Architects: Behet Bondzio Lin Architekten
Area: 57 m²
Year: 2018
Photographs: YuChen Chao Photography
Lead Architect: Yu‐Han Michael Lin
Construction Company: IUE SHAN STUDIO
Landscape Designers: Behet Bondzio Lin Architekten
Lighting Designers: Behet Bondzio Lin Architekten
Project Team: Behet Bondzio Lin Architekten
Location: Nantou, Taiwan
Clear Water Tea House by Behet Bondzio Lin Architekten blends adaptability, sustainability, and holistic design to harmonize with nature. Perched at 700 meters on Clear Water Mountain in Taiwan, the tea house uses bamboo, a traditional South Asian material known for its strength, flexibility, and rapid growth. Bamboo is bent to reduce wind resistance, channel rain, and split for roof tiling, protecting against sun and water. Joints tied with metal strings allow construction in under a month. Locally sourced bamboo, smoked to resist termites, lasts five years and maintains a low carbon footprint. Designed to celebrate tea ceremonies, the structure integrates local materials and the sounds of wind, rain, and the river, emphasizing ventilation, sun protection, and respect for nature while promoting sustainable living.
Over centuries, humans have developed highly efficient building practices in accordance with the natural laws of their local environments, much like plants and animals, which have adapted their habitats and genetics to optimize energy use, protect themselves, and ensure the survival of their species. However, what has often been lost is the ability to live in harmony and poetic symbiosis with nature.
The Teahouse on Clear Water Mountain, located on the edge of a slope at an altitude of 700 meters, showcases adaptability by utilizing bamboo, a building material that has been used in South Asia for thousands of years. Bamboo, which can grow up to 6 meters in a single year, possesses slender trunks that can bend significantly to endure strong winds, such as those experienced during typhoons. The bamboo is bent to minimize wind resistance and to channel rainwater down the hillside. When cut in half, it forms natural roof-tiling that provides protection from water and sun. All structural joints are secured with simple metal strings, allowing construction and assembly to be completed in less than one month.
Bamboo is a highly sustainable material, readily available in Taiwan and capable of growing to its full height within a year. Once matured, it achieves optimal strength and flexibility for use in construction. Traditionally, bamboo is smoked to dry and resist termites, allowing it to last as a building material for at least five years. These properties make bamboo an eco-friendly material with an exceptionally low carbon footprint.
The tea house embodies a holistic approach to design, working in harmony with nature by utilizing locally sourced materials to create a shelter that celebrates the simplicity of tea drinking and immersion in the natural environment. It integrates the sounds of wind, light, the river, and rain, enhancing the experience of being within nature. Tea ceremonies, an integral part of daily family life, also enrich social gatherings by adding depth and meaning. These rituals emphasize the value and uniqueness of the herbs being prepared and served, making the act of tea drinking far more than simple consumption.
Buildings can be seen as living organisms with a protective “skin” that requires sunlight and ventilation, elements carefully integrated into the design of the tea house’s structure and roofing. One of the most remarkable advancements available today is the growing understanding of microbiological processes, which allows for precise learning from how species adapt to extreme weather conditions. This millennia-old ingenuity can now be applied to architectural surfaces. However, it is essential to begin with a deep respect for nature, recognizing its value in sustaining quality of life and acknowledging its fragility. Humanity must collaborate with nature, protect it, and cultivate a symbiotic relationship to secure a sustainable future.
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Project Location
Address: Nantou City, Nantou County, 540, Taiwan
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.
