The Xihoudu Site is situated in Fenglingdu Town, Ruicheng County, Shanxi Province, at the junction of Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Henan provinces. It is bordered by Zhongtiao Mountain to the north, Huashan Mountain to the south, and the Yellow River to the west. Recognized as one of the world’s most significant prehistoric human archaeological sites, it is also part of the third batch of national key cultural relics protection units. Approximately 60 years ago, the earliest evidence of human-controlled fire, dating back around 1.8 million years, was discovered here.
△ Aerial View of the Site
In 2019, Shanxi Province hosted the Second National Youth Games and requested a renovation of the existing Torch Square located on the “Rengede Ridge” at Xihoudu. This site was chosen to host the Torch Collection Ceremony for the event. The design challenge was to preserve existing structures such as the ignition stations, fire stations, and plazas without dismantling them. The solution was to seamlessly integrate the Torch Square and its surroundings into a mystical, spiritual, and philosophical space through landscape design. This approach reinterprets the ancient concept of harmony between heaven and man, using modern design language unique to this location.
Relationship Between the Torch Square, Original Exhibition Hall, and Village
The project faced a tight construction schedule and severe winter conditions, which led to the innovative use of Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete (GRC) materials that mimic the local soil. These materials were developed based on samples of local loess and decorated with precious stone art to harmonize the concrete with the surrounding cultural relics and natural environment.
△ Xihoudu Ancient Human Site – 2019 Second Youth Festival Torch Collection Point
The redesigned Torch Park is structured around three thematic narratives: “Discovery of Fire,” “Etiquette of Fire,” and “Taming of Fire.” Together, these stories offer visitors a profound humanistic and natural experience within the Gede Ridge landscape.
△ Exploded View Diagram
△ After Renovation
The visitor journey begins at the original exhibition hall and ascends a staircase to the mountaintop experience exhibition hall halfway up the slope. Passing through a deep, long cave, visitors are transported away from modern life into a primitive, rustic world. The original fire platform structure remains intact but has been cosmetically redesigned and enclosed within a cave-like space, creating a mysterious atmosphere enhanced by lighting.
△ Section Diagram
△ Stairway at the Cave Entrance
△ Restored Original Ignition Table
The “Discovery of Fire” represents a monumental milestone in human civilization. The ingenious “cutting of the first line of heaven” symbolizes humanity’s definitive separation from animals as the first “fire thieves.” By calculating the sun’s altitude angle and the building’s axis, the design aligns the moment of torch collection during the Second Youth Festival perfectly with the “One Line Sky,” where the sunlight aligns precisely.
△ Peak Experience Exhibition Hall – One Line Sky
△ Peak Experience Exhibition Hall
Rough-textured materials combined with natural sunlight create a raw and authentic atmosphere inside the mountaintop experience exhibition hall.
△ One Line Sky and Night View
△ Evening View of the Sound Device Inside the Cave from the Entrance
Fire led humans to move from open air into caves, bringing a shift in communication from shouting to whispers. Inspired by the ancient Xun (a traditional Chinese wind instrument), a sound device was designed to connect the interior and exterior of the cave, linking the sound field between sky and earth. This creates a unique space for people to communicate.
△ Sound Device at the Peak Experience Exhibition Hall
△ Upper Section of the Roof Sound Device at the Mountaintop Experience Exhibition Hall
The stands in the “Etiquette of Fire” square are constructed using large sandstone blocks salvaged from the original Torch Square. These stands follow the natural terrain and encircle the original red ignition platform, creating tiered viewing decks to observe the surrounding landscape. This location offers the best vantage point facing Mount Hua and the Yellow River—where “Yue” refers to Mount Hua and “Du” to the Yellow River.
△ Observation Deck
The project also addressed the management of a construction waste dump located on the west side of a previous 2016 project. By utilizing natural gullies, the design restored the landscape and created a maze-like pathway symbolizing humanity’s challenging journey in “taming fire.”
Maze-like Pathway Beneath the Walnut Tree
This area is envisioned as a future open-air museum. At the northern end of the alley, five natural terraces provide panoramic views of the vast Loess Plateau, rugged archaeological site, and the scenic Sichuan pepper forest.
The northern observation deck faces Zhongtiao Mountain and the archaeological site.
The redesigned Torch Square is simple and natural, yet shrouded in mystery. It immerses visitors in a primitive setting, offering breathtaking views of the Yellow River and access to one of China’s most renowned archaeological sites. Additionally, as the venue for the torch collection of the Second Youth Games, it holds a memorable place in China’s contemporary sports history.
Discovery of Fire
Design Drawings
△ Plan View
△ Plan View
△ Section Details
Project Information
Project Type: Landscape Architecture
Location: Ruicheng County, China
Architect: URBANUS Urban Practice
Area: 980 m²
Year: 2019
Photographers: Tianpei Zeng, Baiqiang Cao
Lead Architect: Wang Hui
Project Initiator: Li Yali
Design Team: Wang Kun, Li Yongcai, Wang Lei, Gao Zixu
Art Consultants: Mou Sen, Ma Yuanchi, Mei Yuezi
Structural Design: HJI/Hejie Consultant – Li Yongming, Zhao Yanguo
Construction Contractors: Shanxi Xijian Group Co., Ltd. (general contractor), Beijing Baogui Stone Art Technology Co., Ltd. (decorative materials), Beijing Huayun Landscape Engineering Co., Ltd. (interior decoration construction)
Construction Management: Ruicheng County Government
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