lllab. creates a 'village within a village' for hotel resort in rural china

for a site in beigou village, beijing, lllab. has designed the ‘san sa’ hotel resort for people who seek a place away from everyday life to recharge the mind, body, and spirit. built on a 2,000 m2 unused plot of land, which was originally occupied by a gas station, the project has been conceived as an ‘inclusive rural oasis.’

all images © fernando guerra FG+SG

in respect to the site’s heritage, the project is arranged by lllab. to extend the existing spatial arrangement of the village, scattering the architectural volumes in-line with the typical plan, while combining those blocks into an integrated whole. this approach creates a spatial pattern and order that blends rather seamlessly into the local built environment. by subverting the stereotypical concept of rural tourism resorts, the design team intend to form a kind of ‘village within a village’.

view east terrace

within this particular environment of beijing, the selection, production and transportation of building materials posed many challenges throughout construction. therefore, lllab. tried to use local materials that were authentic and readily available, without introducing ornamental or decorative elements. the old slate as the landscaped pavement, the porous red brick in the private courtyard, the stone brick joints at the building wall base, and the collocation of red brick and blue brick used for building walls, all together create a rich material palette that focuses on the architectural geometry and tranquillity of the place. 

merging of the courtyards in the south

in addition to the humble materials, the courtyards in between the buildings also form an integral part of the design and overall atmosphere of the project. creating a kind of ‘courtyard neighborhood’, these spaces reflect those traditionally found in southern china and also provide a place to engage socially with others and the wider external environment. 

close-up view of the space between the buildings

overhead view of the courtyard

aerial view

interaction between the houses

red brick wall and the grey 

view of the guestroom and dark-toned timber surfaces

reflections in the guestroom

night view of the rooftop terrace in the east

the lobby cafe next to the water feature at night

the intersection at the east terrace viewed at night

night time view of the village

aerial view

project info:

project name: san sa village

location: beigou village, huairou district, beijing

site area: approx. 24,757 ft2 (2,300 m2) 

building area: approx. 17,222.25 ft2 (1,600 m2)

project schedule: 2015 – july 2019

project investor: 2049 group

architectural design: lllab.

construction team: san she inn (beijing) cultural management co., ltd.

construction drawings: china electric design & research co., ltd.

civil engineering construction team: yi wang and his friends

interior construction team: guobing zhou and his friends

deepened landscape design: shanghai di cui landscaping co., ltd.

landscape construction team: mr. cai and his friends

furniture consultation: cdc | brandcreation (austria)

uniform design / production: carpostudio (portugal)

photography: fernando guerra FG+SG

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