Bona Villa · Gaoling Suji

The project is located in Xiyuan Village, Wan’an County, Ji’an, Jiangxi Province. It is the first Bona Villa Program in Jiangxi Province, co-created by China Three Gorges Corporation, China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation, the local government and the design firm, with the aim of alleviating poverty through development of rural tourism.

The design aims to address issues confronted by the disappearing “hollow village”. Drawing design inspiration from the ecological wisdom of “harmony between humanity and nature & natural course of everything”, the project fuses buildings into nature in a humble posture. Based on the local original rustic conditions, the design restores original natural fabrics and highlights charm of the ancient village embellished with century-old ginkgo trees, with buildings hidden in the valley.

The project adopts restrained yet pure design techniques, retains the textures and features of rammed earth, black tiles, wooden doors and native land, and reshapes the local unique pitched roofs, earth walls, courtyards and timber supports, which evoke inevitable bouts of homesickness of both villagers and tourists. As sunlight pernetrates through the ginkgo leaves and falls on the hollowed-out glass skylight, mottled light and shadows comes into being. Complemented by light and shadows, walls and the ground are awash with poetry as well as dynamic rhythms. “The new” merges with the old in a concealed way on the site.

The architectural transformation adheres to the principle of “localization”. To preserve original natural fabrics of the village to the greatest extent, large machines and equipments are banned from the construction site, avoding irreparable damage resulted from large-scale construction. In addition, relying on the local favorable characteristic resources, makers’center, agricultural innovation workshop and inns form a virtuous circle, hence promoting sustainable development of local tourism industry. Since being put into operation, the project has optimized the village’s industrial structure, enhanced the local industrial advancement, increased economic growth and efficiency, strengthened collective economy, and consolidated poverty alleviation achievements. Furthermore, it opens a sustainable development pathway for rural revitalization, and will be an exemplary model of rural revitalization in Jiangxia Province and even the South China in the future.