Inside Out: Avant-garde in Shangri-La

Shangri-La refers to the Zhongdian region in the northwest of Yunnan province, mainly inhabited by Tibetans. The original Shangri-La is a fictional place conceived by the British writer James Hilton as the setting for his novel Lost Horizon, published in 1933. In the West, the name became synonymous with paradise. In 2001, Chinese scientists applied it to the Zhongdian Region as a way to promote tourism.

Regional architecture

The Tibetan farmhouse dwellings converted here are typical of this region defined by an altitude above 3,000 meters and plenty of rain and snow. The vernacular architecture expresses the quintessence of how Tibetan agricultural and pastoral culture have adapted to the local climate and environment. Buildings were constructed with locally available materials adapted to the specific conditions of the area. The way these houses are grouped into settlements is very different from the courtyard houses of the Han population in other parts of the country

The rammed earth walls of the Tibetan houses separate an outdoor courtyard space from the surrounding natural environment. Each house is an independent unit typically facing south and is sited independently of other houses in a loose scattering either across the open fields or as a small settlement. In these traditional timber-built structures, a low-height ground floor serves as a stable for the animals, and the first floor contains living space for the family. The roofs are traditionally covered with wooden shingles. The rammed earth walls surrounding the house and the courtyard contain only a few small openings.

Adaptive reuse

After careful examination, Zhaoyang Architects decided to preserve both the still robust timber construction and the rammed earth walls. Repairs were made by local craftsmen, using the same materials. Even the original window frames and the wall paintings in the interiors were preserved. Since the renovation, the cleaned wooden structure and the decorations stand out brightly against whitewashed rammed earth walls. 

As many of the wooden roof shingles had rotted, the architects decided to remove the original roof and replace it with a lightweight steel structure clad with translucent polycarbonate sheets. This allows sunlight to flood the interior, thereby reducing the use of artificial lighting to a minimum. The amount of light and heat entering through the roof is controlled further on the interior by an electronic shading system. What was the semi-dark interior of the private dwelling has been transformed into a bright public space. 

Bookstore, gift store, café

In the bookstore building, the upper floor was removed to create a double-height space where events can also be held. The middle building houses the gift store on the upper floor. Here, the lower floor, including the inner courtyard, was redesigned as a living area for the employees. Part of the upper floor was removed to create an atrium to ensure sufficient ventilation and natural lighting. 

The café is in the third building. To make the lower floor space – a former cattle shed – usable, the ceiling height was increased by 45 centimeters by casting concrete blocks under the wooden structure. This made it possible to create a continuous bench along the rammed earth wall. On the upper floor, the existing room layout of the old Tibetan house provided the spatial zoning and backdrop for the café, particularly in the former living area arranged around a fireplace and decorated with shrines, murals and wooden window frames.

Landscape

The new circulation to and between the three buildings is organized clearly with ramps, stairs and pathways. The main entrance is on the upper level of the bookstore building. From this level, a curved ramp leads down to a path connecting to the middle building that incorporates a viewing platform overlooking the surrounding landscape. The path connects to a stair up to the gift store, from where another descending ramp leads to the lower floor of the third building with the cafe. The ramped paths offer visitors views of the agricultural fields, the distant lake and the often-snow-covered mountain landscape.

Material reuse

The budget for this project with a local team was extremely tight. As traditional craftsmanship is disappearing rapidly in rural areas, a margin had to be allowed for corrections. The canopy of the main entrance at the bookshop and the three ramps were cast in concrete. Due to the limited formwork technology and degree of precision possible, the old wooden shingles from the roofs were reused as formwork. They were also reused as cladding for the gable ends of the pitched roofs and other projecting elements. Their dark brown hue blends harmoniously between the whitewashed walls and the shiny polycarbonate sheets of the roof.

Conclusion

With the transformation of the three farmhouses into a public institution, Zhaoyang Architects has provided an outstanding example of how, just by opening the formerly dark interior spaces reveal previously hidden decorative elements. The radical exposure of the interior makes it clear that a public use has been established here. Seen from the outside, the original cubature and materiality remain intact, while a new message shines from the inside: in future, exchange and participation between local residents and visitors is encouraged here.