EXH designs 'brick castle with a bamboo façade' to facilitate tourism in rural china

located in haiyang village, a community two hours south of wuhan, china, this brick building is intended to facilitate rural tourism. designed by EXH, a firm based in zürich and shanghai, the complex includes small hotel units, restaurants, a spa, and other facilities. ‘the young population of such rural villages are hired as workers in the city,’ explains the design team. ‘as a result, the potential of the village is declining, as the remaining elders have neither the strength nor the capital to innovate.’

all images courtesy of EXH

consequently, the aim of the project was to find a strategy for the community in which both visitors and residents could participate. after analyzing the village’s existing urban pattern, EXH discovered that the site’s buildings were placed along the contour lines. ‘after optimization on site, the new exterior was created, which balances visibility and orientation,’ say the architects. described as a ‘brick castle with a bamboo façade’, the structure has been designed to fit organically into the landscape.

bricks have been used throughout the interior to partition the space. perforated walls, which allow light to filter through, are complemented by polished brick floors. ‘simple natural stone bases, walls made of masonry or clay and traditional monk and nun tiles, characterize the architecture by its fusion with the existing material culture,’ explains EXH. ‘these material qualities of the village and its integration within the landscape give the new buildings a self-evident character with local culture as its starting point.’

project info:

design: EXH
name: haiyang village
location: wuhan, china
client: wuhan yang sen ecological agriculture
gross area: 6,894 sqm