zhaoyang architects transforms office complex into restaurant + farmers' market in china

zhaoyang architects has transformed an abandoned office complex into a farm-to-table restaurant and gallery in southwestern china. located at the historic center of dali, a city in the country’s yunnan province, the site includes a timber structure, a bungalow made of brick and concrete, and a 200 square meter courtyard. the design team sought to redefine the courtyard’s four edges using different strategies.

all images by pengfei wang

the property has been rented by local lifestyle brand chaimiduo, with zhaoyang architects renovating the complex to include a restaurant, a farmer’s market, a gallery for local craftspeople, and space for a weekly bazaar. to the north, a second floor with a traditional bai-style tiled roof has been added to the bungalow, while an irregularly shaped steel pavilion extends into the courtyard.

a gallery provides a place for local craftspeople to display and sell their wares

the pavilion has been wrapped in bamboo, which both emphasizes its volume and filters sunlight internally. the operable façade extends upwards, becoming the banister for the terrace. meanwhile, a previously existing partition wall at ground level has been demolished in order to open the interior up to the adjacent courtyard. a newly installed system of sliding bamboo doors both hides the original timber columns, and visually enhances the project’s new configuration.

bamboo filters the sunlight entering the building

the main entrance to the property is found at the southern edge of the courtyard where a wedge-shaped pavilion has been added, redefining the entrance. here, bamboo has again been used for the ceiling, creating a sense of continuity with the rest of the site. to the west, an ivy-covered iron fence adjoins a wide timber platform bench that covers the flowerbed and provides a place for children to play during bazaar hours.

a 200 square meter courtyard is positioned at the center of the scheme

the design team sought to redefine the courtyard’s four edges using specific strategies

a farm-to-table restaurant is an important aspect of the development

a weekly bazaar takes place at the site

a farmer’s market sells local produce

the property has been rented by local lifestyle brand chaimiduo

the main entrance to the property is found at the southern edge of the courtyard

bamboo has been used to emphasize the building’s mass

a second floor with a traditional tiled roof has been added to the bungalow

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project info:

location: dali, yunnan, china
architect: zhaoyang architects
design team: yang zhao, peigen shang
interior designer for the restaurant: xu cai
client: chaimiduo team
property area: 647 sqm
building area: 631 sqm
cost: 1,400,000 RMB / $208,329 USD
design phase: may, 2015 – september, 2015
construction phase: june, 2015 – march, 2016
photography: pengfei wang

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