for cultural events such as street markets, music festivals, and talk shows. The design introduces new elements through minimal intervention, creating a space that encourages interaction while preserving the original environment. Constructed from 98 lightweight, weather-resistant modules, the pavilion can be assembled in 12 hours, promoting sustainability by minimizing the use of heavy machinery. Inspired by Guangzhou’s pattern of urban growth—layering new over old—the pavilion embodies the concept of “patching,” reflecting an evolving cityscape. Its flexible structure, open traffic flow, and adaptable elements allow for various uses and can be easily dismantled, relocated, or repurposed, offering a sustainable model for urban renewal.

Patch-city pavilion / rooi design and research

The Patch-City Pavilion is a project aimed at revitalizing old buildings into a cultural hub centered around a flexible, adaptable space. The client envisions it as a temporary venue where local residents can engage in various activities and cultural exchanges. ROOI Design and Research takes a gentle approach, adding new elements that blend with the existing environment without causing any harm. This creates a new space resembling an enclosed yard where people can gather, converse, and enjoy natural surroundings while participating in cultural activities.

The transformation process employs a simple yet precise approach, from material selection to structural design, making it easier for people to connect with the new context of old buildings. A structure mirroring Guangzhou’s urban interface is abstractly represented through a box form. This intervention avoids drastic changes, instead extending the life of the original site and creating a more harmonious relationship between old and new elements. In contrast to the typical practice in China’s urbanization—where many old buildings are demolished and replaced without careful consideration—this project retains the connection between people and their familiar spaces, even as it introduces modern elements.

The concept for the Patch-City project draws from Guangzhou’s growth pattern, where new elements are continuously added to the old, creating a rich tapestry of imagination and memory. Urban development here is seen as an ongoing process of “patching” and enhancement. Inspired by this idea, the Patch-City Pavilion is designed to evolve over time, adapting old buildings for new purposes. In the future, the pavilion itself will be dismantled and recycled, potentially repurposed as furniture in homes or transformed into other useful objects in different locations.

Though it appears like an unfinished building, the pavilion includes all the fundamental elements—walls, pillars, and windows. The black and white tiled ground is retained from the original site. These basic components interact with their surroundings, creating a dialogue between the old and new. The venue acts as a theater for showcasing events and emotions, providing a space where different stories can unfold.

The building has a symmetrical isosceles trapezoid shape that creates an embracing form. Despite its abstract and varied module arrangement, it connects seamlessly between the square in front and the yard behind. A tree growing behind the structure provides natural shade and complements the temporary design. A rear exit is included to allow visitors to appreciate the tree and surrounding plants, which add vibrancy to the space. The project emphasizes that there are no primary or secondary elements, inviting people to notice the often-overlooked natural beauty in everyday life.

The design incorporates an open traffic flow that links the city roads to the building, enabling visitors to move through the space to access the backyard. This flow integrates both the internal space and the city’s public areas, making it an inclusive environment that accommodates a variety of activities and lifestyles.

The construction process is described as “playing with building blocks,” allowing for on-site adjustments of the modules with a light hoist. According to Zuoqian Wang, founder of ROOI Design and Research, this approach adds dynamic storytelling potential to the space, with the 98 modules creating 98 different scenes that make the pavilion feel like a theater. The pavilion’s 98 preformed modules are made of chevron boards, which are lightweight, weather-resistant, and suitable for long-term outdoor use. This design allows for assembly without heavy machinery, minimizing the need for steel structures, and the entire pavilion can be set up in just 12 hours using a light hoist.

The second iteration of the Patch-City series, Patch-Café, was constructed using Version 2 modules in an empty hall of a mall in Guangzhou. Its assembly requires only a few workers to stack the boxes together with nuts and bolts, significantly cutting down on construction costs and time. Patch-Café further explores the flexibility of the Patch-City modules, allowing for easy modifications. Since no single building can meet all needs, Patch-Café serves as a complement to the mall’s commercial space. It functions as a multi-purpose venue, combining a café, retail area, and property sales office while also accommodating various cultural activities. For example, mortise-tenon structure chairs can be quickly arranged around the central island for performances. From the small windows outside, the space appears as a lively drama unfolding on stage.

This design enhances the functionality and artistic value of the venue by allowing modules to be added or removed as needed, maximizing the use of the mall’s limited public space. The walls, central island, tables, and chairs can be easily rearranged to accommodate different activities. Once the service period ends, the modules can be relocated to other commercial centers and reassembled to fit their specific needs.