Cultural Background: Rural Revitalization, Rural Construction, and Human Intervention
In modern society, the connection between individuals and physical space has loosened, and populations are no longer tied to the land. Local identity has shifted away from blood relations, raising an important question: if people are no longer naturally attached to the land, what will the land offer to attract and retain them?
With rapid urban development, rural areas have become mere suppliers of land and labor resources. In villages with limited arable land, like Beigou Village, the younger and middle-aged population is frequently compelled to seek work elsewhere. Revitalizing rural communities depends on reversing the one-way migration from village to city, encouraging people to return—whether for short-term visits or long-term residence and work.
Within this broader context, rural development should not simply replicate urban construction principles or exploit nostalgic cultural symbols. Instead, it should focus on renewing social relationships and fostering new interactions. This transformation channels the deep-rooted desire for “returning to rural homes” into concrete changes. Beigou’s experience shows that rural construction is a process of human interaction and group dynamics involving locals, outsiders, landowners, village workers, architects, tourists, and more. Only through these social exchanges can rural China offer opportunities for people to reconnect with their roots, embrace more humane relationships in unfamiliar environments, and reclaim rural identity.
The project and exhibition space of this social drama use a series of architectural interventions in Beigou as a lens to reveal the complex relationships and interactions driving rural construction. Presented as a multi-layered exhibition, it transforms interactions between individuals and groups into a sequence of scenes. Various roles—workers, architects, villagers, developers, tourists—rotate in the spotlight, offering shifting perspectives and inviting visitors into a role-play experience.
The exhibition is divided into seven main spaces. The Wa Art Museum features six theatrical themes: Entrance, Duet, Negotiation, Reflection, Diagonal, and Group Images. Additionally, the Beigou Xinism venue offers a space for returning “Easter eggs.” The entrance area, connected directly to the village, acts as a welcoming living room. Here, participants question whether rigid boundaries exist between roles, as they observe, imitate, and ultimately gather beneath the Wa Art Museum’s roof.
The Duet space occupies the first floor of the old house site, scattered with rough stone pedestals that evoke an archaeological atmosphere. This area highlights construction phases, northern corner details, and house renovations. Old houses and new buildings, longtime villagers and construction teams, continuously explore each other’s territories amid Beigou’s transition. The construction team takes on the role of archaeologists, illuminating discussions of history and memory.
The Negotiation space is located on the second floor of the old house and features a clear, orderly environment dedicated to the Wa Art Museum project. Here, the “pushing and changing of cups” symbolizes the varying perspectives of different roles involved in the museum’s construction, reflecting diverse interpretations of the building’s purpose and intervention.
The Reflection Space, situated beneath a glazed tile wall, is filled with dramatic light and shadow. This intimate area features “Thirty Three – Reflections and Monologues of Architects,” where architects confront their inner dialogues. The space’s narrow corridor mirrors the binary tensions they face, questioning how to wield design authority responsibly and reconcile it within themselves.
The Diagonal space extends from the tower staircase gallery to the third-floor terrace, offering views of the Great Wall landscape. Here, the architect acts as a tourist, and visitors adopt the architect’s perspective. This exchange raises questions: can designers and tourists truly uncover the scenery within their hearts? Might different viewpoints overlook each other’s emotions? The tile factory’s design delicately balances these nuances, while the distant Great Wall silently oversees all.
The concluding space is set on the main staircase and features “Group Images.” Here, all characters and visitors gather, resembling an open-air cinema at the village entrance. Moments of Beigou’s transformation play repeatedly on the screen, inspiring a sense of collective heroism among the audience.
Project Extension: Beigou Xinism – Improvisational Activation and Rural Life Experiment
For 7 to 8 years, Beigou Xinism has engaged in environmental revolution and rural practice in Beigou Village. Yet, when translating concepts into real interactive experiences, gaps in daily life and emotional connection often emerge. A sudden landslide destroyed an old house, creating dozens of square meters of vacant land. Meanwhile, the ongoing impact of the pandemic has reduced the demand for dining spaces, casting uncertainty on their intended use. This situation opens up new possibilities for imagining and experimenting with rural spatial extensions.
In response, an impromptu exploration of this site began, serving as an experimental exhibition titled “Social Drama, a Rehearsal for Rural Construction.” This study focuses on the integration between rural and urban residents and explores whether Beigou’s existing development system can be expanded. It also serves as a stimulus and encouragement for the future, though its effects remain uncertain.
The project unfolds in four phases:
- Phase 1: Convey the development intentions of the open space through visual representations and imagery, while recording responses.
- Phase 2: Build essential facilities like restrooms to support construction and incorporate exhibition installations that highlight potential shifts in activities and reinterpret traditional rural language.
- Phase 3: Arrange outdoor furniture within the established spatial framework, introducing unconventional environmental comfort challenges to observe reactions.
- Phase 4: Solidify spatial functions by preserving observed phenomena as spatial content, evolving the space into a new facet of rural life.
Project Drawings
△ Base schematic diagram
△ Hand-drawn sketch
△ First floor plan
△ Second floor plan
△ Third floor plan
△ Section diagram
△ Analysis chart
Project Information
Architect: Narrative Architecture
Area: 660 m²
Project Year: 2022
Photographer: Jin Weiqi
Curator: Yan Yujun
Project Team: Wei Ziyu, Zuo Chao
Project Partners: Luis Ricardo, Liu Hanxiao
Location: Beijing
Must log in before commenting!
Sign Up