The Lost Wall: A Contemporary Architectural Statement in Beijing

Preserving Cultural Identity through Design

With the 1949 communist revolution, the social and cultural values of China were cataclysmically shaken and altered to such an extent that even long-practiced building methods that had defined urban living in China's capital city were viewed as outdated and no longer relevant. Chinese communists sought to create a fresh, new socialist utopia, and any cultural icon of China's past became suspect. In a race to build up China's industrial capacity, many historic structures were destroyed. They are also the victims of the city's concentric circled ring road highway construction. Also during the 1950’s, a city redevelopment master plan and the "Weigai" system created in the 1980’s have been transforming old "Hutongs" (neighborhoods) into new high-density residential neighborhoods. Historic preservation was put in the bottom of the list of the government's agenda and not valued by the general public. It is often overshadowed by developers' redevelopment advertisements due to its high profit. Tomorrow's sustainable architecture shall not be solely limited to green living and energy consumption; it should also be culturally sustainable to the city's unique history and be part of the overall effort that conveys the urgent need for historic preservation in a city with such a deep cultural value.

The north façade of the building is a solid, thick stone wall with minimal architectural articulation serving as a barrier to protect against the noise generated by the second ring road traffic. It is a symbolic representation of the demolished inner-city wall and its protective function against enemies. It also blocks the unpleasant northern wind during Beijing's winter. South of the thick barrier wall is the "interior atrium," where the site's existing identity is preserved. It is intended to be used as a park shared by the occupants and open to the general public. Isolated from the adjacent streets, this overwhelmingly scaled space will provide a tranquil environment for the users. This "void" also allows natural light into the dwelling units similar to the function of a courtyard found in an ancient Beijing courtyard house. A typical dwelling unit is organized vertically with entrances on the first floor. Such organization eliminates the "Motel" style walkway on each floor and maximizes spaces with windows/balconies on both the north and south sides. Punched balconies are located on the southern façade of the building to maximize sunlight. The semi-private green roof is reserved for the occupants, providing a platform for daily exercises and other leisure activities. It not only minimizes the heat island effect but also allows stormwater to be captured for irrigation uses.

The project is located near where the old city wall once stood, stretching almost a mile. The cross-sectional dimension is also a reference to the old city wall, which is 15m wide by 15m high. The basic function of the project is residential. Not only does the project formally serve as the symbolic icon of historic preservation, but the basic function of the building is equally important. A compact residential design is utilized to reflect the high density of the City of Beijing. It is also meant to release some of the housing pressure the area is facing. The project is located in Beijing, China, and the conceptual realization and the renderings were produced in 2012.

Creating a formal intrusion to the historically important site, the project is not a revival of what's been demolished but a reiteration of the historic preservation effort. The contrast between the architectural intervention and the surrounding is an allegory of modern China and its destructive treatment of Beijing's historic buildings.