Co-Living Vertical Village, 2022
The Present Past
Conservation Of Religious Heritage: Enclosure Of Buddhist Grottoes In China
Co-Living Vertical Village
Reuse Of Unfinished Building As A Co-Constructed Affordble Housing in Shenzhen, China
Architectural Illustration
The present past is grounded in the concept of the living conservation of religious heritage - Buddhist Grottoes, specifically focusing on the Yungang Grottoes, a paramount example of Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534 AD) juxtaposition between local settlements and religious practice and belief system. Confronted with the gradual spiritual and physical deterioration of the grottoes, this project critiques the current conservation management in place and re-imagines our relationship with heritage, exploring how we can co-inhabit with religious and urban heritage. By transforming the Grottoes into a space where history, culture, and community converge, the project seeks to maintain the site's significance for future generations.
of Programme： What's happening in/outside the grottoes?
Since 2007, the Yungang Grottoes Sightseeing Area has developed extensive infrastructure, including a museum and research centre, etc. However, these isolated facilities are scattered and distant from the caves, leaving the grottoes disconnected and stagnant in their cultural and historical development.
Rise and fall of this grotto
Originally commissioned by the royal family, the grottoes were open for public worship, displaying royal power and strengthening religious belief.
After the dynasty fell, monks took over the area and constructed grotto enclosures spaces for both religious and daily activities. Governments continued to maintain the grottoes over the centuries.
Due to wars and anti-religious movements, most of the enclosures have disappeared, with the remaining ones in ruins. The government has organized partial reconstructions in traditional styles and established the tourist area.
Second floor plan 1/250
Keep The Continuity of spiritual practices
1 - Worship grotto with big buddha
2 - Memorial grotto for reading and storage
3 - Meditation grotto for spiritual practice.
4 - Grotto for stone stupa, circumambulation and prayer
5 - Scriptual debating grotto for big ceremonies and festivals
This project aims to reintegrate the cultural essence, activities, and craftsmanship of the Buddhist grottoes and their protective architecture into the site while balancing physical protection and visual appreciation. The design features multilayered steel walkways, traditional timber roofs, and lightweight mesh enclosures, offering novel perspectives and safeguarding the grottoes. This approach creates a harmonious interface between past and present, allowing visitors to appreciate the site's intricate details and natural landscape.
The area in front of the Great Buddha is the largest space for worship and rituals, led mainly by monks.
The meditation spaces for monks are separated from visitor pathways, allowing visitors to experience the serene atmosphere with minimal interference, ensuring respectful coexistence.
The Co-Living Vertical Village repurposes abandoned buildings in Shenzhen into co-constructed affordable housing, addressing the identity conflicts of migrant workers. By introducing modular housing units, vertical agriculture, and shared markets, the project helps solve issues of housing, income, and food security. It serves as a guide for transforming other unfinished buildings, aiming to alleviate housing challenges for low-income individuals while respecting personal identities and fostering a sense of community.
Starting From "Belong Anywhere"
Airbnb aims to transform ‘space’ into ‘home’ by offering experiences that let users imitate locals, creating a temporary sense of belonging, though this is merely virtual. True belonging may come from residents actively building, defining, and maintaining their homes within a community, contrasting with the uniformity of typical urban skyscrapers. My proposal for a "highrise of homes" in Chinese cities envisions verticalizing traditional streets and residences to reflect individual identities within a highrise structure.
What is happening in Shenzhen, a rapidly developing metropolis filled with migrant workers?
Migrant Workers: Struggling to survive, No where to live
Migrant workers emerged during China's reform in the 1980s, relocating from villages to cities, primarily working in manufacturing and construction. Many belong to a low-income segment, with 73.8% being from the new generation in Shenzhen, seeking to become real citizens. hey are crucial builders of China’s urban development.
Most live in urban villages, which offer affordable housing and convenient transportation despite poor conditions, but gentrification is displacing them. Shenzhen's land policies prioritise economic development, resulting in scarce affordable housing that migrant workers cannot access.
Altogether, the
Abandoned and wait for renovation
China's rapid urbanization and the recent economic downturn have resulted in a large number of unfinished buildings in urban centers, especially in Shenzhen. More such buildings are emerging from the prolonged real estate shakeout. The Shenzhen government is looking for ways to redevelop some of these abandoned buildings.
Site
Originally designed as a wholesale market for local specialties, the building was abandoned for nearly ten years due to financial issues and poor site selection. It is a six-story reinforced concrete frame that remains unfinished.
The building will be collectively owned by housing co-ops and constructed with the collaboration of residents, architects, and a professional construction team. This team, working with architects, handles tasks like demolishing floor slabs, adding lifts and stairs, and installing water systems.
At this stage, residents actively participate in constructing their units by assembling components made by local producers and using lifts to transport them for installation. Doors, windows, and finishing materials can be sourced from reused materials from demolished buildings in the city.
The second construction step involves building fixed toilets and kitchens on each floor and connecting water and electricity lines. A ground-floor wooden workshop is then set up for residents to engage in selfbuilding activities.
As living units are completed, each floor integrates a farming system with water recycling. One workshop is for maintenance, and another for resident meetings. The ground-floor market and food hall allow residents to sell their harvests.
Understand shading and how cabins connect with existing slabs. The living units are insulated individually, so there is a gutter on the roof. The roof can serve as a recreational platform and requires a standalone balustrade.
1 20mm exterior cladding
2 40/40 mm wood dowel with ventilated cavity
3 5mm waterproofing membrane
4 160mm insulation
5 35mm air gap
6 20mm plywood
7 screws
8 anchor bolt
9 metal bracket
1 70/50/4 mm galvanized steel RHS bearers
2 opening flap:
corrugated polycarbonate sheeting
as 3 on 50/50/5 mm steel angle frame with
20/20/2.3 mm steel SHS bracing
3 electric motor for opening flap
4 20mm exterior cladding
40/70 mm wood dowel with ventilated cavity
20mm plywood
5mm waterproofing membrane
60mm insulation
20mm plywood
5 galvanized steel I-column 100 mm deep
6 20mm exterior cladding
40/40 mm wood dowel with ventilated cavity
5mm waterproofing membrane
1 20mm exterior cladding
2 40/70 mm wood dowel with ventilated cavity
3 20mm plywood
4 5mm waterproofing membrane
5 60mm insulation
6 20mm plywood
7 rainwater gutter
160mm insulation
35mm air gap
20mm plywood
7 aluminium sliding window
single glazing
8 37mm steel balustrade
Creating a sense of belonging for migrant workers with a place they can call home.
