Vault of Heaven

“Vault of Heaven”, presented at the China Pavilion of the 19th International Architecture Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia (2025), reinterprets China’s philosophy of nature and cosmology, articulating a habitat system rooted in the ancient ideal of harmony between humanity and the natural world.

“Vault of Heaven” takes China’s urbanization process as its backdrop, using green construction safety nets commonly found on Chinese construction sites as the main material, and incorporating the Intangible Cultural Heritage bamboo-weaving craft traditionally used for lanterns to build its framework. The final form presents a contemporary reinterpretation of the zaojing (caisson ceiling), a structural and symbolic element that has spanned the history of Chinese architecture. As both a witness to cultural exchanges and a material embodiment of a miniature cosmos, the zaojing encapsulates the essence of the traditional Chinese concept of the harmony between heaven and humanity (tian ren he yi). Beneath the domed ceiling of the zaojing, a meticulously designed sequence of visual narratives unfolds, illustrating China’s imaginative visions of paradise and the pursuit of an ideal life.

The work takes the form of a rotating celestial canopy, drawing inspiration from the visual persistence principle of the phenakistoscope. Through the rapid spinning of multiple image layers, a dynamic narrative emerges across four chapters: Heaven, Earth, Humanity, and Divinity. Birds morph into deer, deer into humans, fish into rabbits, and clouds interweave in continuous transformation. These metamorphic cycles evoke the traditional belief that all things are animated and bound by the laws of nature. By shifting perception toward a non-human perspective, “Vault of Heaven” invites audiences to reconsider their relationship with the natural world. The perpetual rotation of imagery signifies cycles of regeneration and interdependence, resonating with the Biennale’s themes of environmental consciousness and sustainability.