Yaoke Symbiosis Square is situated in Ruyuan Yao Autonomous County, Shaoguan City, Guangdong Province, neighboring both the Yao migration town and a Hakka village. Serving as a “satellite station” for the county’s cultural facilities, the square accommodates functions such as exhibitions, a cultural center, and a library. Importantly, its design reflects the harmonious coexistence of the local Yao and Hakka ethnic communities.
The square functions as a dispersed museum, where landscapes, structures, and material fragments—drawn from local villages and both traditional and modern contexts—are reinterpreted and arranged to honor fading construction traditions. It also explores the aesthetic potential of everyday rural architecture. Its scattered form and use of local design elements enable the square to blend seamlessly into the surrounding village, appearing as if it naturally emerged from the countryside.
Respecting local construction traditions, the Yao people of Ruyuan Mountain Pass traditionally built houses in the old mountain village using rammed earth bricks, wooden beams, and tiled roofs. Today, most have relocated to new villages with reinforced concrete homes. The old houses stand vacant and deteriorating, threatening the survival of the village’s traditional architectural style.
A wooden-tile roofed stage and exhibition pavilion have been installed in the square to honor the recent construction history of the Shan Lu Yao people. The earth-colored reinforced concrete display wall mirrors the color and texture of rammed earth. Achieved through extensive experimentation adjusting iron oxide proportions, it replaces weaker rammed earth brick walls while preserving the traditional construction aesthetic.
The concrete was poured using small wooden formworks, a technique commonly applied in rural road and bridge construction over recent decades. The narrow openings in the exhibition wall recall the window shapes found in traditional Hakka houses.
Recycled rammed earth bricks were used for building a section of the wall, while old wooden doors and windows were repurposed for the façades of exhibition and sales shops. This creates a striking contrast with the new construction technologies. River stone masonry, a traditional rural handmade technique now nearing extinction, is extensively employed in the square’s construction, providing employment opportunities for skilled elder craftsmen.
The materials chosen for the square—including river stones, concrete, weather-resistant steel, and wooden tiles—feature a rustic, textured appearance that harmonizes with the village setting rather than creating a stark contrast. Designed to feel “aged from birth,” the square avoids the need for intensive maintenance typical of urban buildings. Over time, it is expected to develop a rich, charming patina that reflects the passage of time.
To protect against the sun and rain typical of the Lingnan climate, Yaoke Symbiosis Square is encircled by garden-style wind and rain corridors, creating a large central courtyard. These corridors connect various functional spaces including bookstores, exhibition halls, agricultural specialty product stores, bicycle stations, pavilions, festival stages, and children’s activity areas. The design accommodates both villagers and rural construction teams who assist with ongoing projects. Providing shaded areas is a natural response to the local climate.
The library’s dynamic block arrangement creates varied shadows through corridors, eaves, raised structures, and alleyways. Surrounding the square, the exhibition gallery features photovoltaic panels on its roof, which both generate solar energy and provide shade. This creates a sheltered space for daily use and festival performances by the Yao and Hakka communities.
Project Drawings
△ Location Analysis Chart
△ Model Diagram
△ Model Diagram
△ Model Diagram
△ Model Diagram
△ First Floor Plan
△ Roof Plan
△ Sectional Perspective
△ Library Basement Plan
△ First Floor Plan of the Library
△ Library Roof Plan
△ Library Observation Deck Plan
Project Information
Architect: Limited Design Studio
Area: 5,000 m²
Project Year: 2022
Photographers: Limited Design Studio, Lin Juntian
Lead Architects: Lu Jiahong, Xue Yiwen
Design Team: Peng Tan, Tuo Kui, Zhu Mingxing, Chen Linyuan
Project Managers: Li Congyi, Wang Zheng, Pei Yufei
Design Management Team: Luo Jiaxue, Cao Wei, Zheng Chuling (Exhibition), Zhang Kemin, Huang Zhuoqi
Owner: Vanke Group
Design Management: Vanke Urban Research Institute
Construction Drawing: AVIC Guorun (Shenzhen) Construction Technology Development Co., Ltd
Engineering Management: Wankun Engineering Consulting
Construction Contractor: China Construction Eighth Engineering Division Southern Construction Co., Ltd
Lighting Consultant: Shanghai Tianyu Lighting Design Co., Ltd
Art Installation: Shenyuan Technology Culture (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd
Location: Shaoguan City
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