Working from offices in Beijing and Shanghai, Clou Architects built this farming laboratory in the Nanfan High Tech District of the city of Sanya, on tropical Hainan Island. Drawing inspiration from local building tradition, the 4,000-square-meter, 4-floor facility is an agricultural research, education, and exhibition center. A gridded wooden skin 80 centimeters deep shields the interiors against direct sunlight, ensures natural ventilation, and frames views.