One of the most striking features of the rural areas on the western Sichuan Plain is its distinctive courtyard style known as the Western Sichuan Forest Plate. Originating from the ancient Shu civilization, the Chuanxilin Pan typically consists of forest gardens, residential courtyards, and surrounding farmland. This “scattered among the fields” model integrates production, living, and landscape into a harmonious whole.
These Linpan settlements are usually organized around family surnames or clans, exhibiting a dispersed distribution pattern. They are considered typical natural villages, with their lifestyle and architectural forms evolving over centuries into a cultural symbol deeply rooted in the folk customs of western Sichuan.
△ Dense forest clusters surrounding the exhibition center © Xiaoyin Architecture
The project is situated in Tangjianian, Xinhua Village, Jinjiang, Chongzhou City, Sichuan Province, roughly 50 kilometers from Chengdu’s city center, about an hour’s drive. It showcases a typical western Sichuan forest plot, featuring the exhibition center amidst numerous forest plots scattered across thousands of acres of fertile farmland. Here, forests mingle seamlessly with fields, courtyards nestle within woods, and lush greenery is enhanced by bamboo groves, white walls with green tiles, chickens, dogs, mulberry trees, small bridges, and flowing water.
△ Forest plot morphology in the fields © Big Flower Cat
△ Traditional blue tiles and white walls © Big Flower Cat
Courtyard on Farmland – Land, Architecture, and Environment – A Modern Forest Plate
In the surrounding landscape, raised forests and houses emerge amidst the rippling rice paddies, with the grain and oil exhibition center standing out brightly beneath the forest canopy.
Raised forests and houses on rice paddies © Big Flower Cat
The original trees on the site were preserved, with buildings arranged to form four courtyards of varying sizes. The interplay of trees and courtyards creates a unique atmosphere—a courtyard within the forest and a forest within the courtyard. This exemplifies the classic Western Sichuan forest image of “forest in the field, courtyard in the forest.”
A courtyard embraced by trees © Big Flower Cat
A courtyard embraced by trees © Feng Yutao
The concept of “return” guided the architectural strategy from the start. Most of the building’s ground floor is elevated, reconnecting the space beneath with nature and the community. This elevated foundation enables innovative designs such as the field ridge courtyard, aerial courtyard, entrance corridor bridge, and rooftop leisure areas.
△ Buildings with elevated ground floors © Big Flower Cat
△ Tianlong Courtyard © Feng Yutao
△ Rooftop relaxation © Big Flower Cat
△ Tianlong Courtyard © Feng Yutao
△ Entrance corridor bridge © Feng Yutao
The main building is divided into five small, independent spaces spread across the site to preserve the original spatial character of the western Sichuan forest courtyard. The original trees and five buildings surround each other, creating various courtyard forms. With the ground floor elevated and the first floor raised, multiple aerial three-dimensional courtyards emerge. This division cleverly transforms four courtyards at ground level into nine distinct spaces.
Elements such as ridges, rice paddies, planting ponds, and trees are incorporated into the courtyards, offering diverse spatial experiences at different elevations and configurations.
△ Tianlong Courtyard © Feng Yutao
△ Shuitian Yard © Big Flower Cat
△ Planting Pool Courtyard © Big Flower Cat
△ Tree Yard © Big Flower Cat
△ Tree Yard © Big Flower Cat
△ Roof Yard © Big Flower Cat
These five independent spaces are connected by a main ramp and an external corridor. The walls facing the ramp and corridor are solid for privacy, while the exterior walls overlooking the forest and rice fields feature floor-to-ceiling glass. This design creates a dynamic space that is solid and private inside, yet open and visually connected to the landscape outside, offering changing views with every step.
Unlike many rural public buildings that face operational challenges and eventual abandonment, the exhibition center was designed with flexibility in mind. It anticipates multiple functions, operational modes, and even dismantling possibilities, ensuring it remains a vibrant, beloved space for the community.
The scattered five spaces and the landscape pattern create ever-changing scenery © Xiaoyin Architecture
△ Spindle ramp © Big Flower Cat
△ Spindle ramp © Big Flower Cat
△ Exterior floor-to-ceiling glass © Big Flower Cat
△ Floor-to-ceiling glass inside the exhibition hall © Big Flower Cat
Exhibition Hall surrounded by forest © Big Flower Cat
Green tiles, white walls, wood, long eaves, and courtyards are signature elements of Western Sichuan residential architecture. The design combines these traditional features with modern elements such as curved sloping roofs and expansive floor-to-ceiling glass, crafting an open, transparent, lightweight, simple, elegant, and pastoral poetic environment.
△ Blue tiles © Big Flower Cat
△ Blue tiles © Big Flower Cat
△ Wood details © Feng Yutao
△ Extended eaves © Big Flower Cat
△ Courtyard view © Big Flower Cat
Village Paradise – Features, Architecture, and Lifestyle – Community Center
Due to its different functions, the exhibition center’s architectural form, door, and window settings contrast with the surrounding residential buildings. At night, the light shines through the floor-to-ceiling glass, turning the center into a beacon illuminating the vast farmland. As the only public building within a two to three-kilometer radius, it has become a beloved venue for local residents.
The lighthouse amidst the farmland © Big Flower Cat
The lighthouse amidst the farmland © Big Flower Cat
A man gazing towards the lighthouse © Big Flower Cat
Tea break under the night sky © Feng Yutao
Tea break in the forest © Big Flower Cat
Winter Tibetan Restaurant at Night © Feng Yutao
The elevated ground floor creates shaded courtyards, squares, and corridors under expansive eaves, offering ideal spaces for local residents to relax, dance, and socialize. A shallow pond at the entrance—originally a construction error—has serendipitously become a playful water area for children. Such unexpected outcomes highlight how compromises during construction can yield delightful rewards.
Inspired by the imagery of small bridges and flowing water characteristic of the western Sichuan plain, as well as the eaves and courtyards of regional architecture and the leisurely lifestyle of its people, the design integrates elements like the entrance corridor bridge, aerial ring corridor, scissor slope, and rooftop courtyard. These elevated spaces provide a paradise for climbing, admiring farmland views, leisurely post-tea strolls, and playful exploration by children.
An elderly resident enjoying a cool breeze © Feng Yutao
△ Residents dancing © Big Flower Cat
Children playing in the water © Feng Yutao
A person gazing at the rooftops © Big Flower Cat
Children playing on the slope © Feng Yutao
Children playing on the slope © Feng Yutao
This project seamlessly integrates traditional Sichuan forest stand imagery with contemporary lifestyles and concepts, respecting local habits. The center, like the scattered forest stands in the region, emerges naturally from the fertile farmland, blending harmoniously with nature as a modern forest stand amidst the fields.
Beyond serving as a grain and oil exhibition space, the center aims to be a daily living place for nearby residents and a community hub for neighboring villages. This embodies a deeper value — a true “return” to the land and community.
△ Traditional Western Sichuan homes with blue tiles and white walls © Feng Yutao
△ Elevated buildings overlooking rice paddies © Big Flower Cat
△ Tianlong Courtyard and rice fields © Big Flower Cat
△ Courtyard and surrounding forest © Feng Yutao
△ Courtyard and surrounding forest © Feng Yutao
△ Expansive floor-to-ceiling glass © Feng Yutao
Courtyard sheltered beneath large eaves © Feng Yutao
Project Drawings
△ General layout plan
△ General layout plan
△ Exploded view diagram
Project Information
Project Team: Xiaoyin Architectural Firm
Lead Architect: Pan Youcai
Design Director: Yang Zhe (Partner)
Technical Director: Chen Renzhen (Partner)
Structural Engineer: Du Xu
Design Team: Gou Yuanjun, He Yi, Zhao Yu, Wang Wenshuang, Li Zihan, Liang Guisheng, Zhang Wei
Construction Drawing Design Team: Chengdu Sinayulian Architectural Design Co., Ltd
Architectural Photography: Feng Yutao, Big Flower Cat
Writing: Pan Youcai, Liu Zixuan
Project Location: Tangjianian, Xinhua Village, Jinjiang, Chongzhou City, Sichuan Province
Building Area: 1,165 square meters
Design Period: November 2018 – May 2019
Owner: Sichuan Zhongrui Jinye Cultural Tourism Co., Ltd and Sichuan Chongzhou Grain and Oil Reserve Co., Ltd
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