Four Public Pavilions in Beijing by Aurélien Chen and CSCEC

Located within a public park along one of Beijing’s major urban arteries, the Four Public Pavilions project by Aurélien Chen in collaboration with CSCEC redefines everyday civic infrastructure as a refined architectural and landscape gesture. Completed in 2023, the 300-square-meter intervention integrates public restrooms, service and resting areas for pedestrians, offices for park management, and storage and facilities for gardeners into a coherent and legible urban system.

Urban Pavilions as Civic Infrastructure

Rather than treating these necessary functions as secondary or hidden elements, the project elevates them into architectural landmarks that contribute to the identity of the park. Each pavilion is conceived as an urban signal, clearly visible from the surrounding boulevard while maintaining a sensitive relationship with the landscape. Their strategic placement ensures accessibility for park users while reinforcing orientation and wayfinding within the green space.

Geometry Inspired by Landscape

The architectural language of the pavilions is directly informed by the geometry of the park itself. Straight lines and taut curves echo the surrounding paths, planting beds, and landscape features, allowing the buildings to feel embedded rather than imposed. The overall massing remains deliberately low, minimizing visual impact and preserving open views across the park. This restrained scale supports a human-centered experience and avoids competing with the natural environment.

The Floating Roof as a Visual Marker

The defining architectural element of the project is the over-roof canopy, which acts as the primary urban marker. Light and visually detached from the enclosed volumes below, the roof appears to float above the pavilions. At times it emerges through the foliage; at others, it gently rises above the treetops, creating a subtle but recognizable presence within the urban landscape. This shading structure not only enhances visibility but also provides climatic comfort, protecting users from sun and rain while reinforcing the pavilion’s role as a place of pause and gathering.

Integration of Architecture and Landscape

Landscape design, developed in collaboration with the Urban and Rural Planning and Design Institute of CSCEC, plays a crucial role in the project’s success. The pavilions are seamlessly woven into the park’s circulation and planting strategy, blurring the boundary between built form and nature. Materials, proportions, and spatial transitions are carefully calibrated to support durability, ease of maintenance, and long-term public use.

A Contemporary Model for Public Pavilion Design

The Four Public Pavilions demonstrate how small-scale urban architecture can deliver high civic value through clarity of form, contextual sensitivity, and thoughtful detailing. By transforming functional park buildings into elegant spatial markers, the project offers a compelling model for contemporary pavilion design in dense metropolitan environments like Beijing, where public space, infrastructure, and landscape must work together as a cohesive whole.

All photographs are works of  Aurelien Chen, Zhang Aoran, Wang Manyu, Sun Jieyang