Fabric Plugin Visitor Center | PAO | People’s Architecture Office

The Fabric Plugin Visitor Center transforms an old village farmhouse into a local landmark by adding a prefabricated structure against the original facade. Its slender, translucent design distinguishes the center from traditional village architecture, setting it apart as a prominent feature in the area. The modular system allows for rapid installation, easy customization, and replication, adapting to the unique needs of different sites.

Located at the entrance of Caijia Po Village, the center provides information about the village and the Mangba Arts Festival. The modular design and plugin strategy ensure a consistent approach to renovating old buildings across villages. In Caijia Po, the center uses seven modules, while in Liyukou Village, a smaller building requires only three.

The lightweight steel frame facade is an unobtrusive addition, leaving the original building unchanged. As an independent structure, it offers flexibility and reversibility. The elevated wooden deck and fabric membrane above provide sunshade, creating a comfortable outdoor rest area that extends the building’s interior space to the exterior. At night, three horizontal light strips illuminate the blue membrane, enhancing nighttime visibility.

The Fabric Plugin Visitor Center is a detachable, quickly installed system that preserves the original building while adding new functionality.

Caijia Po Village is located at the foot of the Qinling Mountains in southern Xi’an, surrounded by expansive wheat fields. In 2018, Professor Wu Xiaochuan, alongside faculty and students from the Xi’an Academy of Fine Arts, established the Guan Zhong Art Cooperative and launched the Guan Zhong Mangba Arts Festival, initiating a series of rural art intervention projects. People’s Architecture Office was invited to participate in the 5th Mangba Arts Festival, contributing the Fabric Plugin Visitor Center and the interactive installation Starburst to the event.

Design Leads: He Zhe, James Shen, Zang Feng 

Design Team: Huang Jia, Qi Ji, Zhang Meng 

Structural Consulting: Liu Su / Beijing Shouang Architectural Structure Studio 

Photography: People's Architecture Office, Guan Zhong Mangba Arts Festival Committee 

Drawings: Qi Ji