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The project is located at the old irrigation canal in the northern part of the village. Built in the 1960s, the canal was once used to channel water from the mountains to irrigate farmland, but it has long since fallen into disuse. The surrounding area remains wild and lush, with rich natural vegetation. On the southwest side stands an old dawn redwood tree, a symbolic "feng shui tree" and the village’s highest point. The interplay between the aged man-made canal bridge and the ancient natural redwood forms a unique spatial spirit.​After careful consideration of the villagers’ needs, we decided to transform this section of the canal crossing over the Fengxi River into a comfortable public corridor bridge for daily use.

To preserve the village’s collective memory, the original canal body has been retained. A lightweight timber bridge structure is attached to the old canal, like new vines growing upon an ancient tree trunk. This revitalizes the aging infrastructure with new life. The use of wood not only echoes the local character of traditional Huizhou architecture but also enhances the sense of human intimacy with the structure. The lightweight construction reduces the load on the bridge, ensuring the structural safety of the original canal. All components of the “canal corridor bridge” are light enough to be carried by hand, eliminating the need for heavy construction equipment and thus preserving the village’s environment to the greatest extent. Each wooden joint is delicately connected using a single bolt, allowing for fast and easy on-site assembly.

In terms of site design, the stone-built ends of the canal serve as entrances to the corridor bridge, connecting seamlessly with the village roads. As the canal transitions from once carrying water to now carrying people, the act of stepping onto the bridge becomes an experience of a specific historical moment, especially as one touches the weathered stone and thick moss that embody the passage of time.

The completed corridor bridge, like new vines gently entwined around the timeworn canal, pays tribute to and remembers a significant chapter in the village’s history. It creates a nurturing and gathering space for the future of the village, breathing new life and vitality into the public life of Fengwu Village.

FW JI·Covered Bridge on Aqueduct

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The Covered Bridge on Aqueduct

Biyang Township People's Government, Yixian Agricultural and Water Resources Bureau

Fengwu Village, Yixian, Huangshan, China

Lubin Liu, Jingqiu Zhang

Hongrun Li, Xinran Wu, Lin Luo, Qinming Luo

Huien Song, Xinran Wu

105.6m²

2023

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