Bamboo Cabin Crafted as a Rice Dumpling Celebrates Taiwan’s Food Tradition

In Taiwan, zongzi represent the essence of comfort food. These small, gelatinous rice dumplings are carefully encased in bamboo leaves and filled with various ingredients, from sweet fillings to savory pork. Apart from being a delightful delicacy, zongzi have inspired Cheng Tsung Feng’s most recent endeavor, located next to a bamboo forest hiking trail in Nantou, Taiwan.

For this year’s Nantou Bamboo Dream Festival, Feng conceptualized the “Bamboo Cabin Plan: Sticky Rice Dumpling” as a form of gestural architecture. The cabin’s form resembles a zongzi, featuring two walls that run parallel before curving into a pointed top. This design reflects the process of wrapping zongzi, where bamboo leaves curve like cupped hands preparing to encase the dumpling.

The cabin’s likeness to zongzi is further seen in its construction, utilizing bamboo as the primary material. This selection not only pays tribute to the bamboo leaves utilized in zongzi but also integrates the structure harmoniously into the natural environment. The open-weave design and airy configuration permit light and air to flow through, encouraging visitors to pause and reflect while wandering through the bamboo grove.

At night, the cabin becomes a welcoming, warm haven thanks to amber-hued panels on its roof. These panels diffuse natural light, casting a glow reminiscent of glutinous rice. Feng’s careful attention to detail is apparent, celebrating Taiwan’s culinary customs while honoring the serenity of the grove.

Feng expresses, “Starting with the concept of food wrapping, the Bamboo Cabin invites people into a large Sticky Rice Dumpling, as if being cradled within palms and bamboo leaves, enveloped by food culture, flavorful memories, and natural materials.”

Artistry is pivotal to both the Sticky Rice Dumpling project and Feng’s wider artistic vision. The artist immerses himself in Taiwan’s traditional craft culture, collaborating with master artisans from various regions. This profound admiration and reinterpretation of traditional crafts yield innovative projects like the “Blueberry Theater,” which employs traditional fabrics dyed with leftover blueberries from a local Taiwanese business.

“Feng’s creations are not just visually stunning but also convey narratives of traditional culture and handcrafted memories,” his biography states. “He shares these increasingly forgotten tales through his works, ensuring these precious memories endure in contemporary times.”

To learn more about the artist and the Bamboo Cabin Plan: Sticky Rice Dumpling, visit Cheng Tsung Feng’s [website](https://www.chengtsung.com/).

Cheng Tsung Feng has designed a cabin that resembles a rice dumpling, nestled within a bamboo grove in Nantou, Taiwan. The project, named “Bamboo Cabin Plan: Sticky Rice Dumpling,” pays tribute to Taiwan’s culinary legacy while preserving the tranquility of its surrounding bamboo forest. For additional details, visit Cheng Tsung Feng’s [website](https://www.chengtsung.com/) and [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/chengtsungfeng/).