Explore Natural Architecture: Reshaping in a Beijing Mountain Village
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Beijing MM Farm: In contrast to the modern urban center, the mountainous areas surrounding downtown Beijing retain the rustic and natural charm gifted by nature over decades. Situated in a mountain village in Beijing, this elementary school had been abandoned for many years, consisting of four brick and wooden structures arranged repetitively and surrounded by high boundary walls. With the desire to transform the building into a high-end resort hotel without making significant changes to the original structure, this presented both a challenge and an opportunity for designers to utilize the surrounding resources during the design process.
Unique Architectural Elements of the Project:
- Use of 60,000 meters of jute rope as a visual transformation element for the houses without affecting the original structure. Through the mesh elements of the ropes, the original materials become prominent and change depending on the viewing angle, while also creating rich lighting effects within the interior.
- Each hotel room has a private courtyard. Glass boxes are installed in the bathrooms and tea rooms to enhance the connection with nature while ensuring privacy, allowing users to immerse themselves in the surrounding scenery.
- The public paths have been redesigned to fit the surrounding terrain, creating resting spots for both adults and children to interact with nature, particularly with the stream that flows through the hotel.
- Restructuring is a very common tactic in today's commercial activities and often results in a large amount of construction waste. However, with gentle changes and the use of eco-friendly materials, this project is a prime example of a low-carbon intervention with an almost zero carbon footprint.
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