Jinsha Peninsula Bird Watching Base Project

Yijian Architects

Short description

The best protection is to give economic value to ecological resources. Jinsha Peninsula Project is such a case. Jinsha Peninsula is located on the north side of Heilongtan Lake in Sichuan, about an hour's drive from Chengdu. Heilongtan Lake has a water surface of 23 square kilometers, rich natural shorelines and diverse waterfront environments. Due to ecological requirements and restrictions on development, the land has been idle for a few years. The client hopes that we can start with planning to provide solutions.

We worked with zoologists and botanists, conducted field research on biodiversity in this region. We found that there are diverse species of migratory birds in this area. Especially the winter migration of migratory birds from November to March each year is quite spectacular, with approximately 300000 migratory birds staying here, many of which are nationally protected rare birds.

We respect the original ecological appearance of the peninsula. By adopting a natural architectural design approach, we set up a Bird-watching Tower and a Science Station. By integrating natural research and learning activities, we aim to create a natural education base for primary and secondary school students in Chengdu.

Bird experts have produced a heat map of bird distribution through field surveys. In order to fully respect the habitat space of birds, the bird watching tower was located in the woods close to the Lakes area. The concept of Bird-watching Tower is the "bird cube" - just like a Rubik's cube with changes on each side, providing a bird watching experience with different orientations. The Science Station is located at the entrance of the bird watching base and has been transformed from four containers. There is a bird's nest for swallows placed on the exterior wall of container. The function is the nature education classroom and ecological exhibition hall.