The Shenchong Totem creates a historically and culturally symbolic spatial sequence at the entrance of Shenchong Village through a series of iconic black volcanic rock-inspired stone pillars. These pillars reinterpret the village’s architectural traditions with a contemporary design language. Shenchong Village is renowned for its unique diamond-shaped volcanic rock stacking, reflecting a deep connection between its inhabitants and the surrounding environment. This project abstracts these regional characteristics, offering an entrance experience that combines historical resonance with modern aesthetics.
Project Name: Shenchong Totem
Studio Name: Else
A row of stone pillars lines the entrance road, extending to the main path leading into the village, establishing a structured and rhythmic spatial progression that guides visitors toward the village core. These pillars evoke ancient totems, their vertical and geometric abstraction conveying a sense of monumental solemnity. This arrangement brings a sense of order to the previously disorganized site.
Each stone pillar is constructed from prefabricated concrete modules. Crushed black volcanic rock is used as aggregate, and the modules are treated with acid washing and sandblasting to create a natural texture. This method preserves the cultural memory and natural properties of volcanic rock while presenting a fresh interpretation of traditional materials. By merging modern concrete techniques with traditional resources, the project honors the site’s history while breathing new life into it, ensuring traditional materials meet contemporary structural standards.
The concrete modules employ a gravity-based stacking system inspired by traditional masonry techniques, enhanced with modern prefabrication. Interlocking grooves and protrusions allow for seamless cohesion, ensuring vertical load transfer and stability. This interlocking design also enhances resistance to lateral forces, with hollow sections reducing wind drag and improving wind resistance. Inspired by traditional self-weight stability, this modular system enables precision, flexibility, and efficient construction. Without the need for complex adhesives or support systems, the modules can be quickly assembled, disassembled, or reconfigured, making them ideal for extreme climates. This integration of traditional and modern techniques ensures both structural integrity and innovative reinterpretation of historical construction methods.
During the day, the moving sunlight casts dynamic shadows on the pillars, enhancing the geometric interplay of light and shade. At night, integrated lighting illuminates the hollow sections, creating a mysterious, self-luminous effect that heightens the ceremonial atmosphere of the entrance.
Although newly constructed, the black volcanic rock-like pillars blend seamlessly into their environment, appearing as though they have always belonged. They preserve the history and architectural character of Shenchong Village while introducing contemporary vitality. As visitors approach, the pillars communicate the site’s memory, creating a natural and harmonious spatial experience while endowing the entrance with a striking and symbolic presence.
