Suzhou. Shantang Li’s Yizhuang Group Rnewal —— The Experience of Oriental Space Aesthetics / Yijian Architects
The Li’s Yizhuang group facing Shantang River locations on Shantang Street which is a cultural street with a history of 1200 years. Shantang River and Shantang Street in Suzhou are important parts of the Grand Canal as a World Heritage Site.
The Li’s Yizhuang group includes a group of traditional ancestral halls belonged to Municipal level cultural relics, 15 residential buildings and an old warehouse. Due to years of illegal constructions, the current site is overcrowded and messy. Through carefully screening, removing the illegal structures and preserving the historic buildings, we sort through the current space and make it reappear its original spatial organization. The unique neighborhood texture of “street, alley, courtyard” of Suzhou is revealed through the renovation. The 15 residential buildings are renovated as hotel rooms; Li’s ancestral halls and the warehouse are renovated as public spaces of the hotel.
Shantang Street is a national historical street of China. The planning requirement is to highly maintain the traditional style of Suzhou. Therefore, we are very cautious when designing the frontage of Shantang Street, continuing the traditional residence elements and retaining the mottled exterior walls. Even for the renewed roofs, they are also designed with traditional details of Suzhou. Only modern materials were used in the replaced doors and windows, allowing for a dialogue between the old and the new. After the update, each guest room is unique. They offer different and special space experience.
The renewal of Shantang Street near Tiger Hill has been stagnant for ten years. There are piles of litter in surroundings, and the buildings are left to decay. The launch of the Li's Yizhuang group renovation project is a catalyst for community revival, and rebuild people's confidence in the community through implanting new commercial activities.
Related Award:
2022 Italy A 'DESIGN - Bronze Award for Urban Planning and Design, Italian design association
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