Wugu Shisi Resturant, adjacent to the national heritage site Shanxi Yuncheng Granary, plays a crucial role in the culinary and cultural experiences within the entire Yicang Cultural and Tourism Area Redevelopment Project. Our design is inspired from the architectural styles of northern Chinese courtyards, harmonizing with local building traditions and materials. Base on the theme of Chinese traditional culture “Five Grains," we created five distinct dining experience zones that enclosed by similar pitched-roof cottages, radiating from an opened “show kitchen” area.
By a typology study of the combinations of two single-pitched roof units, our design explored the subtle interactions between dining spaces, walls, courtyards, and natural light in various combinatory arrangements. The generous, even daylight from high side windows and the courtyard crevices naturally formed between roof units and walls, together with the low horizontal windows collectively establish an experience of space that feels like enveloped by serene landscapes. Through the introduction of “shallow courtyards," we effectively transformed what was originally a dull environment into a pleasant dining atmosphere.