Yangcheng Lake – located three kilometers from Suzhou in Jiangsu Province – is famous for producing the best mitten crab in China, a seawater crustacean that is considered to be a rare world delicacy. The growing interest in gastronomic tourism has significantly increased the number of visitors travelling to taste products at their place of origin, so to satisfy this new demand the project has transformed the shore into a space for leisure with a port, a restaurant, a store, exhibition halls, and multimedia rooms. The idea is to offer a complete experience that combines the appeals of the landscape and local culture.

Two triangular roofs, connected by a footbridge, open up towards the lake, shaping the number eight in the Chinese letter, which means growing prosperity. The rooms with pyramidal form are clad with superposed aluminum profiles, which recreate the nuanced texture of the traditional thatched roofs using a modern material. Inside, this permeable structure filters sunlight creating a comfortable space in the shade. The slope and position of the different surfaces have been carefully studied to avoid interrupting the views of the lake.