3andwich design transforms an existing house to create mica-bar in china

architecture practice, 3andwich design, has transformed an old house into the ‘mica-bar’ in the chinese village of wangjiatuan, situated in the scenic area of likou mountain. the existing building itself does not have many features, but what attracted designers is its location and the relationship with the environment. unlike the former house, the new structure does not take on a traditional aesthetic and is characterized by the overhanging floor which is suspended over a stream.

all images courtesy of 3andwich design

the architect retained important information from the original building, such as the volume and the ‘calm’ appearance, ensuring a smooth dialogue and co-existence between new and old. the design of the mica-bar represents the city and the young people growing up in the internet era, while the old building represents the village and traditional culture. the combination of the two aims to encourage young people to return to the area and add vitality and develop the ancient village.

the original building was dismantled and parts were removed, including the temporary kitchen and the pitched roof. the design team added a new span on both east and west sides of the house to compensate for the lost area of the demolished kitchen, while creating a buffer of grey space for the building’s entrance. by means of “supplementing”, the “modern” building blocks of the original buildings formed accidentally by the self-built buildings are strengthened. on this basis, the design team carried out in-depth discussions on different building facades. facing the side of the river, the raised balcony became the focus.

four independent ‘boxes’ of window type were inserted into the grey space between the balcony and the overhanging eaves. the design intentionally echoes the facade of the transformed building with the classical modernist architecture. the east and west facades use semi-permeable tiles that create interesting light and shadow effects at certain times. after the transformation, the mica-bar still retains its original ‘personality’. it is in sharp contrast and dialogue with the surrounding natural environment covered by vegetation, streams and the thick and simple cultural environment of the ancient village. such a strong visual impact and symbolic make mica-bar become an unforgettable mark on wangjiatuan village.

project info:

project name: mica bar

architect: 3andwich design

location: wangjaituan town, weihai, shandong province, china

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lynne myers | designboom