located in a dense urban village in downtown guangzhou, china, this renovated residential building by TEAM_BLDG combines both elements of interior and landscape architecture in its design. the original building was a matchbox type house complex built between the 1950s and 1960s. in order to meet the actual needs of the occupants, a selection of alterations and additions was made. 

TEAM_BLDG redefines urban living in apartment complex renovation in guangzhou, china
the apartment building at dusk in a city of tall buildings
all images by jonathan leijonhufvud, courtesy of TEAM_BLDG

 

 

considering the noisy, bustling surroundings of the apartment complex, as well as the fact that the area is mainly populated by young office workers, TEAM_BLDG realized the urgency of improving the quality of the community and the living environment. through conversations with the owner of the building, the designers decided to transform the façade, to get rid of the old, dirty impression and establish the benchmark image of the long-rented apartment brand. the new façade enhanced the integration of the urban village with the city, while still maintaining the cohesion of the local community.

TEAM_BLDG redefines urban living in apartment complex renovation in guangzhou, china
night view

 

 

after extensive research, the wavy punched aluminum plate was chosen to wrap the façade, extending from the two ends of the atrium to the exterior. the pattern was picked as a reminder of the original façade’s splicing mosaic and also, as a semi-transparent covering layer that can visually ‘reduce the weight’ of the entire building. in addition, the reconstructed exterior highlights the contrast between the new and old design languages, and the symbiosis of the different buildings within an urban ‘collage’ of different sizes and textures.

TEAM_BLDG redefines urban living in apartment complex renovation in guangzhou, china
new building and old street

 

 

meanwhile, the interior was redesigned, to assure the use of the common space for neighborhood interaction and activities. staggered floor was applied to the corridor, and the walls were ‘cut’ in order to create public and private resting spots. another focal point of the inside renovation was the inner yard: the original structures of the yard were cleaned and the various cords, lines and pipes were sorted out in order to ensure the openness and comfort of the space. the apartment complex includes a gym, audio-visual rooms and other public spaces. at the entrance, an elevator was added to reach each floor conveniently. as far as construction is concerned, in order to meet the design requirements of low cost and high efficiency, prefabricated building materials were used, such as terrazzo floor tiles and dry hanging metal sheets.

TEAM_BLDG redefines urban living in apartment complex renovation in guangzhou, china
the new building and the old building

TEAM_BLDG redefines urban living in apartment complex renovation in guangzhou, china
lighted apartment building at dusk

TEAM_BLDG redefines urban living in apartment complex renovation in guangzhou, china
the rhythm of the facade can be seen from the sidewalk

TEAM_BLDG redefines urban living in apartment complex renovation in guangzhou, china
‘light’ façade material

TEAM_BLDG redefines urban living in apartment complex renovation in guangzhou, china
the public space surrounded by the main three-dimensional dynamic lines of the original building

TEAM_BLDG redefines urban living in apartment complex renovation in guangzhou, china
atrium-looking up

TEAM_BLDG redefines urban living in apartment complex renovation in guangzhou, china
Rhythmic interior façade

TEAM_BLDG redefines urban living in apartment complex renovation in guangzhou, china
2f plan

TEAM_BLDG redefines urban living in apartment complex renovation in guangzhou, china
section a-a

 

project info:

architects: TEAM_BLDG
location: guangzhou, 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: myrto katsikopoulou | designboom