This project transforms an existing water tower in Dounan Village into a lightweight public lookout and landmark. Rather than replacing the old structure, we work with its original presence and height, turning an industrial relic into a new civic viewpoint within the dense village fabric.

A new vertical stair tower is added beside the water tower to meet contemporary access and safety requirements. Between the old and the new, a pavilion is suspended as a connector and shared platform—an interface where “new and old” coexist and support one another.

The spatial concept is expressed as a dual movement: the new tower rises upward as a clear circulation spine, while the old tower draws people downward into the memory and weight of the original structure. These two directions converge at the pavilion, forming a single gathering point and an elevated promenade.

To minimize intervention and protect the existing tower, the pavilion adopts a lightweight membrane system and slender structure, reducing additional load on the historic fabric. The canopy provides shade and shelter while maintaining openness, emphasizing air, light, and the expansive horizon.

As one of the highest points in Dounan, the platform creates a new public terrace oriented toward Dianchi Lake—an everyday place for pause, viewing, and gathering, and a small but precise gesture of “symbiosis” between heritage and contemporary addition.