Dialogue with Nature—Commune STORE by Atelier Global

Located in Houyuan Village, hailed as most beautiful village in Northern Fujian, Commune STORE is surrounded by mountains, bamboo groves, and layered rice terraces. Once an abandoned rural school, it has been thoughtfully transformed into a haven of modern life.
In contrast to the towering landmarks of urban sprawl, Commune STORE focuses on reviving rice cultivation culture and enhancing rural development, blending organic design with a postmodern vision for farmers. Each element of the design honours nature, the land, and the rhythms of life, creating a serene oasis where one can reconnect with authenticity and spirit.

01 First Encounter with Houyuan Village

The owner discovered the site through a photograph by a friend, and felt an immediate bond upon visiting. Supported by the local government and passionate partners, the renovation plan swiftly took shape. With the support of the design team, the vision of farming alongside villagers and practising sustainable agriculture came to life, making the solution to rural depopulation possible.

Beautiful Traditional Village
Founded in Ming Dynasty, Houyuan Village lies at the base of a 600m mountain, with a pristine forest crown, bamboo mid-slopes and terraced rice fields below.
Traditional grey-tiled houses rest at the foot of the fields, where generations of villagers have lived by the land, nurturing a rich agricultural heritage.

02 Harmonising with Nature, Dialogue between Past and Present

The original school consists of three independent bungalows arranged in a U-shape, with their traditional stone walls and wooden beams steeped in history. Within the courtyard, five ancient trees, each over 60 years old, stand as silent witnesses to time. The architecture layout are simple yet harmonious, with classrooms that echo the size and warmth of a cosy guest room around 38㎡, offering both comfort and a sense of timelessness.

Honouring the site and natural beauty, the design embraces a philosophy of minimal intervention. The architects have preserved the original structure, gently reshaping the layout to infuse the old buildings with new life and vitality, allowing them to resonate with fresh energy while staying rooted in their history.

Reviving the Old, Preserving the Memories
As the village’s sole public building, the old school holds the echoes of generations’ education and memories. In honour of its legacy, the design weaves the three separate structures together under a sweeping roof, preserving the ancient trees in the courtyard as symbol of memories. Commune STORE is envisioned as a vessel for shared memories, a space for reviving tradition.

Less is More, Connection in Circle
The spacious and bright communal living room sits at the heart of the space, serving as both the social hub and a sanctuary for the soul. Surrounding it are guest rooms, transformed from former classrooms. The circular flow of the design seamlessly connects each functional area, enhancing the space’s unity and fluidity. It invites guests to effortlessly explore every corner, enjoying the serene pleasure of wandering through the valley’s architectural embrace.It invites guests to effortlessly explore every corner, enjoying the serene pleasure of wandering in the valley.

Boundless Swimming Pool
The terraced fields, following the contours of mountain and forming the natural arc, inspired the design of the pool. The oval boundless pool and circular hot spring pool form a gentle "hill" within the landscape, cengaging in a quiet dialogue with the surrounding nature. To swim here is to glide like a carp through the natural flow, where water and earth merge in harmonious embrace.

Promenade Roof
Promenade Roof serves as the perfect vantage point for panoramic views. The design begins with a cement base, upon which dark small gravels are pressed, providing both anti-slip functionality and a pure black aesthetic. The curve connection and undulating changes not only soften the building’s previously rigid mass and weight but also offer varied perspectives that allow people to engage with nature from multiple angles, fostering an open and intimate connection. This flowing design seamlessly integrates with the surrounding natural landscapes, linking form and function, and creating an intriguing dialogue with the nearby mountains, terraced fields, and swimming pool.

Climate-adaptive Strategy
Sustainability is the core strategy of Commune STORE. In response to the local climate, design team incorporated gray spaces to ensure proper ventilation while shielding from harsh direct sunlight, thereby reducing energy consumption.

Drawing Scenery Indoors, Blurring The Boundaries
Commune STORE seeks to create a seamless harmony between the natural landscape and the interior experience. Each functional space is framed to face the mountain views, with thoughtful design elements that draw the outside scenery in. This creates an effortless connection between the architecture and nature, the interior and the exterior, the near and far, allowing for a fluid transition that enriches the space.

03 Local Materials and Construction

Building on a deep understanding of the local culture and landscape, the design team followed sustainable principles throughout the project. By preserving and restoring existing structures, creatively utilizing local materials, and seamlessly integrating the natural environment with the village's character, the team achieved a low-carbon, sustainable construction approach. This process not only reflects a profound respect for and continuity with local culture, but also embodies a commitment to sustainable development.

Local Sourcing Materials
In the construction of the retaining wall, the design employs bamboo formwork for pouring concrete, taking advantage of the local abundance of bamboo. This approach allows the delicate and graceful texture of the bamboo to be naturally imprinted onto the concrete during the casting process. This design not only strengthens the stability of the wall but also cleverly preserves the aesthetic charm of natural elements, making each wall a testament to the harmonious coexistence of nature and human craftsmanship.

Recycling
The wooden planks and beams removed from the roof were carefully reprocessed and transformed into part of the interior decoration. Construction waste was also effectively repurposed for paving roads and reinforcing mountain paths. This design principle not only reduced costs but also adhered to environmental sustainability, giving new life to discarded materials.

Conservation and Preservation
During the demolition of the old building, the design team meticulously preserved and restored the historically significant stone walls and relatively well-preserved brick sections. Through subtle joint treatments, the original appearance was maintained while accentuating the building’s rustic character and historical depth.
The thoughtful integration of new and old materials not only created a striking visual contrast but also profoundly interpreted the unique charm of regional culture and the sustainable, eco-friendly concept. Every brick and tile of Commune STORE tells the story of a dialogue between the past and the future.

04 Reviving Rice Cultivation Culture and Enhancing Rural Development

Houyuan Village, renowned for its stunning terraced fields, has recently been facing the challenges of depopulation and agricultural restructuring. The rice paddies are lying fallow, and the traditional rice cultivation culture is gradually fading away. Commune STORE represents not only a personal shift in the owner's lifestyle and sentiments, but also a profound understanding of rural revitalization and architectural practice by the architect.

Through land transfer and the ecological preservation of terraced fields, Commune STORE is exploring high-quality organic rice cultivation techniques to revive rice culture, attract young people to return hometown, and transform rural revitalization from a concept into a tangible reality. At the same time, we have made a conscious effort to employ local labour during the design and construction phases, and plan to create additional service jobs once the project is operational, further boosting local employment and expanding income opportunities for the villagers.