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Outside Guesthouse
Outside Guesthouse
Chengjiang, Yuxi, China
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Outside Guesthouse
Chengjiang, Yuxi, China
Yunnan Province, by the shores of Fuxian Lake. To the east, it borders a vast lotus field, while to the west, it naturally integrates with the architectural fabric of the village. The rooftop offers expansive views, allowing guests to gaze out at the azure waters of Fuxian Lake and the surrounding rolling hills. In this pastoral setting, time seems to slow down.
The original structure was a self-built farmhouse made of red brick masonry, situated at the end of a row of connected buildings. It stands 4.5 stories tall, with a relatively compact layout. The upper floors are constructed with masonry (brick-concrete) walls, which cannot be demolished or moved, presenting both challenges and opportunities for our renovation design.
Our clients are two young locals from Chengjiang who, after working in big cities, returned to their hometown. They hoped to transform a traditional farmhouse into a guesthouse through a cost-effective renovation design, preserving the rustic charm of their hometown while infusing it with modern functionality and comfort.
In the overall design, we maximized the use of the existing structure, exploring how rural farmhouses could be updated in a more "economical" way without demolition. By lightly constructing the interior spatial experience, we brought the natural, unadorned landscape of Fuxian Lake into the living spaces, allowing guests to feel the harmonious coexistence of nature and architecture both indoors and outdoors. This design not only transformed the rural farmhouse into a functional pension but also breathed new life into the building, making it a bridge between tradition and modernity, and between humans and nature.
Based on observations and analysis of the village's spatial layout, although the corner courtyard was not part of this renovation, we still re-planned the outdoor landscape courtyard to cater to different groups and usage needs. Through the design of folding windows, we connected indoor and outdoor views and activities. Elders, children, hosts, guests, and even passing travelers can all find their own space in this small courtyard.
As one of the village's public spaces, the courtyard design not only softens the boundary between the building and its environment but also naturally integrates the building into the surrounding village fabric during use. The indoor space subtly extends into the external environment, creating a vibrant spatial experience that blends inside and outside.
The entrance space makes full use of the original building's second-floor overhang, forming a resting platform in the pre-entrance area. This space serves as a waiting area for guests and a quiet corner for tea and relaxation while enjoying views of the lotus pond. The entrance space, through a progressive sequence of platforms, reception areas, and interior spaces, creates a layered spatial experience that guides guests step by step into the interior.
The lobby centers around a linear bar counter, which not only handles reception duties but also integrates coffee-making and cocktail functions. It is compact, efficient, and welcoming, effectively bridging the gap between hosts and guests. The lounge area combines modular furniture with bay windows, creating a flexible and versatile space that accommodates various activities. The lobby's public space is bright and open, with a seamless indoor-outdoor connection maintained through a simple design language.
The staircase, as the only circulation space in the building, retains the original exposed concrete steps but features ultra-thin white metal guardrails. This design highlights the vertical order and continuity of the staircase while adding a touch of modern simplicity. We also added a skylight at the top of the staircase, allowing natural light to filter in at different angles throughout the day, creating dynamic light and shadow effects that add a sense of liveliness and poetry to the space.
The guest rooms are located on the second floor and above. Without altering the original structure, we tailored the design to different orientations: east-facing rooms overlooking the lotus pond feature enlarged windows and floor-to-ceiling glass, directly connecting the interior with the natural scenery. West-facing rooms, oriented toward the village, use a matrix of square windows to filter out cluttered backgrounds and adjust sightlines, creating transitional layers of scenery. Despite the compact room sizes, efficient functional zoning ensures each room includes a viewing and relaxation area, maximizing space utilization and allowing guests to enjoy comfort and coziness within limited space.
The building's facade incorporates three different materials: the entrance area features dark gray volcanic rock cladding, the upper walls use ribbed concrete paint, and the main white exterior walls are finished with textured paint. These material choices not only divide the building's massing but also highlight the entrance as a visual focal point, adding depth to the architecture.
The white main body integrates exposed pipelines through curved designs, creating a smoother overall form. The rooftop utilizes the original stepped structure to form multiple viewing terraces, providing outdoor activity spaces for guests. The newly added 360-degree viewing deck on the top floor offers the best vantage point to overlook the surrounding landscape and serves as a signature feature of the building.
In the overall renovation strategy for Outside Guesthouse, we adhered to the principle of not relocating the masonry load-bearing walls, ensuring the building's structural safety and stability. The design employs restrained yet efficient spatial interventions and precise material choices. By planning diverse room types and activity spaces, and integrating the lobby reception, coffee area, and bar functions, the design flexibly meets various operational scenarios and functional needs of this guesthouse.
In terms of cost control, we adopted a strategy combining "focused investment" and "conventional techniques": the dark gray entrance volume anchors the building's tone, emphasizing visual focus, while the white main walls complement the lotus pond scenery, achieving both economy and aesthetics. The reconfiguration of the window system optimizes lighting and ventilation with a lightweight approach, serving as a visual medium connecting inside and outside spaces. This series of strategies not only balances functionality and aesthetics but also provides a low-cost, sustainable direction for rural farmhouse renovations.
The original structure was a self-built farmhouse made of red brick masonry, situated at the end of a row of connected buildings. It stands 4.5 stories tall, with a relatively compact layout. The upper floors are constructed with masonry (brick-concrete) walls, which cannot be demolished or moved, presenting both challenges and opportunities for our renovation design.
Our clients are two young locals from Chengjiang who, after working in big cities, returned to their hometown. They hoped to transform a traditional farmhouse into a guesthouse through a cost-effective renovation design, preserving the rustic charm of their hometown while infusing it with modern functionality and comfort.
In the overall design, we maximized the use of the existing structure, exploring how rural farmhouses could be updated in a more "economical" way without demolition. By lightly constructing the interior spatial experience, we brought the natural, unadorned landscape of Fuxian Lake into the living spaces, allowing guests to feel the harmonious coexistence of nature and architecture both indoors and outdoors. This design not only transformed the rural farmhouse into a functional pension but also breathed new life into the building, making it a bridge between tradition and modernity, and between humans and nature.
Based on observations and analysis of the village's spatial layout, although the corner courtyard was not part of this renovation, we still re-planned the outdoor landscape courtyard to cater to different groups and usage needs. Through the design of folding windows, we connected indoor and outdoor views and activities. Elders, children, hosts, guests, and even passing travelers can all find their own space in this small courtyard.
As one of the village's public spaces, the courtyard design not only softens the boundary between the building and its environment but also naturally integrates the building into the surrounding village fabric during use. The indoor space subtly extends into the external environment, creating a vibrant spatial experience that blends inside and outside.
The entrance space makes full use of the original building's second-floor overhang, forming a resting platform in the pre-entrance area. This space serves as a waiting area for guests and a quiet corner for tea and relaxation while enjoying views of the lotus pond. The entrance space, through a progressive sequence of platforms, reception areas, and interior spaces, creates a layered spatial experience that guides guests step by step into the interior.
The lobby centers around a linear bar counter, which not only handles reception duties but also integrates coffee-making and cocktail functions. It is compact, efficient, and welcoming, effectively bridging the gap between hosts and guests. The lounge area combines modular furniture with bay windows, creating a flexible and versatile space that accommodates various activities. The lobby's public space is bright and open, with a seamless indoor-outdoor connection maintained through a simple design language.
The staircase, as the only circulation space in the building, retains the original exposed concrete steps but features ultra-thin white metal guardrails. This design highlights the vertical order and continuity of the staircase while adding a touch of modern simplicity. We also added a skylight at the top of the staircase, allowing natural light to filter in at different angles throughout the day, creating dynamic light and shadow effects that add a sense of liveliness and poetry to the space.
The guest rooms are located on the second floor and above. Without altering the original structure, we tailored the design to different orientations: east-facing rooms overlooking the lotus pond feature enlarged windows and floor-to-ceiling glass, directly connecting the interior with the natural scenery. West-facing rooms, oriented toward the village, use a matrix of square windows to filter out cluttered backgrounds and adjust sightlines, creating transitional layers of scenery. Despite the compact room sizes, efficient functional zoning ensures each room includes a viewing and relaxation area, maximizing space utilization and allowing guests to enjoy comfort and coziness within limited space.
The building's facade incorporates three different materials: the entrance area features dark gray volcanic rock cladding, the upper walls use ribbed concrete paint, and the main white exterior walls are finished with textured paint. These material choices not only divide the building's massing but also highlight the entrance as a visual focal point, adding depth to the architecture.
The white main body integrates exposed pipelines through curved designs, creating a smoother overall form. The rooftop utilizes the original stepped structure to form multiple viewing terraces, providing outdoor activity spaces for guests. The newly added 360-degree viewing deck on the top floor offers the best vantage point to overlook the surrounding landscape and serves as a signature feature of the building.
In the overall renovation strategy for Outside Guesthouse, we adhered to the principle of not relocating the masonry load-bearing walls, ensuring the building's structural safety and stability. The design employs restrained yet efficient spatial interventions and precise material choices. By planning diverse room types and activity spaces, and integrating the lobby reception, coffee area, and bar functions, the design flexibly meets various operational scenarios and functional needs of this guesthouse.
In terms of cost control, we adopted a strategy combining "focused investment" and "conventional techniques": the dark gray entrance volume anchors the building's tone, emphasizing visual focus, while the white main walls complement the lotus pond scenery, achieving both economy and aesthetics. The reconfiguration of the window system optimizes lighting and ventilation with a lightweight approach, serving as a visual medium connecting inside and outside spaces. This series of strategies not only balances functionality and aesthetics but also provides a low-cost, sustainable direction for rural farmhouse renovations.
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