Xu Tiantian is a Chinese architect who is the founding principal architect of DnA Design and Architecture. She has participated actively in China’s rural revitalization movement. She has several local and international awards to her name. She was appointed to the American Institute of Architects in the American Institute of Architects in 2020. With several cultural and educational initiatives, Xu has established a reputation in China since commencing her experimental practice. She is dedicated to implementing worthwhile public projects in rural areas, especially in the quaint towns in Songyang County, Zhejiang province’s Songyin River Valley. Over 20 projects have been constructed by the architect in this charming area south of Shanghai. Xu asserts architecture to be more than merely creating a thing. It concerns a location and its populace. It serves as a platform for addressing specific challenges and honouring local history.
Evolution of Design Approach
As Xu grew up in China in the ’70s and ’80s, she experienced a shift in the traditional landscape of the country. As China reformed and opened in the 1980s, the country’s agrarian population began migrating to the city for better opportunities. Chinese citizens were fascinated by the construction corporations building skyscrapers rapidly in Shanghai and Beijing in the 1970s. Simultaneously, there existed a perception that authentic China was rapidly vanishing and needed to be preserved without being “Disneyfied,” as many of China’s cities and villages were falling prey in the name of tourism. Run-down houses, neglected fields, and the elderly and children are what remained in the countryside.
Xu Tiantian’s motivation to establish her architectural practice in Songyang emerged from this. However, Xu had some trouble balancing what people saw in the metropolis with what should be done in the rural areas when she first started practising. She claims that the locals developed two distinct opinions about architecture. One form of building is traditional, resembling the local Min and Qin Dynasty style, while the other is more contemporary and resembles what one could find in a city.
Yet, Xu had a strong design philosophy. Every community has a history of building structures too distinct to be erased and replaced with contemporary styles. She therefore used language that honoured their customs to create tiny interventions all at once. Her influence on the town was not the focus of her initiatives; rather, they served as an instrument for illustrating the village’s legacy and past. A large portion of Xu’s output is a reaction to this change; she is unwilling to abandon rural communities.
Architectural Philosophy
Xu proposes a method known as “Architectural Acupuncture,” which calls for delicate architectural interventions. By limiting interventions, this “Architectural Acupuncture” promotes long-term sustainable growth in rural areas without relying on government or large-industry investments. It tackles the social and economic rejuvenation of rural China comprehensively. This strategy has been called a “multi-layered socio-economic healing process” that creates prosperity and encourages rural living. Xu Tiantian has tackled this rural revitalization by introducing the concept of architectural acupuncture to rural China, which disregards large-scale rehabilitation in favour of more targeted interventions acting as stimulants for more natural processes.
Beginning of the architectural acupuncture
The centre of Pingtian village was a collection of deserted tiny village dwellings, which most of the villagers wanted to be destroyed. However, DnA viewed them as an essential component of the village’s architectural fabric and designed it for free in exchange for the county government funding the cost of construction. The project proved to be prosperous for the village community. established a pattern of collaboration between local communities and the county government in launching initiatives aimed at addressing various challenges. This led to the development of the idea of architectural acupuncture.
A total of four hundred villages make up Songyang County. There, acupuncture is used using architecture to treat conditions specific to the rural area. These structures host public events and showcase each village’s unique culture and history. Each case must be examined individually to assess the village, identify the underlying causes, and choose the best course of action for architectural intervention in terms of program and site. This will cause the building’s design to focus less on a distinctive architectural style and more on its surroundings and its inhabitants.
The goal of architectural acupuncture is to find a methodical, long-term approach. Not only is serving tourists important for the local economy, but the goal is also to revitalise these communities and give them their original identities again. It concerns infrastructure for culture, industry as well as social organisation. Xu claims that acupuncture is used to treat the entire community by releasing energy that has been trapped in different locations.
Impact of her work
Our cities are losing their individuality since so many of them have homogenised or become similar. The goal of architectural acupuncture is to revitalise each village’s unique history and focus by regaining its identity, which will have a ripple effect on the architectural identity. The Songyang region has seen numerous changes. Young people are returning to their hometowns to launch new ventures, ranging from travel agencies to online stores selling regional goods. She says that only 20 individuals remained in Pingtian Village three years ago, and most of them were elderly. The population has grown to more than 100 people overall.
An investor from Shanghai has been drawn to Shicang Village by the Hakka Indenture Museum, allowing businesses to develop in the once-empty houses next door. The village people in the area are now inspired to start various businesses, which has greatly increased economic revenues. These days, people are upbeat about the future and proud of their heritage. Additionally, these projects will foster communication across the surrounding villages.
It is important to take note of Xu’s teachings on architecture’s power to change people’s lives and influence the community it works in while adhering to societal norms. According to Xu, architecture ought to be able to bridge the past and the future. Storytelling is another aspect of architecture. Every project has a unique story that blends into its surroundings. The message, the coherence of the reasoning, and the critical thinking that goes into every attempt are more significant than the specific expressions.
Citation:
Badalge, K. (2018) Can architecture save China’s rural villages? DNA’s Xu Tiantian thinks so, ArchDaily. Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/892947/can-architecture-save-chinas-rural-villages-dnas-xu-tiantian-thinks-so?ad_campaign=normal-tag (Accessed: 10 July 2024).
Belogolovsky, V. (2019) ‘architecture should be able to connect the past and the future’: In conversation with Xu Tiantian, ArchDaily. Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/914028/architecture-should-be-able-to-connect-the-past-and-the-future-in-conversation-with-xu-tiantian (Accessed: 10 July 2024).
Xu Tiantian (2023) Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xu_Tiantian (Accessed: 10 July 2024).
