line+ studio renovates 12 stone structures as part of redeveloped village in china

line+ studio, the architecture firm led by meng fanhao, has renovated 12 historical structures as part of the redevelopment of a rural area of china’s shandong province. the masterplan, which also includes the construction of a wellness retreat and a visitor center, seeks to serve as a sustainable catalyst for eco-tourism in the region, which, despite its natural beauty, is suffering from depopulation and economic depression.

all images © zystudio, unless otherwise stated

line+ studio began the project by surveying the abandoned hillside site, which was populated with derelict stone houses and pigsties. in order to turn the site into an area for tourism and accommodation, the architects began by restoring the structures — transforming them into high-end holiday homes. a challenge for the team was to maintain the original character of the site, while ensuring that the needs of a contemporary hotel were met. the project’s remote location also meant that large-scale construction machinery could not be used.

the architects began by analyzing the site and marking which traditional stone walls to preserve. however, in order to ensure that the buildings remained insulated and watertight, steel frames and appropriate construction materials were inserted behind the walls with the original stone presented externally. meanwhile, a series of 12 enclosed courtyards responds to the conditions of the site, with new buildings — including one with an angular roof canopy — integrated into the development.

line+ studio explains that the realization of the hotel has helped lift the village out of poverty. ‘in the internet era, in addition to functionality, aesthetics, and economy, the mediating role of architecture is also a force that cannot be ignored,’ says meng fanhao. ‘let architects become the hub and link between various fields, and realize the role transformation from ‘designer’ to ‘enabler’.’ see more projects by line+ studio on designboom here.

image © pan jie

image © pan jie

image © pan jie

image © pan jie

image © pan jie

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project info:

name: tai’an dongximen village renewal project
location: tai’an, shandong
architecture/interior/landscape design: line+ studio
chief architect/project leader: meng fanhao
person in charge: tao tao (architecture), zhu jun (interior), li shangyang (landscape)
design team: xu hao, huang guangwei, yuan dong, li sanjian, xie yuting, hao jun, xu tianju, deng hao, zhang sisi, qiu limin, jin jianbo, chi xiaomei 

floor area: 2,216 sqm / 23,853 sqf
soft furnishing: yang jun design office
design time: 2019/03-2019/08
construction time：2019/08-2020/09
client: lushang pusu (tai’an) cultural tourism development co., ltd.
structure: steel structure
writer: meng fanhao, tao tao, fu yu
photography: zystudio, pan jie