A giant SuperStar lantern for Hong Kong's Mid-Autumn Festival

BREAD studio's giant Super Star lantern pavilion will be a dazzling spectacle underneath the moon that's expected to appear at its fullest during the Mid-Autumn Festival in Hong Kong. The traditional annual festival celebrates the fullest moon of the year.

The 50-meter structure features a rainbow-ribboned five-point star that can be quickly assembled and disassembled within a week.

Scroll down further to learn more about it.

Project description:

"Mid-Autumn Festival is an annual festival to celebrate the fullest moon in the year and a traditional time for family gathering. The pavilion is the anchor attraction of the festival held in central public park. While the park is busily occupied by other functions throughout the year, the structure needs to be put up and demolished within a week.  

Mid-Autumn festival is about completeness. However, usually one thing has always been missing in this festive week. It is the stars. Star is very often unseen under the brightness of the full moon. The giant 3-dimensional five point star also represents Hong Kong as Asia’s world city – the super star of the region!"

"For its size, the most efficient structural material is 2D steel truss. Thanks to the equilateral geometry nature, one entire object is formed by one truss module multiplied by 60 times. Timber deck platform (non-slippery flooring is added) allows visitors to pass under the star and look up to its inside. Visitors have five entry and exit points."

"Use of environmental friendly materials: The efficient triangulated truss  structure uses minimal construction materials. Steel truss could be taken down and reused. The ribbon lantern fabric could be taken down easily and reuse."

"Cost effectiveness in consideration of budget guideline: Simple and repetitive structural system saves cost and time in manufacturing, transporting and assembling. Triangular 2d trusses (15m long) are prefabricated in factory. There are in totally 60 numbers of this identical truss. They are flat packed and transported easily to site.

Ribbon lantern fabric is rolled up and transport to site. Each arm of the star is assembled by three of the 2d trusses on site. Ribbon fabric is then wrapped onto the truss arm. Arms are then hoisted up and fixed onto the ground beam frame."

Images Copyright @ BREAD studio

Project details

Project Name: Super Star
Client: Undisclosed
Location: Hong Kong SAR, China
Function: Festival Pavilion
Design Period: 2013
Project Area: 2,000 sqm
Architect: BREAD studio