Jiayu Chen

The design of this temporary pavilion is centred around the Chinese dumpling. The Chinese dumpling is a traditional food that plays an important role in Chinese people’s lives. In particular, it represents the reunion of family members. On Chinese New Year’s Eve, four generations in each family will make and eat dumplings together around the dinner table.

My pavilion is located in London’s most celebrated food market: Borough Market. Here people can experience food and learn about the food cultures of different countries.

My concept is to use the traditional Chinese residential space known as a Hutong to form my pavilion. A street, which connects two rows of high and low staggered spaces, provides an immersive narrative journey about dumplings, which people can taste in a shop.

Visitors first learn about the story of the dumpling through an installation, where they can watch a film through a window with condensation. They then take a journey through three spaces: a way home, communication and heritage, and reunion. The different materials and installations let the visitors experience the atmosphere of family reunion.