Renovation of Huangling Ancient Village

With the project team's relentless efforts over 15 years, the century-old Huangling Village, once desolate and frequently affected by natural disasters, has been transformed into the "most beautiful village," attracting 30,000 tourists each day. The project involves the master planning of the entire village, the restoration of individual buildings, and meticulous landscaping. Construction and design were conducted simultaneously, in harmony with the site's terrain. Emphasizing the preservation of the local landscape, the renovation adhered to the principle of minimum intervention while incorporating modern functions. The project not only revived local traditional handicrafts but also introduced tourism businesses including catering, accommodation, and tours. This has breathed new life into the old village, turning it into an "open architecture museum."

Based on the project’s positioning, which emphasizes the preservation of aged architectural gems in Wuyuan County and the development of local rural heritage, the project pioneered an innovative approach to relocate and repurpose ancient architecture. Employing innovative techniques, it has restored, reorganized, and relocated many typical yet dilapidated Hui-style ancient buildings across the county to Huangling Village. This approach has recreated the architectural fabric typical of ancient Huizhou villages, ensuring the meticulous restoration and management of ancient buildings, thereby creating significant value. The project’s distinctive model for relocating and renovating ancient architecture has set a standard for the preservation of ancient architecture in China. Addressing the issue of the survival of an ancient village and its architectural legacy, the project has effectively balanced the considerations of "authenticity" preservation and "catalytic" openness. From comprehensive design, preservation and construction to cultural excavation, the design team has transformed Huangling from a desolate ancient village frequently affected by disasters and with a scarcity of water sources, into the "most beautiful village" through more than a decade of dedicated design and construction endeavors. The project includes flood-control, water diversion, infrastructure, restoration of ancient houses, and new construction. The process embraces sustainable strategies and uses the existing landscape conditions to foster a vibrant and circular ecology. The water diversion program is set at the entrance of the village. It involves a buried water diversion pipe that channels water to a supply pool located at the end of the village, eliminating the need for mountain excavation and thus protecting the ecological environment. The planning blends old and new structures and materials to rationalize layout and modernize the functions of the ancient houses, while ensuring comfort and functionality in daily living. Moreover, the project incorporated modern lighting design and greenery optimization. The project involved design and construction interventions that combined innovations, and cultural exploration with recreation. It has retained the “form” of the century-old Huangling Village and preserved the “spirit” of traditional rural culture through imbuing the ancient village with enduring value. This rejuvenation of this Hui-style ancient village offers visitors an opportunity to rediscover a sense of nostalgia.