Red Village Observatory / TAG

Architects: TAG
Area: 1350 m²
Year: 2024
Photographs: TAG, Trace Image
Manufacturers: Jianmei, Toto, Walrus
Lead Architects: Wang Yanze, Wu Guanzhong
Category: Planetarium
Design Team: Bai Siyang, Yu Yichen, Xin Yuxi
Collaborators: Xuhui Architecture and Urban Planning Design Institute
Construction: Sichuan Heyuan Zhiren Engineering Construction Co., Ltd
Clients: Renhe Development Company
City: Panzhihua
Country: China

Red Village Observatory designed by TAG in Yishala Village, China is a small-scale architectural intervention that translates the spatial rhythm and material logic of Panxi Valley’s mountainous villages into a contemporary observatory. Inspired by terraced fields, stone courtyards, and the distinct geometry of sunlight cast through dense village alleys, the design fragments its program into four staggered volumes linked by stairs, corridors, and bridges. Each unit reinterprets traditional site contours through stepped transitions and compressed service areas. Built entirely by a local construction team due to budget constraints, the structure embraces the imperfections of red concrete, leaving color variations, rough joints, and minor flaws untouched as part of its raw, context-rooted identity. Sunlight becomes an architectural element, with angular roof offsets creating shifting shadows across the concrete facades throughout the day. A large east-facing aperture and embedded circular holes in the main hall wall capture morning light from the Daliang Mountains, casting dancing points of illumination across the red concrete interior.

Outside Yishala Village, layers of terraced fields built with cobblestones define the landscape, while within the village, courtyard dwellings follow the contours of the surrounding mountains. The intense sunlight of the Panxi Valley filters through gaps between rooftops, casting sharply defined geometric patterns of light and shadow across the narrow, winding, and uneven village alleys. This visual experience forms the initial impression upon arriving in Yishala and serves as the conceptual foundation for the observatory’s design. The architectural approach begins by compressing and “backfilling” the auxiliary spaces, reestablishing the terrain’s elevation differences through stepped transitions. Programmatic functions are then divided into four small-scale volumes arranged in a staggered configuration. These volumes are linked by a sequence of stairs, corridors, and bridges, translating the dynamic spirit of local tradition into a contemporary architectural language.

The construction of plain concrete typically demands a high level of precision, and in most domestic projects, specialized subcontractors are brought in to achieve a smooth and refined finish. In the case of the village observatory, limited financial resources made such subcontracting unfeasible, leaving the construction entirely in the hands of the local team. This constraint prompted a reassessment of the need for refinement, raising the question of why the inherently rugged character of concrete must be forced into a polished appearance. As a result, minor imperfections that do not compromise structural safety, such as color variations, uneven joints, and small surface flaws, were intentionally left unrepaired. The rough red concrete appears as though it originated from the Panxi Valley itself, expressing a willful, free, and rugged presence.

The concrete walls of the observatory’s facade serve as an ideal surface for capturing and displaying sunlight. The roofs extend outward with irregular overhangs, and the angular misalignment between the roof edges and the walls produces sharp shadows across the facade. Each roof section is horizontally offset, creating gaps that are then vertically extended by utilizing variations in height within the structure. These gaps allow narrow bands of light to project onto the walls and floors, with their shapes continuously shifting over time as the light moves.

Most of the public areas within the observatory are designed as semi-outdoor environments. These spaces require only openings rather than conventional windows. To highlight this distinction, the design incorporates irregularly shaped openings that clearly express their function. In the multi-function front hall, the eastern wall is opened fully from floor to ceiling, and numerous small round holes are embedded within the solid concrete surface. In the early morning, visitors can observe sunlight crossing the Daliang Mountains and illuminating Yishala Village through this large opening. As the light passes through the small circular holes, it creates animated points of light that dance across the red concrete wall.