Wood Cache

a temporary pavilion at M+ West Kowloon, HK

The Extension

Sited at a prominent location facing the panoramic Victoria Harbour and in proximity to the Nursery Park, Wood Cache is more than just another eye-catchy pavilion exemplifying personal architectural manifestations, but an extension of the Park through an educational journey experiencing the lifecycle of trees in an unprecedented way.

The Journey

Upon arriving at the pavilion, you can barely comprehend what is inside but only have a glimpse through the wood slits. Beginning with a slow ascending ramp, while light is shimmering through from the Nursery Park, you are able to spot cabinets of seeds enclosed on the other side viewing through the slits. On the first turn, a hidden central courtyard is revealed, yet you continue to climb up the ramp to appease your curiosity.

Slowly unfolding along the walk, you reach a rare height at the tree canopy. Out of inherent urge, you step on the mesh surface that feels like turf to closely observe and caress the leaves. After lying beside the crown of trees and being sheltered from the fierce sun and wind by the dense layer of leaves, you descend to the ground through a flight of stairs. Re-entering the courtyard at the last turn to join the crowds under the tree canopy, you discover the Seed Room you vaguely saw through the slits at the beginning. Picking seeds from the cabinets, you decide to propagate these lives.

The Cycle

Besides the structural steel frame, the primary material, timber strips and flooring come from recycled abundant timber formwork from the neighboring M Plus Museum building construction site. While the trees in Wood Cache are relocated from the Nursery Park, the seeds are also collected there and are stored in the Seed Room. The Cache hence presents as a completed lifecycle of a tree.

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