Project Overview: This project is situated in Huolongguo Village, Dazhai, Xiang’an District, Xiamen. It comprises three ancestral houses from various periods, dating from the 1930s to the 1970s, alongside two newly constructed buildings within the village. The ancestral houses underwent building and interior renovations, while the new structures were designed primarily for interior use.
Inspiration: The design draws heavily from intertwined childhood memories: grandmother’s watchful presence under the eaves, springtime thunderstorms, summer fireflies, autumn sunsets, winter withering, catching loaches in the pond, preparing four-fruit soup, wrapping Zongzi rice dumplings, festival stools awaiting Gaojia Opera or outdoor movies, cool night breezes after dinner, and elders recounting old stories.
Condition of Ancestral Houses: Two of the ancestral houses had collapsed and are located in different areas. Most of these historic buildings were constructed with old stone strips, rammed earth, and wooden structures. Their diverse locations presented unique design challenges and opportunities. Recently, one of the ancient buildings was rebuilt using traditional Minnan stone strips and only required reinforcement.
Design Philosophy: The lead designer, who grew up in southern Fujian, is deeply familiar with the local culture and beliefs. Instead of restoring the traditional buildings to their original, outdated states, the approach was to creatively integrate the collapsed structures with new ones. The idea was to reinforce and tidy up the old buildings before collapse, improve the site, and add lighting to the newer ancestral house to achieve a harmonious balance of old and new.
Building 1 Restoration: Building 1 had collapsed at its entrance hall and the west wing of the atrium, with irregular cornerstones on the west exterior wall. A small structure featuring light white walls was designed to intersect with the old building at the collapsed section. Geometric windows create distinctive openings, and a staircase leads to a rooftop balcony ideal for stargazing. The original building incorporates an internal steel structure, skillfully blending old and new elements to establish a dialogue between the walls.
Building 2 Restoration: The collapsed sections of Building 2 include the front half of the entrance hall and the kitchen, with a wooden roof frame on the verge of collapse and an open door still present. The two middle wing rooms have also collapsed, where a cow is currently kept. Since the building is situated at a key village intersection, a steel frame was designed to be installed in the entrance hall and the right wing room to support the original wooden roof structure. The exterior features large glass panels to enhance transparency and foster neighborhood connections. The wing rooms in the atrium and courtyard received a treatment similar to Building 1, emphasizing simplicity and clarity.
Building 3 Restoration: Constructed with strip stones and large slab stones, Building 3 was repaired using internal steel structures to preserve its original character. Due to limited natural light, built-in lighting was added to create a warm, homely atmosphere. The interior design of the three ancestral buildings draws inspiration from southern Fujian craftsmanship, emphasizing wood, stone, and porcelain themes respectively, enhancing the integration and preservation of local folk culture.
Conclusion: The young have little understanding of homesickness, and returning home is tinged with sorrow. The designer incorporates Minnan folk songs as the thematic core. While time and memories cannot be reclaimed, the architectural space created through the dialogue between past and present poignantly expresses the feeling of nostalgia.
Design Sketches:
Design Drawings:
△ First floor plan of Building 1
△ Second floor plan of Building 1
△ First floor plan of Building 2
△ Second floor plan of Building 2
△ First floor plan of Building 3
△ Second floor plan of Building 3
Project Information
Project Name: Xiamen Xiangyu Xiangyuan Homestay
Architectural Firm: China Academy of Art Landscape Architecture Design and Research Institute Co., Ltd
Office Website: www.caaladi.com
Contact Email: __AI_S_SC0__
Lead Architect: Huang Zhiyong
Design Team: Lin Miao, Yang Jian, Wang Jiejie, Jiang Fangjun
Interior Decoration Design: Lin Yongfeng
Project Address: Xiangyu Xiangyuan Homestay, Dazhai Village, Xiamen City, Fujian Province
Completion Year: 2019
Building Area: 1,200 square meters
Investors: Xiangyu Group; Xiangtou Group
Construction Companies: Xiamen Long’ansheng Decoration Engineering Co., Ltd; Beimin Construction Co., Ltd
Photographers: Aoguan Architectural Vision; Kobe Photography Studio
Lighting Consultant: Hangzhou Lehan Lighting Engineering Co., Ltd., Xidun Lighting (Yang Pinglan)
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