▲ South bird’s-eye view of the Future Community House © Architecture Photography
y. AD Studio | Shanghai Yan Yang Architectural Design Studio contributed to the development of the Xikou Rural Future Community, transforming a 60-year-old pyrite worker residential area into a vibrant, rural-inspired future community unique to Xikou Town. The Future Community House is the centerpiece and the only newly constructed building in this project.
▲ Concept sketch © y.ad studio
▲ Regional location © y.ad studio
▲ Original site appearance © y.ad studio
The site is situated within a sunken vegetable field, featuring an irregular shape with lower elevation in the north and higher in the south. Stone retaining walls border both sides, complemented by shading green trees.
The entire plot is recessed significantly below road level. Access to the site is via an eastward path. Residential areas flank the site on both sides, with the main urban road to the north separated by a steep elevation difference. To the south lies the community’s main road, making the site clearly visible from passing pedestrians, potentially establishing the building as a visual focal point of the community once completed.
▲ Evolution of the building form © y.ad studio
During the planning phase, the project was designated as the Future Community Home, aiming to provide a multi-purpose public space for all ages. Through thoughtful architectural design, it embodies the community’s aspirations of sharing, automation, intelligence, sustainability, and neighborliness.
▲ Functional analysis diagram © y.ad studio
▲ Aerial view of Future Community House © Architecture Photography
The building houses a variety of functions, including party and community services, indoor and outdoor children’s playgrounds, climbing walls, spaces for homemakers, self-service convenience facilities, senior activity centers, health rooms, lecture halls, yoga studios, and public gathering areas for leisure.
▲ South facade of Future Community House © Architecture Photography
▲ North facade of Future Community House © Architecture Photography
▲ North facade of Future Community House © Architecture Photography
▲ East facade of Future Community House © Architecture Photography
▲ Elevated floor of the Future Community House © Architecture Photography
▲ View upward through the overhead layer to the sky © Architecture Photography
Because the site is located in a depression, the entire building was elevated so that the ground floor aligns with the east-west road level. This “bridge-like” structure connects previously separated east-west community flows by overcoming the height differences. The raised area and front yard include sand pits for children’s play and public spaces for gathering and leisure, designed to serve as community spaces for tea and meals.
▲ Steps connecting the elevated level to the first floor © Architecture Photography
▲ Corridor gray space on the first floor © Architecture Photography
The front yard’s open space is planned as a temporary parking area to ease local parking demands. The elevated building blocks are arranged organically and staggered across the site, connecting diverse functional spaces through a network of outdoor and semi-outdoor corridors. Vertical stairs and steps link the upper and lower levels, enhancing accessibility.
▲ Mezzanine children’s play area © Architecture Photography
▲ Indoor space on the first floor © Architecture Photography
Our approach uses architecture to bridge the gap between the communities and the site, reducing the separation and mitigating the challenges posed by elevation differences. This creates a multi-level, interconnected environment that encourages community interaction.
Project Drawings
▲ Plan of 5.15-meter elevated layer © y.ad studio
▲ -2.5 meter elevated floor plan © y.ad studio
▲ First floor plan © y.ad studio
▲ Roof plan © y.ad studio
▲ Section 1 © y.ad studio
▲ Section 2 © y.ad studio
Project Details
Project Name: Xikou Future Community Home
Design Firm: y.ad studio | Shanghai Yan Yang Architectural Design Studio
Lead Architect: Yan Yang
Project Designers: Wu Kejia, Gao Chengkai
Collaborating Design Institute: Shanghai Times Architecture Design Institute
Construction Authority: People’s Government of Xikou Town, Longyou County
Location: Huangnishan Community, Xikou Town, Longyou County, Quzhou City
Commissioned by: Xiangban Culture and Tourism Group
Main Materials: Taohuayuan bamboo steel, gold scale ceramic tiles, Nippon Paint latex paint
Building Area: 820.04 square meters
Design Period: March 2020 – June 2020
Construction Period: March 2021 – July 2023
Photography Credit: Ziran Architecture Photography
Must log in before commenting!
Sign Up