Page 78 - Designing Ways 266

Tiangang Zhixing

Village, A Village

“Living Room”

Baoding, China

ridging the gap between pragmatism and innovation is a test
for every architect who takes on projects in the countryside.
BAmong the various buildings SYN Architects has designed in
Tiangang Zhixing Village, the group of buildings referred to as the
Village "Living Room" clearly demonstrates this idea. They have been
transformed from the original village committee building, health
clinic, and communal stage. The original architectural structures
have been carefully studied and their inherent rural character
respected, and they have been renovated and given new life through
the addition of new construction.

The mission: Transforming countryside living
As the main component of the architecture cluster, the Village “Living
Room" faces the Tiangang Art Center and an art installation dubbed
the "Big Straw Hat". The two projects, facing each other, lay the
groundwork for the rest of the overall project. The renovation of the
"Living Room" retains, in full, the main structure of the original village
committee building, and introduces a café and children's activity area
on the upper and lower floors respectively. SYN Architects looked
at the function of the building as an opportunity to mix and match
various programmes of use.

To activate the building, the team introduced a model of operation
it has used with success in other projects, including the opening of
an “SYN Coffee” shop, adapted to serve local residents: villagers have
been employed as baristas and service personnel, and neighbours
have taken the opportunity to drive villagers to the building in
order to enjoy coffee in the “parlour”. Additionally, the building’s
organisation team has arranged for preschool and non-preschool
children in the village to attend courses and activities in the second
floor “reception room”, allowing them to enjoy access to an education
equal to that found in cities.

As an added touch, the architect also arranged for family portraits
and snapshots of villagers’ lives to be displayed in various parts of
the building, and founded the journal “Tiangang Zhixing Village
Chronicle” to convey local event stories, and to be the voice of local
culture.

Architecture in Tiangang Village has become associated with
providing renewed public services and educational spaces. As new
construction, amenities, and services have been introduced, it can be
said that "activating the inherent energy of the countryside" is not
simply empty talk. Through ongoing two-way communication and
interaction, SYN Architects hope that the Village “Living Room"
will truly become a link between the villagers and the outside world,
where ideas can be exchanged and connections can be created, and
will boost Tiangang Zhixing’s "Village Light" to a dazzling level in
the future.

78 Issue 266 • dw