Architects: PAO – People’s Architecture Office
Year: 2022
Photography: Yi Tang, UABB
Lead Architects: Zhe He, James Shen, Feng Zang
Project Team: Mingkai Lin, Chengchen Wang
Structural Consultant: Su Liu
Chief Curator: Andong Lu, Zigeng Wang, Aric Chen
Client: The 9th Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism / Architecture
Sponsor: People’s Government of Shenzhen
City: Shenzhen
Country: China
Pyramid Scope, is an interactive installation designed by People’s Architecture Office in Shenzhen, China. Completed in 2022, the structure is made from inflated fabric. Visible from both the city and within the exhibition space, it creates a kaleidoscope-like effect with its modular, lightweight design. The installation can be reconfigured or recycled, emphasizing adaptability and sustainability.
The ecosystem we rely on may seem stable, yet they are highly fragile. This paradox inspired the Tower of Mirrors, an inflated fabric structure that appears metallic and sturdy. The Mirror Tower is composed of two vertically mirrored pyramid forms and is suspended above an open-air courtyard at the Kingway Brewery as part of the 9th Shenzhen Biennale for Urbanism and Architecture.
The upper pyramid extends beyond the brewery’s enclosing wall, becoming part of the building’s facade and serving as a visible landmark from afar.
At night, the inflatable structure transforms into a luminous sculpture, integrating into the surrounding urban landscape.
The lower section of the Pyramid Scope is visible through openings in the street-level walls, where shifting, distorted reflections of the surroundings can be observed by passerby.
This lower, inverted section is enclosed by three walls. beneath the suspended installation lies a circular inflatable seating area, allowing viewers to gaze upwards and observe reflections through the layers of inflatables.
The Pyramid Scope’s inflatable tubes are interconnected using nodes made of multiple rings. These intersection provide views through the interiors of the inflatables, offering kaleidoscope-like visual experiences of the sky or other viewers.
The installations serves as an interactive experienced that can be appreciated both from the streets and within the exhibition space. Its lightweight, modular construction allows for quick installation with minimal disruption to the existing site, creating a completely new environment. After the exhibition, it can be reconfigured into other triangular forms for different locations or fully recycled.
Project Gallery
Project Location
Address: Dongchang Road, Luohu District, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518019, China.
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.
