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Qingtai Market
Qingtai Market
Wushan, Chongqing, China
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Other Projects by He Wei Studio／3andwich Design
Qingtai Market
Wushan, Chongqing, China
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2024
SIZE
1000 sqft - 3000 sqft
BUDGET
$1M - 5M
Venue and Origin:
Qingtai Market is located in the village group of Qingtai Village, Jianping Township, Wushan County, Chongqing. The site is an idle quarry outside the village entrance, which was previously used for mining and laying gravel for the roadbed. The quarry is parallel to the highway and has a narrow and elongated shape. Due to the fact that the stone walls left by the quarry are basically flat, the natural rock surface has a strong texture, which becomes a clear visual feature of the site.
The reason for building a market comes from the dual needs of villagers' daily life and tourism. Qingtai Village is located in the core area of Wushan Shennv Peak Scenic Area. There are two observation decks in the village, which are the best locations for viewing the Wuxia Divine Maiden Peak and the RMB five yuan shooting location. For a long time, there have been a large number of group tourists in this area, but their stay in the area is very short, and they basically follow the traditional team photo based tourism mode, so they have not brought actual benefits to the local villagers. After research, the architect discovered the following phenomena and problems: firstly, the two observation decks are outdated in form, lacking leisure space for cultural and tourism services, as well as retail or dining facilities, resulting in poor tourist experience and inability to form secondary consumption. Secondly, the current situation is that villagers have a demand to sell goods, but there is no corresponding space in the village. Villagers can only set up stalls along the street to sell local specialty products. The result is that the conditions are rudimentary and affect traffic, with certain safety hazards. Thirdly, there is limited land for village construction, no public space in the village, little communication among villagers, and almost no public activities.
In view of this, the architect, after discussing with the local government and villagers, decided to build a market in the quarry area at the village entrance to resolve the above conflicts.
Design Concept: Practical Romance
The decision to build a market in the quarry area is based on the following considerations: First, land in the village is scarce, and utilizing the quarry avoids occupying farmland or villagers’ privately owned land. Second, the quarry is located just outside the village entrance, making it an ideal location for a market that can integrate with a future parking lot while also serving as a landmark for the village entrance. Third, the market helps repair the “ecological scars” left by quarrying, restoring greenery to the site.
The market is arranged linearly along the site and divided into three zones: a sales area near the village, a leisure area in the middle, and a parking area farthest from the village. Tourists arrive and disembark at a distance from the village, then walk through the market to enter the village and ultimately reach the observation deck. After viewing Goddess Peak, they pass by the market again on their way back, where they can shop, rest, and then depart. This arrangement aligns with the circulation flow, addressing the essential needs of both villagers and tourists for trade, rest, and social interaction, while also expanding the existing parking area to accommodate future tourism development.
The sales area includes both fixed and temporary stalls to accommodate vendors of different scales. Fixed stalls are equipped with counters designed based on human ergonomics to ensure usability, while low walls provide seating for both villagers and visitors. The leisure area in the middle is divided into multiple platforms of varying heights, following the natural terrain. Some rocks protrude from the quarry walls, which the architects deliberately preserved and integrated with the platforms to create a unique spatial experience. To meet the needs of both tourists and locals, the rest area includes a refreshment bar and a sunken barbecue zone, providing support for casual dining.
Beyond its functional role, the market’s architectural form seeks individuality. The architects first cleaned the quarry walls, removing loose stones while preserving their original texture, allowing the rugged rock face to become an integral part of the market’s spatial and aesthetic expression. The market is designed as a semi-open space with single-sloped and inverted double-sloped roofs, oriented in varying directions. This design creates a dialogue between traditional residential forms and contemporary architectural elements.
To reduce the perceived scale, the buildings are fragmented into smaller units, maintaining visual harmony with the surrounding village houses. The slightly exaggerated upward tilt of the roofs gives the market a sense of lightness, while the interplay of light filtering through the roof gaps adds a dramatic effect to the space. The low parapet walls ensure visual permeability between the market and the street, reinforcing its open and inviting character at all times.
Materials & Craftsmanship: Local Sourcing, Learning from the Everyday
In material selection, the architects sought a balance between local authenticity and modernity, alternating between traditional rural materials and industrial components to create a market that feels both familiar and refreshingly new.
The roofing combines metal sheets and slate tiles—one smooth and refined, the other rough and textured. This contrast adds visual interest and variety to the market’s architectural identity. Complementing the slate, the walls are built with stone. Instead of traditional rough-stone masonry, the architects opted for a modern gabion wall system, which is not only easier and faster to construct but also aligns with the site’s history as a former quarry. This approach considers both cost and the practical constraints of rural construction.
The market’s structure is made of steel, but its column design draws inspiration from local self-built houses. During site research, the architects observed that rather than using standard square steel or I-beam columns for taller structures, villagers preferred a more economical and effective solution: arranging three slender steel pipes into a triangular formation and welding cross braces in between, forming a truss-like structure. This method, as locals explained, reduces costs while improving structural stability by minimizing deflection. Recognizing the ingenuity of this rural construction technique, the architects incorporated it into the market’s design.
The completed market integrates steel columns, metal roofing, slate tiles, and gabion walls into a cohesive material language. The result is a structure that feels light, practical, and distinctive, blending seamlessly into its rural context while maintaining a unique architectural character.
Conclusion and Reflection:
Wushan is a traditional tourist county, with world-class attractions such as the Wuxia Gorge and Goddess Peak. However, as tourism and visitor experiences evolve, the gap between traditional tourist models and current visitor demands has become increasingly evident. The benefits brought by tourists are quickly diminishing. At the same time, rural construction, closely tied to the scenic areas, is facing challenges. Villagers have not gained sufficient benefits from the tourism industries, and their economic situation remains poor. How can we create a connection between the tourism industry and rural development? How can we upgrade visitor experiences while providing tangible benefits to the local community? These are urgent questions that need to be addressed.
The Qingtai Market presents a light, practical solution that meets the needs of villagers for selling goods, and provides a space for tourists to rest and interact, all while cleverly restoring the ecological scars left by the quarry. Though the project is small in scale and limited in cost, the architects hope it can “punch above its weight”, empowering Qingtai Village and serving as a starting point for the integration of tourism and rural development in the region.
Qingtai Market is located in the village group of Qingtai Village, Jianping Township, Wushan County, Chongqing. The site is an idle quarry outside the village entrance, which was previously used for mining and laying gravel for the roadbed. The quarry is parallel to the highway and has a narrow and elongated shape. Due to the fact that the stone walls left by the quarry are basically flat, the natural rock surface has a strong texture, which becomes a clear visual feature of the site.
The reason for building a market comes from the dual needs of villagers' daily life and tourism. Qingtai Village is located in the core area of Wushan Shennv Peak Scenic Area. There are two observation decks in the village, which are the best locations for viewing the Wuxia Divine Maiden Peak and the RMB five yuan shooting location. For a long time, there have been a large number of group tourists in this area, but their stay in the area is very short, and they basically follow the traditional team photo based tourism mode, so they have not brought actual benefits to the local villagers. After research, the architect discovered the following phenomena and problems: firstly, the two observation decks are outdated in form, lacking leisure space for cultural and tourism services, as well as retail or dining facilities, resulting in poor tourist experience and inability to form secondary consumption. Secondly, the current situation is that villagers have a demand to sell goods, but there is no corresponding space in the village. Villagers can only set up stalls along the street to sell local specialty products. The result is that the conditions are rudimentary and affect traffic, with certain safety hazards. Thirdly, there is limited land for village construction, no public space in the village, little communication among villagers, and almost no public activities.
In view of this, the architect, after discussing with the local government and villagers, decided to build a market in the quarry area at the village entrance to resolve the above conflicts.
Design Concept: Practical Romance
The decision to build a market in the quarry area is based on the following considerations: First, land in the village is scarce, and utilizing the quarry avoids occupying farmland or villagers’ privately owned land. Second, the quarry is located just outside the village entrance, making it an ideal location for a market that can integrate with a future parking lot while also serving as a landmark for the village entrance. Third, the market helps repair the “ecological scars” left by quarrying, restoring greenery to the site.
The market is arranged linearly along the site and divided into three zones: a sales area near the village, a leisure area in the middle, and a parking area farthest from the village. Tourists arrive and disembark at a distance from the village, then walk through the market to enter the village and ultimately reach the observation deck. After viewing Goddess Peak, they pass by the market again on their way back, where they can shop, rest, and then depart. This arrangement aligns with the circulation flow, addressing the essential needs of both villagers and tourists for trade, rest, and social interaction, while also expanding the existing parking area to accommodate future tourism development.
The sales area includes both fixed and temporary stalls to accommodate vendors of different scales. Fixed stalls are equipped with counters designed based on human ergonomics to ensure usability, while low walls provide seating for both villagers and visitors. The leisure area in the middle is divided into multiple platforms of varying heights, following the natural terrain. Some rocks protrude from the quarry walls, which the architects deliberately preserved and integrated with the platforms to create a unique spatial experience. To meet the needs of both tourists and locals, the rest area includes a refreshment bar and a sunken barbecue zone, providing support for casual dining.
Beyond its functional role, the market’s architectural form seeks individuality. The architects first cleaned the quarry walls, removing loose stones while preserving their original texture, allowing the rugged rock face to become an integral part of the market’s spatial and aesthetic expression. The market is designed as a semi-open space with single-sloped and inverted double-sloped roofs, oriented in varying directions. This design creates a dialogue between traditional residential forms and contemporary architectural elements.
To reduce the perceived scale, the buildings are fragmented into smaller units, maintaining visual harmony with the surrounding village houses. The slightly exaggerated upward tilt of the roofs gives the market a sense of lightness, while the interplay of light filtering through the roof gaps adds a dramatic effect to the space. The low parapet walls ensure visual permeability between the market and the street, reinforcing its open and inviting character at all times.
Materials & Craftsmanship: Local Sourcing, Learning from the Everyday
In material selection, the architects sought a balance between local authenticity and modernity, alternating between traditional rural materials and industrial components to create a market that feels both familiar and refreshingly new.
The roofing combines metal sheets and slate tiles—one smooth and refined, the other rough and textured. This contrast adds visual interest and variety to the market’s architectural identity. Complementing the slate, the walls are built with stone. Instead of traditional rough-stone masonry, the architects opted for a modern gabion wall system, which is not only easier and faster to construct but also aligns with the site’s history as a former quarry. This approach considers both cost and the practical constraints of rural construction.
The market’s structure is made of steel, but its column design draws inspiration from local self-built houses. During site research, the architects observed that rather than using standard square steel or I-beam columns for taller structures, villagers preferred a more economical and effective solution: arranging three slender steel pipes into a triangular formation and welding cross braces in between, forming a truss-like structure. This method, as locals explained, reduces costs while improving structural stability by minimizing deflection. Recognizing the ingenuity of this rural construction technique, the architects incorporated it into the market’s design.
The completed market integrates steel columns, metal roofing, slate tiles, and gabion walls into a cohesive material language. The result is a structure that feels light, practical, and distinctive, blending seamlessly into its rural context while maintaining a unique architectural character.
Conclusion and Reflection:
Wushan is a traditional tourist county, with world-class attractions such as the Wuxia Gorge and Goddess Peak. However, as tourism and visitor experiences evolve, the gap between traditional tourist models and current visitor demands has become increasingly evident. The benefits brought by tourists are quickly diminishing. At the same time, rural construction, closely tied to the scenic areas, is facing challenges. Villagers have not gained sufficient benefits from the tourism industries, and their economic situation remains poor. How can we create a connection between the tourism industry and rural development? How can we upgrade visitor experiences while providing tangible benefits to the local community? These are urgent questions that need to be addressed.
The Qingtai Market presents a light, practical solution that meets the needs of villagers for selling goods, and provides a space for tourists to rest and interact, all while cleverly restoring the ecological scars left by the quarry. Though the project is small in scale and limited in cost, the architects hope it can “punch above its weight”, empowering Qingtai Village and serving as a starting point for the integration of tourism and rural development in the region.
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