PIG design restores old building in Hangzhou in unique style
Located in an old residential area of Binjiang in Hangzhou, ‘PIG house’ restores a twenty-year-old building into PIG design’s office. Facing the West Lake, the plot adjoins the bank of the Qiantang river and encloses the two-story building in a private green garden. The transformation’s small interventions maintain the original state of the main structure without much alteration to the framework. However, inserting several floor-to-ceiling glass openings reforms the facade adjusting the exterior to match the studio’s character, while, also, connecting the interior and outdoor zones.
Adhering to a practical functional layout, the building only goes through minor modifications to achieve PIG design’s signature sense of humor in non-conformative design. Features like the odd-shaped entrance resembling a ‘piglet’, the roofing in black pipes imitating a hairstyle, or the private office, ‘furry house’, covered in artificial fur, complete the unique look of the ‘PIG house’.
the odd-shaped entrance door resembles a ‘piglet’ | all images by Qi Shuoqian
PLAYFUL interior decorates in PIG design’s original furniture
The black gravel pavement invites visitors to step into the secluded courtyard, rich in greenery, sunlight, and water. The landscape design regulates the microclimate cycle consistently. In the center of the garden, a body of water forms a rig-shaped shallow pond that distributes four giant rocks around itself. The indoor zones freely access the garden from all directions. Concerning the interior spatial layout, the two-story building by PIG design incorporates an office, a conference room, a tea room, a dining room, and a workshop area. The studio assembles a gallery-style exhibition organizing disarrayed blocks and displaying voluminous paintings of light clay. The reception tearoom at the entrance accommodates tables made of stacked raw stones, perpetuating the coarse texture of the courtyard. The meeting room forms one meter below the ground floor level exposing a sunken circular seating area reflecting the curved ceiling. PIG design’s original furniture adorns the space, while black and white serve as the studio’s primary colors. Architect Li Wenqiang’s private office, ‘furry house’, sets up artificial furs all over, covering the walls, ceiling, and furniture, as a tribute to the studio’s well-loved cat, named PIG.
minor modifications achieve PIG design’s signature sense of humor in non-conformative design
black and white serve as the studio’s primary colors
a sunken circular ‘couch pit’ area reflects the curved ceiling
displayed voluminous paintings of light clay decorate the interior
artificial fur covers the walls, ceiling, and furniture in the ‘furry house’ area
architect Li Wenqiang’s private office sets up furry original furniture
‘furry house’s’ concept is a tribute to the studio’s well-loved cat, named PIG
project info:
name: PIG HOUSE
designers: PIG DESIGN
lead designer: Li Wenqiang | @wenqiangetii
design team: Zhu Yiyun, Xiong Jun, He Di, Xiao Fei, Wu Yicheng, Fan Kaiqi, Qian Mengmeng, Shen Taotao, Xiao Mengmeng, Gao Ya, Zhao Lili, Wang Chen, Xu Rumeng, Sun Xiaodong, Liao Yuting, Yang Zhiwei
furniture design: PIG DESIGN
location: Hangzhou, China
photography: Qi Shuoqian
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edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom
