Cheryl Gourley, Christian Wagner by Christian Wagner

PLACE MAKING

Architecture Design Studio - Yu House Renovation Cheryl Gourley | Christian Wagner 2011-03-30

CONTENTS 1. Site Visits:

a. Xintiandi b. Traditional Housing - Shikumen c. Sinan Mansions d. Tianzifang

2. Viewpoints on Sustainability:

a. British Model (CABE, BREEAM) b. American Model (LEED) c. Passive Design Model (New Orleans Case Study)

3. Yu House Approach:

a. Passive Systems + Climate Analysis (Summer Palace) b. Materials & Assemblies (CAD) c. Systems Approach d. Historic Preservation

XINTIANDI Weaknesses:

One could not feel the culture. A Lack of Detail It is very clear what is new Replication of “Style” Little preservation of identity

Strengths:

Unique to Shanghai Economical Value for Luxury Living

“New Prototype” - Preserves some history Centrality in relation to the city

Conclusions:

Economy versus Architecture - BLACK & WHITE “Disneyfication” of Architectural Style “Capitalism” of Economic Model Does Xintiandi fit in the Chinese Context?

CONCEPT SKETCH The whole area was marked for reconstruction in 1996. The Luwan District Government, with the help of Shui on Group of Hong Kong, drew up a masterplan for Taipinqiao redevelopment in a desire to turn this rundown area into a modern commercial and residential district that keeps the features of old Shanghai

P R E S E R VAT I O N The treatment of each Shikumen building in Xintiandi took into consideration its historical, aesthetic and commercial values. Most of the Shikumen buildings were residential premises. In order to make them fit for their intended purpose, some had to be rebuilt. The developer obtained original construction drawings from the archival files, then worked out the preservation and restoration.

R E N O VAT I O N The old Shikumen houses had very little modern utilities - not even toilets. In some areas, the developer had to dig almost 9 meters below the ground in order to bring new utilities into the buildings. In other words, the “old” Shikumen buildings in Xintiandi are mostly “brand new”

Total Preservation

Partial Preservation

European Style Exterior Preserved

Exterior Walls and Roofs maintain appearance

Complete Reconstruction

Exterior Walls and Roofs maintain appearance

Structure Reinforcement

Structure Reinforcement Replace wood with Steel

Completely new structure, interior finishes

New Flooring Foundation Reinforcement

New Flooring New Foundations

Atrium created to give flexible space for performance

New Functions

9 meters deep

Utilities (Gas Water Fiberoptics)

Courtyard covered in glass to allow for air-conditioning and all-season use

ONE XINTIANDI Originally built in 1925, one Xintiandi is a classic example of nearly complete preservation. Every architectural detail was faithfully restored and the interior was modified to suit the needs of modern living. Today, the building serves as the clubhouse of the Shui On Group, the main investor of Xintiandi.

SHIKUMEN WULIXIANG E x h i b i t i o n H a l l Key Facts - Exterior Shikumen literally means ‘Stone Gates’ They were built on alleys, or ‘Long Tangs’ “A typical Shikumen building features a pair of black painted wooden doors framed by heavy stone, with an extravagant bronze handle on each of the doors. The lintel above the doors is often decorated with stone carvings in Baroque style, making this building type a symbol of East meeting West”

History of Xintiandi & Taipingqiao Taipingqiao (Bridge of Peace) is an area in Luwan District. After nearly 80 years, most Shikumen houses were in a state of disrepair.

Today, Xintiandi covers 30,000 sq meters of land. Built in the 1930’s most of the Shikumen houses were in a state of disrepair. 2,800 families (or 8,000 people) lived originally in this neighborhood.

CONSTRUCTION Walls:

Wood Crossmembers Stucco (confirm) between beams Interior Paint - White

Roofs: Layered system - Cylindrical Structure, long, spaced 1.5-2 meters apart Short cross-members, spaced 15-20 cm Wooden Planks long White stucco (impermeabilization) above Black tiled roof shingles

Interiors:

Dark wood, engravings, detailed Chinese Work Imagery of traditional housing (â&#x20AC;&#x153;High Classâ&#x20AC;?) Semi-private patitions between spaces Interior lighting adjusted, post-reconstruction HVAC painted dark, to recede into space

SINAN MANSIONS Information: 49 Luxury houses originally built in the 30’s Hotel, Commercial/Retail space, luxury condominiums, corporate villas

Location : Sinan Lu, Luwan District Completion : Phased from 2010-2011 Type : Historical Preservation / Restoration Area: 544,000 square feet

Architectural Integrity:

“It took a while to satisfy the gov’t planners,

the relocated residents, and the architects who, I’m told, lifted each building off the ground, tore out the old foundation, and replaced it with a new one. They even deconstructed a building and rebuilt it, brick by brick, at a 90-degree angle to its original position.”

T I A N Z I FA N G Weaknesses:

Crowded? Disorganized, Messy? No clear entrance Under construction/perpetual renovation No clear master plan?

Strengths:

Human-Scaled Preserved some of the history without rebuilding One can feel the sense of the past Westerners and Chinese people found inside

Conclusions: There was a strong sense of identity to the place. Unique and adequately scaled, well illuminated Strong attention to detail, variety and texture Shopkeepers and Visitors are active participants the development of the area

T I A N Z I FA N G Architectural Integrity: “Taikang Lu has historically been difficult to find and is still as of 2009 largely hidden from the neighbouring streets, as it grew from the inside of the block outward, although there are now shops on Taikang Lu itself. Historically Lane #248 was a key entrance that, in order to gain access to the commercially developed area, required walking about 50m through whilst be surrounded by local residents’ life, including bicycles, hanging laundry, etc. until finally emerging in the ‘new’ area.”

Timeline:

2005 - Slated for Demolition 2005/06 - Protests (Including Artists) 2005/06 - Government rezones area 2007 - Media spreads the word Today - Over 200 stores, tourism