The around 13-metre site-specific installation “Bamboo Pagoda” is slated to kick off its seven-day run this coming Monday on the shore of Sai Van Lake in front of the Military Club’s tennis courts on Avenida da República (民國大馬路), highlighting both the intangible cultural heritage of bamboo scaffolding while also creating a place of contemplation.
Organised by Ephemera Public Space Cooperative, which aims to promote civic participation, social interaction, recreation, and a stronger relationship between people and the city, the free admission installation will be on display through October 11, being open from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., as noted in the statement by the group.
Suspended over the water, each part of the installation serves an important purpose. Created entirely of bamboo, the use of the material highlights the traditional craft of bamboo scaffolding, which was included in the Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2017, the statement said, while its form overall evokes the “verticality of traditional pagodas and the organic qualities of bamboo as a natural material”.
Even being situated on Sai Van Lake (西灣湖) harkens back to Macau’s “close relationship with water and the landscape that has shaped its development”, the statement added.
“Sai Van” means “West Bay” in Cantonese
Moreover, the project also brings together contemporary design and traditional techniques, reflecting the area’s transformation.
The statement added that in one of the most densely populated places in the world, the installation will temporarily provide a place of “tranquillity, reflection, and reconnection”, while also aiming to provide a place that encourages silence and slowing down.
Stay tuned for more next week
This image provided by Ephemera Public Space Cooperative yesterday shows an artist’s rendition of the Bamboo Pagoda on the shore of Sai Van Lake.
