Location: Xi’an

Year: 2019

GFA: 31,000 sqm

Xi'an is a city blessed with a splendid historical and art heritage. The renovation of an old printing factory in the heart of the old town requires respect and care to the cultural attributes of the city. The condition of the site is surprisingly well preserved, with neatly organized open space and a nice diversity of building typologies.

We envision a youthful campus that is composed of seven courtyards. The spatial sequence is reminiscent of that in the traditional Chinese architecture. When passing through the campus, people are able to encounter with layer after layer of spaces. Each of the courtyards is dedicated to a specific program and therefore is applied with a distinctive characteristic. Together with the buildings, they form a mixed-use community that is able to host a wide range of public activities.

Extracting the color from the traditional Chinese paintings of Tang Dynasty- malachite, azurite, gold and ocher- we transform the originally dull facades of the buildings into a bold and modern architectural expression, which not only pays tribute to the cultural background, but contributes to the energetic and innovative spirit of the space for the new generation of China.