Dream Stream / West-line studio

Dream Stream / West-line studio - Windows, Waterfront, GardenDream Stream / West-line studio - Windows, Facade, HandrailDream Stream / West-line studio - Stairs, Beam, Handrail, Steel, WindowsDream Stream / West-line studio - Facade, Glass, Handrail, SteelDream Stream / West-line studio - More Images+ 21

Guiyang, China
  • Architects: West-line studio
  • Area Area of this architecture project Area:  3900
  • Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2004
Dream Stream / West-line studio - Windows, Waterfront, Garden
Courtesy of West-line studio

Text description provided by the architects. The 'Huaxi Mengxibitan' residential project is located in Huaxi, a growing district 17km far from the city center of Guiyang, Guizhou province capital. The project dates back to 2004, when the district was starting its expansion. At that time, especially in Guizhou area, construction and technical skills were very basic, that is why architects had to find simple and alternative ways to control project construction. A 1:1 'model' has been created on site using bamboo frames. This helped to control the scale of the project in relationship with the mountainous environment. Positioning these bamboos also helped to highlight critical points, mainly for the foundations, due to the particularly harsh conditions of the site and composition of the soil. The choice to turn this 'bamboo net' into a concrete one has been, again, mainly due to lack of construction skills, which could not allow the use of steel frames. The shape of the so called 'Dream Stream' takes inspiration from the typical informal architecture of Guizhou wooden villages.

Axonometric

The net has been modeled on the mountain, following its shape. Using this simple grid helped the architects to better control the project. The repetition of a single module originates a system, which, always because of lack of skills, slightly changes. But the architects were aware of these problems and adopted the grid exactly in order to control what could not be fully controlled, allowing mistakes. Mistakes that in the end result as unexpected and surprising changes of the original module.

Dream Stream / West-line studio - Facade, Glass, Handrail, Steel
Courtesy of West-line studio
Axonometric
Dream Stream / West-line studio - Stairs, Windows, Beam, Handrail
Courtesy of West-line studio
Axonometric

The main characteristic of this residential project is its complicated circulation system. Forking routes originated different kind of yards and different level of privacy. Yards are the most important spaces in Huaxi Mengxibitan houses' composition. Some have water, some are sweet-smelling with flowers, others are bamboo yards. Some courtyards are crossed by this articulated system of paths, some are created by paths moving all around, others are 'covered' by aerial boardwalks. Stairs also play a crucial role in a project built following the mountain's shape. Some are open public connections between courtyards, others are more private, enclosed between walls. Together with the path system they help to create floating spaces in between residences, open courtyards on different levels which generate every time different walking experiences.   

Dream Stream / West-line studio - Stairs, Facade, Handrail
Courtesy of West-line studio
Study Model
Dream Stream / West-line studio - Windows, Facade, Handrail
Courtesy of West-line studio

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Project location

Address:Huaxi, Guiyang, Guizhou, China

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Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
About this office
Cite: "Dream Stream / West-line studio" 15 Dec 2016. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/800615/dream-stream-west-line-studio> ISSN 0719-8884

Courtesy of West-line studio

梦溪笔谈 / 西线工作室

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