As of this summer, the teahouse that Wang Shu and his wife and Amateur Architecture Studio partner, Lu Wenyu, began designing 10 years ago for a Buddhist temple in their home city of Hangzhou, China, was just about finished. In fact, Wang reckons, it’s been “almost finished” for the past three years—the main issue being that “the monks are in no hurry.”
Buddhism may teach that the universe exists in a state of perpetual incompletion. But architecturally speaking, save for a few outstanding adjustments, the teahouse has reached a compellingly final form. Tucked away from the tourists and worshippers who throng the sprawling Lingyin temple and monastery—one of China’s best-known religious sites, off the mountainous western shore of Hangzhou’s West Lake—the project occupies about 15,000 square feet in a part of the temple grounds that’s closed to the general public.
You have 0 complimentary articles remaining.
Unlimited access + premium benefits for as low as $1.99/month.