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Chinese paintings inspire rural renovation
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RESIDENTS of Dongziguan Village in Fuyang, about a two-hour drive from downtown Hangzhou, live in what many Chinese would consider a dream world.
They are moving into newly built houses inspired by Wu Guanzhong (1919-2010), the founder of modern Chinese painting. The 46 homes in this special renewal project were designed by GAD, a local architectural firm.
“These are not merely replicas of old buildings,” explained general designer Meng Fanhao. “Drawing on Wu’s artworks, we have designed home of classical Chinese beauty.”
Wu depicted many white-wall, black-tile homes in artworks that emphasize the close relationship between mankind and the natural environment. His works embrace geometric beauty and rhythmic structure.
Dongziguan Village sits alongside the Fuchun River. Three years ago, a section of the riverbank underwent redevelopment, causing the demolition of some homes.
Those displaced residents are the lucky ones moving into the new housing tract.
Their new three-story homes reflect some of the finest traditions of iconic rural buildings, with courtyards, cooking benches and storage areas.
Designer Meng said the GAD team visited the village over 100 times to do research for the project.
“One important element was meeting the people who would live in the homes and hearing their needs,” he said.
The result has garnered widespread attention. The online photos of the homes designed by the architects have drawn more than 360 million clicks.
The project in Dongziguan Village is part of China’s “new countryside” program, initiated by the central government in 2005 to coordinate urban and rural development.
Although many villages have been redeveloped under the policy, not all received the quality of renovation seen in Dongziguan. In many cases, new homes built in the countryside reflected what Pritzker Prize winning architect Wang Shu dubbed “American-style country houses.” He said those homes were destroying iconic Chinese villages. He was equally scathing about the “fake antique” style used to upgrade some old village houses.
Wang has been involved in the Wen Village project in Fuyang since 2012. Last year 24 homes were completed. They showcase Wang’s signature aesthetic style, using recycled materials in designs inspired by traditional Chinese landscape paintings. The homes are integrated with their natural surroundings.
“To build houses that suit farmers and support the local economy is key to the success of countryside reconstruction,” said Xu Shixin, secretary of Dongziguan Village. “Farmers want their standard of living improved, but they don’t want to leave their hometowns.”
Ten years ago, Dongziguan was a forgotten village strewn with litter and heaps of old rubbish, the secretary said. Now the residents actively participate in keeping the village tidy.
A similar transformation occurred in Moganshan, a town about one hour’s drive from downtown Hangzhou.
The mountainous area has traditionally been a popular summer retreat.
In the past decade, the town spent millions of yuan to create parks and gardens surrounding rural homes. At first, the locals plucked out all the flowers and grass to grow vegetables.
“We felt it was just window-dressing,” said a villager. “We farmers earned no profits from pretty scenes.”
But everything changed when the local government expanded the renovation work to focus on high-end leisure tourism. Forests were protected, sewage was treated and new streets were built. Fancy hotels have since moved in, as tourist numbers increased. The local economy is booming.
“New countryside construction is a cross between the beauty of the countryside and the amenities of cities,” said Pan Guoxing, a retiree who lives Moganshan and one of the movers-and-shakers behind the facelift.
In 2012 New York Times ranked Moganshan 18th on its list of 45 global sites worth visiting.
Villagers no longer talk of window-dressing. A pancake shop reported a 10-fold increase in revenue, and an eatery that once charged 3 yuan (44 US cents) for a bowl of simple noodles now offers more elaborate dishes at 30 yuan each.
Pan Guoxing, who started a tea factory in 2015 after retirement, sells local specialty Yellow Bud tea. His revenue doubled in a year, and the factory now provides tea tours for visitors.
The economic shot in the arm is encouraging young locals to stay instead of leaving to seek work in big cities.
Gao Chencong, 28, who lives in He Village in Moganshan, has transformed his family’s old home into a 12-room inn, featuring a swimming pool and gardens.
“We have taken advantage of a great opportunity,” said Gao.
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