Shangsian Cottage / genarchitects

Shangsian Cottage / genarchitects - Exterior PhotographyShangsian Cottage / genarchitects - Interior PhotographyShangsian Cottage / genarchitects - Interior PhotographyShangsian Cottage / genarchitects - Exterior PhotographyShangsian Cottage / genarchitects - More Images+ 16

  • Architects: genarchitects
  • Area Area of this architecture project Area:  1097
  • Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2016
  • Photographs
    Photographs:Bowen Hou
  • Lead Architects: Beilei Fan, Rui Kong
  • Design Team: Zhe Xue, Xun Zhang, Xiaoyi Chen, Yiqian Luo, Yang Liu, Shuting Tao, Huanlingzi Lei
  • Site Supervision: Xun Zhang
  • Structure Consultant : Zhun Zhang
  • City: Huzhou
  • Country: China
More SpecsLess Specs
Shangsian Cottage / genarchitects - Exterior Photography
Guest room of 1st-4th courtyard house. Image © Bowen Hou

Text description provided by the architects. Located on the west shore of Taihu Lake, shangsi’an village is flown through by Si’antang creek. A historic stone bridge connects two sides of the creek. There is a significant public space near the bridge, which consists of evergreen trees and existed pavilions. 

Shangsian Cottage / genarchitects - Exterior Photography, Stairs
External view of 6th courtyard house after renovation. Image © Bowen Hou
Shangsian Cottage / genarchitects - Interior Photography
Construction diagram of the 6th courtyard house. Image Courtesy of genarchitects
Shangsian Cottage / genarchitects - Interior Photography
Steel extension of 6th courtyard house. Image © Bowen Hou

Six buildings scattered throughout the village were chosen by the client in order to be transformed into a distributed country hotel. Among these six buildings, there is a traditional-style exhibition hall nearby the bridge. Due to its unique location, we transformed it into a public living space for the entire hotel, where serves as a teahouse and library opened to both guests and villagers. Other buildings including a timber house from late Qing dynasty, a warehouse, as well as three two-story buildings with tile facade has been converted into hotel rooms. 

Shangsian Cottage / genarchitects - Exterior Photography
Guest room and Tea House of 1st-4th courtyard house. Image © Bowen Hou
Shangsian Cottage / genarchitects - Interior Photography
Path of 1st-4th courtyard house. Image © Bowen Hou

Without new walls, these buildings stand with original local paths and yards, only some hints on the pavement. In this case, villagers might pass through the hotel area in their daily life. We try to answer questions with the buildings’ distinguishing situation. For example, we redesigned unsteady buildings after demolition, adjusted the tile facade buildings’ functions and relink them to landscape, simply strengthened the timber house.

Shangsian Cottage / genarchitects - Interior Photography
Internal view of 6th courtyard house. Image © Bowen Hou
Shangsian Cottage / genarchitects - Exterior Photography
View from the living space of 5th courtyard house to the creek and bridge. Image © Bowen Hou

Moreover, in front of the small exhibition hall located, the urban-flavor granite stairs have been replaced by the grassy slope. We also constructed an outdoor space by setting up a light pavilion, so that both villagers and guests can stay and chat there, feeling the natural breath surrounded by the creek. 

Shangsian Cottage / genarchitects - Exterior Photography
Gable wall of 1st-4th courtyard house. Image © Bowen Hou

Project gallery

See allShow less

Project location

Address:Changxing, Zhejiang, China

Click to open map
Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
About this office
Cite: "Shangsian Cottage / genarchitects" 20 Aug 2021. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/967017/shangsian-cottage-genarchitects> ISSN 0719-8884

Birdview of 1st-4th courtyard house. Image © Bowen Hou

乡宿上泗安 / 亘建筑事务所

You've started following your first account!

Did you know?

You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.