Nanjing paviljoen, Eindhoven

Stam + De Koning has started preparations for the construction of the Chinese Pavilion at Strijp-S, on the plot of land between the Videolab and the Philitelaan. The Chinese Pavilion is a gift from the Chinese city of Nanjing for the 20th anniversary of the city link with Eindhoven. Eindhoven municipality donated Nanjing a park that was constructed in the Chinese city in 2011.
At the end of 2015 the groundbreaking ceremony with dancing dragon was held, in which the design of Prof. Zhao Chen was also presented. VAN AKEN translated the design into Dutch regulations and took care of the elaboration of the project.

Het Eindhovens Dagblad writes:

The construction of the pavilion will last until the end of May 2021, from September that year the pavilion will open to the public: the official opening is planned during GLOW 2021. The Eindhoven hospitality entrepreneur Eveline Wu will exploit the building.

Chinese cuisine, culture, language and medicine
In the pavilion will be a high quality Chinese restaurant with about 30 seats. Eveline Wu has been involved in the project for many years as a warm advocate. She is proud to be able to use her cultural baggage at this location: "We serve the Sichuan cuisine. The tableware from the restaurant comes from Nanjing. I hope this restaurant can show the true taste of China and the DNA of Nanjing and create a deep connection and relationship between the cultures of the two cities". In addition, Wu also offers traditional Chinese customs such as ceremonial tea drinking.

The pavilion is intended to become a meeting place for the Chinese community with the Eindhoven and international community of 169 different ethnicities. There will be permanent exhibitions of Chinese and visual art alternating with each other. The patio will be decorated with alternating Chinese objects, with the city of Nanjing as the theme. The pavilion also pays attention to the Chinese language, culture and medicine.

Authentic Chinese building materials
The pavilion is built from stones baked in Nanjing in a centuries-old craft (see video). It is real handicraft, which makes each stone unique. Halfway November the stones are transported by ship to the Netherlands, where they arrive at the end of the year. Construction starts early next year.