Gaoqiao Village, nestled in Yibin, Sichuan, lies adjacent to the hundred-mile-long green bamboo corridor in Yichangxing. This charming southern Sichuan village is immortalized in Lin Huiyin’s poem “A Small Village in November.” In recent years, Gaoqiao has embraced bamboo culture and industry as its core theme, evolving into a model village for rural revitalization by blending agriculture with tourism.
Unlike commercial, cultural, or homestay buildings, public toilets often go unnoticed in rural development. Yet, they serve as vital communal facilities that address farmers’ physiological needs while incorporating agricultural rest areas, tool storage, and sightseeing functions into an integrated agricultural support complex. The design approach focuses on harmonizing technology with agricultural production by applying appropriate local ecological technologies.
The project site is located in a farmland area at the village entrance. The design aims to merge the daily routines of farmers with the functional needs of tourists. Two roads bordering the site converge at an angle, forming an enclosure with farmland in between. There is a height difference of approximately four meters between the roads and the farmland. Starting from this context, the design concept combines “connection” and “support,” integrating the themes of a “bridge” and a “toilet.” This approach not only enhances the road system but also fulfills the functional demands of both farmers and visitors.
The building’s overall form is inspired by the concept of a sustainable ecological cycle. Through three-dimensional folding of the structural walls, a spatial, self-supporting framework is created that bridges the two roads. This design integrates uniquely with the surrounding farmland, creating a harmonious posture that respects the landscape.
On the upper bridge deck, men’s and women’s restrooms are located on either side. Due to the limited width of the bridge deck, a continuous folding wall was designed to arrange the restrooms in an alternating folded pattern. This layout optimizes the deck width, ensuring smooth pedestrian flow on both sides while meeting functional requirements. Inside the toilets, a rhythmic green tile pattern creates a dynamic visual effect, separated from the main entrance.
The building’s ground level houses a family bathroom, an accessible restroom, and agricultural tool storage. These spaces are connected by stairs on both sides, creating a vertical link between the roof and toilet levels, which are positioned at three different elevations. The green tile wall continues upward to the roof platform, where structures provide spaces for rest and visitation, forming a viewing deck visible from a distance.
Two circular portholes of varying heights are featured on the outer wall: a flat, upper circular window that provides natural light and views for adults, and a lower, protruding bubble window designed as a playful space for children. The exterior walls are made of rough bamboo formwork concrete, crafted by local workers, contrasting with the smooth, locally produced green tiles inside. This combination highlights local materials and craftsmanship.
Through collaboration with local workers and bamboo weavers during construction, the project actively supports China’s rural revitalization by promoting local building practices.
Project Drawings
△ Model Diagram
△ General Layout Plan
△ First Floor Plan
△ Lower Floor Plan
△ Section Diagram
△ Analysis Chart
△ Analysis Chart
Project Information
Architect: Fengmao Architecture
Area: 180 square meters
Year: 2022
Photographers: Zhang Yuanrong, Li Maozhu
Manufacturers: Younana, Yawang Doors and Windows, Yibin Changlong Glass Tile Factory
Design Team: Wang Jianfeng, Nico Willy Leferink, Wang Rong
Construction: Villagers
Principal: Gaoqiao Village Committee, Lizhuang Town, Cuiping District, Yibin
Collaborative Designer: Shanghai Yuangui Architectural Structure Design Firm
Landscape Design: Fengmao Architecture
Location: Yibin, Sichuan, China
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