Naya 村传统民居改造丨中国澄迈丨ZSYZ 工作室

Architects:ZSYZ Studio

Area:2228m²

Year:2024

Photographs:Hao Chen,Rui Zhu

Manufacturers:Gree,Sabic,ZSYZ

Epc Project Leader:Mann Ye

Epc Project Management:Ning Zhang, Shiyi Xu, Yonghan Xie, Jixiang Ma, Zhengyu Liang, Lihua Qian

Design Team:Mann Ye, Xi Teng, Lijia Zhong, Gang Huang, Junwen Luo, Mengyuan Chen

Structural Consultant:Xuewei Zeng

Mechanical And Electrical Consultant:Tianping Zhang, Danlu Wang, Jiajun Xia, Chen Chen, Yaoyao Zhang

Landscape Consultants:Hui Fang, Hongyue Liu, Yiheng Li

Clients:Chengmai County Yongfa Town People's Government

City:Chengmai County

Country:China

Balancing between old and newNaya village, located in Hainan, said to be established at 1600s.The eruption of ancient volcanos at the 4th century generated the fertile land and volcanic rocks which are ingeniously adopted by local craftsmen to create a featuring built environment. ‘Ten post house’, the local traditional settlement: “skeleton”, the typical wood structure type of Chuandou houses, widely distributed in South China, are kept, while black “skin” is gifted by the local thick volcanic rock external walls, a great contributor to the thermal insulation. However, caught in between the fast expansion of urbanization, villages all left hollow to ruins.Wood structures are all rotten inside the six houses in the east end of the village, leaving only ruined external walls.

In the process of renovation, it is tricky to grasp good control of the balance between old and new. It could never be the “new” that has no bond with the past, so we try to preserve as many favorable traditional elements as possible including nature-adaptability and cultural features. The volcanic rock walls are dismantled and numbered one by one, and reinforced and restored for both safety and flavor of time. Traditional tiles are restored as the roof cladding while water proof and insulated materials are added under it.

Implanting symphonies of lightTo evolve into a pilot showcase of traditional volcanic rock houses meeting the modern living demands, structure implanting is regarded as the key solution.As a prototype, posts of “Ten Post House” are deconstructed and a renewed wood structure supported by taller and slimmer posts is created. All the wood components are designed to be “softly” jointed in the traditional mortise and tenon approach and prefabricated by CNC machine in factory, considering the tight time schedule of the project and the potential for future duplication.

Various gap zones, generated between the internal glazed envelope in standard sizes and the square of external rock walls in random sizes, turn into tropical gardens full of vigor with lush plants. Light can get in gently through from the skylight in the ceiling and through the gap gardens, performing a sprightly symphony varying with time, co-played with wood structures, volcanic rock walls, and flourishing plants.

Weaving with translucenceThree ruined residential houses are selected to reincarnated into public space. A series of three wood structure units with standard width of 3 meters, 3.6 meters and 4.5 meters are built up beyond the old boundaries of the houses in accordance with the original position of the hanging tiles. The roofs extend sequentially as if three white birds are spreading their wings and hovering elegantly over the ruins on the flat raised lands. Enlarged wood structures enfolding the repaired former walls, wrap the old memories inside. Posts and beams “weave” space strengthened by steel cables, which enables a more thorough interpretation of the jointing approach of ‘Ten Posts Houses’ in a modern structuring language.

The S unit opening like the canopy of a big tree provides a broad grey space following the local habit of enjoying the cool in the shade. The M and L units are enveloped by polycarbonate hollow sheets, where the interior space and the grey space under the extended roofs could be flexibly mixed or divided through the switch between folding and closing of the curtain walls.

The translucence of Naya Hall, based on a strong contrast of material texture, breaks the dullness of overwhelmingly intensive volcanic rocks, distinguishing it from the highly secretive residential area. A dynamic combination of the three units provides spaces for modern lifestyle such as exhibitions, workshops, and canteen of the shared community.

When the twilight falls, it turns into a string of big lanterns enlightening new spirits for villagers, and forms a poetic and inspiring intertexture of warm wood structures, hazy polycarbonate hollow sheets, delicate steel cables and dark rock walls, setting against the spectacular tropical dusk, tall coconut trees, and green paddy fields.

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