Qionglai Urban Living Room

Experience the "Stories of Time" The interactive spaces of traditional street courtyards are where various vivid stories converge: children play and listen to stories told by the elderly; people sit under the trees to drink tea and cool off; various emotions are expressed in these diverse small spaces, enriching life. People here feel the warmth and affection in interpersonal relationships, enjoy the cool breeze under the eaves and tree shades in summer, sip tea, sit on rattan chairs, chat, play chess, and look forward to a happy family and a fulfilling life, experiencing a calm and contented slow life. Adults are busy adapting to the rapidly changing world, but when they look back on the stories of time, they calm down, knowing their roots, stopping in the small courtyard, looking up at the sky, feeling fulfilled and calm. The traditional courtyards of western Sichuan have been telling stories of time from the past to the present. People are familiar with and trust each other, warming each other.

Old Town Community Complex - A New Courtyard for Storytelling We hope to create a space of light and shadow that generates a combination of old and new public interaction spaces, more like an open urban living room. It allows original residents, new immigrants, and passersby (tourists) to form a more active and friendly interaction in the urban space environment. In the functional design of the new courtyard building, we envision balancing community activities and public functions such as visitor centers. In the courtyard with an inverted roof, a circle of steps surrounds a fragrant tree in the center, which also doubles as a dance floor around the sunken tree pool, forming a public space with viewing functions. Here, local seniors and artists tell traditional stories and perform classical operas from time to time. When there are no activities, it serves as a place to cool off and rest, or to gaze at the roof and enjoy another time and space of light and shadow. Around the sunken courtyard, a low wall made of gray bricks from demolished local houses encloses a gallery, which uses exhibits and holographic images to narrate the historical context of Lindang Ancient Town. On one side of the corridor space serves as a tea room for local residents, restoring the normal life of the local area and preserving historical memories, which is also necessary for restoring the functions of the area.

Project：Qionglai Urban Living Room

Locatioin：Qionglai, Sichuan, China

Building area：1063.2㎡

Design Period：07/2019—08/2019