Ranwu Lake Campsite/Xiao Yin Architecture Design Firm


© Arch-exist Photography

© Arch-exist Photography
  • Architect: Xiao Yin Architecture Design Firm
  • Location: Ranwu Town,Tibet, China
  • Chief Architect: Pan Youcai
  • Total Building Area: 2400.0 m2
  • Project Year: 2017
  • Photographer: Arch-exist Photography

© Arch-exist Photography

© Arch-exist Photography

From the architect. The campsite is located in Lare Village, Ranwu Lake. Its north is the winding G318, and its south is the dreamland Ranwu Lake. The campsite is the best spot for self-drive travelers to stop and enjoy the beautiful scenery of Ranwu Lake. 


© Arch-exist Photography

© Arch-exist Photography

The campsite is high in the north and low in the south, with maximum altitude difference of 13 meters. The terrain slopes gently and is broad with a spectacular field of view. There are green grass and ancient trees beside the lake, green pine trees and azalea flowers on the mountainside, and blue sky and floating clouds above the mountains.


© Arch-exist Photography

© Arch-exist Photography

There are comprehensive travel services at the campsite, such as travel information center, service management center, simple snack, Chinese food, coffee, 24-hour convenience store, Tibetan medical culture exhibition center, Tibetan specialty exhibition and sales center, high-end holiday hotel, bar, tea bar, BBQ buffet, medical assistance center, star-rated bathroom facilities, vehicle repair, tent camping, recreational vehicle (RV) camping, children’s forest park, view platform and waterside terrace.


© Arch-exist Photography

© Arch-exist Photography

With a total project area of about 70 mu, Phase 1 Project uses an area of 2,400 square meters, and is composed of integrated service center, 9 high-end holiday hotel buildings, bar, tea bar, Tibetan specialty exhibition and sales center, BBQ buffet, medical assistance center, star-rated bathroom facilities, tent camping, 176 car parking lots, 5 tour bus parking lots, 7 RV parking lots, etc.


© Arch-exist Photography

© Arch-exist Photography

The average altitude of the campsite is lower than the G318 to its north. There is a drainage ditch at the north side of the high mountain flowing through the campsite area. All buildings are elevated. From north to south, i.e. from high altitude to relatively low altitude, there are parking lots, vehicle repair station, car washing station, landscape square, travel service center, holiday hotel, tent camping, view platform and bar in sequence.


© Arch-exist Photography

© Arch-exist Photography

By taking advantage of the original terrain height difference and combining the height adjustment of the building overhead layers, it can ensure that all buildings from the lakeside to the G318 are elevated and do not block each other. The main building of the travel service center can be 6-8 meters higher than the G318 by the height adjustment of the overhead layer. There is a landscape lighthouse of nearly 20 meters next to the entrance of the G318 to ensure the safety and visibility of the Project and the maximum utilization of the landscape resources.


© Arch-exist Photography

© Arch-exist Photography

In order to maximize the field of view, the main building of the integrated service center extends about 80 meters along the horizontal line of the G318. The bottom overhead of the building is about 8 meters. The lake side of the building is a glass wall to ensure the best view of the lake. The main building is made of white irregular lines and a large quantity of transparent glass. The changes of plane and vertical shape make the gentle slope to re-connect with the ground. The appearance of the main building is shaped by the terrain, just like an eagle spreading its wings near the lake shore.


© Arch-exist Photography

© Arch-exist Photography

There is travel information center, management center, simple snack, coffee, 24-hour convenience store, Tibetan specialty exhibition and sales center on the first floor of the main building. Simple snacks are mainly pastries, fast food and cakes, and coffee is freshly ground. The first floor serves as a wonderful place for tourists to relax and enjoy the view.


© Arch-exist Photography

© Arch-exist Photography

3F Plan

3F Plan

© Arch-exist Photography

© Arch-exist Photography

Sitting on the large-cantilever view balcony, you can see the blue sky, white clouds, snow mountain and colorful forests reflecting their shadows on the crystal water of the lake. With the sound of wind, the gurgling of water, and the warm sunshine, you can take a sip of the delicious coffee or smell the fragrance of tea. You can also take a picture of your loved ones as a precious memory.


© Arch-exist Photography

© Arch-exist Photography

It provides safe, comfortable and qualified supporting service facilities for tourists via medical assistance center, star-rated bathroom facilities, Tibetan medicine culture exhibition center and equipment management room in lower part of the building where less viewing is required. No matter you are a pilgrim on foot, an adventurous cyclist, or a self-drive traveler hunting for novelty, this place has everything that you want, desire and are pleased with.


© Arch-exist Photography

© Arch-exist Photography

There are 8 independent holiday hotel buildings in front of the main building. The bottom overhead of the hotel is 2-4 meters. They are arranged high and low according to the visual requirements, and over 1.5 meters lower than the travel service center. This can ensure the privacy of hotel rooms and their view of the scenery, without blocking the field of view from the travel service center. The west side of the hotel rooms is a special feature wall made of local pebbles. The east and south side of the lake have two glass walls of 4 meters high and 180° wide. You can just lie on the bed to enjoy the beautiful snow mountains of the Ranwu Lake and the starry night.

The outdoor terrain in front of the independent hotel buildings is lower. A campsite with comfortable double tents is planned among the green trees and on the pebbles to form a great area together with BBQ and the bar near the lake. You can drink highland barley wine and eat all kinds of game barbecue, with shining stars all over the sky. You can also dance near a campfire with locals before you go to sleep.


© Arch-exist Photography

© Arch-exist Photography

The lowest position near the lake is a bar of about 400 square meters. The top of the bar is a view platform which, through the view corridor, is directly connected with service center, hotels and a small square at the north of the service center. It is convenient for all functions to be made good use of. All sides of the bar have glass walls of 4 meters high, and the inside of the bar is spacious with no columns. You can have a good drink and enjoy yourself here.

There is one independent suite hotel building at the southeast corner of the lakeshore. It has separate living room, recreation room, chess and cards room and an aerial view platform of about 40 square meters. Standing at every position in the room enables you to have a good view of the Ranwu Lake.


© Arch-exist Photography

© Arch-exist Photography

In order to make good use of the water level changes of Ranwu Lake, the bottom overhead of the suites hotel is about 4 meters high. The hotel is among water plants in dry season and above the glistening light of waves and the mist in wet season. “Face the sea, with spring flowers blossoming”, what a dream life!

In recent years, there are more and more hikers and cyclers in Tibet, so this Project, for the cyclers’ convenience, is provided with a winding bicycle lane which leads directly to the bar, BBQ, view platform, waterside terrace and tent camping area near the lake. This Project also has public service facilities such as medical assistance station, car washing station, vehicle repair station and bathrooms with 24-hour hot water to provide high-quality travel service for self-drive travelers in Tibet.


Structure

Structure

In order to minimize the impact of this Project on the land and its neighboring environment and protect the natural environment of “Ranwu Lake Scenic Spot” better, by combining the difficulty in transporting the materials and the climate influence on the project construction, the buildings and structures of the whole project all use assembled steel structure except that the structural foundation uses reinforced concrete. Assembled steel structure has absolute advantages in environment protection, construction period, material transportation and anti-seismic effect.


© Arch-exist Photography

© Arch-exist Photography

This Project uses white and red preferred by Tibetans as the main color of the buildings. It creates a unique, natural, warm and extraordinary living space with a great combination of white cement-fiber plates, red weather-resisting steel plates, thick transparent glass, dark gray steel, local woods and local pebbles.

In spring and summer when green is everywhere, the white cement plates, dark red weather-resisting steel plates, transparent glass and the green grass and trees are enhancing each other’s beauty. In late autumn, the colors of red, white, yellow and green are mingled to draw a colorful picture of the scenery. In winter when it snows, the buildings and the snow are integrated with each other, forming a beautiful picture.


© Arch-exist Photography

© Arch-exist Photography