Huangpi Dong Combat Site / West-line Studio

Huangpi Dong Combat Site / West-line Studio - Exterior PhotographyHuangpi Dong Combat Site / West-line Studio - Exterior Photography, BrickHuangpi Dong Combat Site / West-line Studio - Exterior PhotographyHuangpi Dong Combat Site / West-line Studio - Exterior PhotographyHuangpi Dong Combat Site / West-line Studio - More Images+ 38

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Huangpi Dong Combat Site / West-line Studio - Exterior Photography
© Haobo Wei, Martina Muratori

Text description provided by the architects. The Huangpi Dong combat site, located in Tiantai Town, 12km from Chishui City, is a well renowned “red tourism” spot in south-west China. At the very top of the mountain, reachable by a steep route through a bamboo forest, the concrete monument stands surrounded by a stunning view.

Huangpi Dong Combat Site / West-line Studio - Exterior Photography
© Haobo Wei, Martina Muratori

The memorial site is created by a succession of three different 'enclosed' spaces, which create a quiet and meditative atmosphere. A long narrow ramp, characterized by a U-shaped section, cuts the central area. The ramp's floor is made by a bloody shiny concrete, where shadows get deep and endless. The circular half-closed space around the tower is built on a lower and concave floor level. First the ramp, which breaks into the circle, and then this round lower space introduce the main element, the tower, which stands solitary at the top of the mountain. It is originated by a folded concrete movement, which creates a sharp and iconic light well once inside.

Huangpi Dong Combat Site / West-line Studio - Exterior Photography
© Haobo Wei, Martina Muratori

Cast-in-concrete
Due to the project’s location in a remote mountainous area, a low budget of just 400.000¥ (50.000€) and local workers' lack of experience, architects opted for self-compacting concrete which would lower manufacturing costs. This choice helped overcome the following issues:
· difficult transportation
· high temperatures and high humidity (corrosion-discoloration-mildew)
· finding materials in the local area
· maintenance problems

Huangpi Dong Combat Site / West-line Studio - Exterior Photography, Concrete
© Haobo Wei, Martina Muratori
Huangpi Dong Combat Site / West-line Studio - Image 39 of 43
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Huangpi Dong Combat Site / West-line Studio - Exterior Photography, Concrete
© Haobo Wei, Martina Muratori

All the walls and the geometrical elements are made of cast-in-place concrete (wood quarterdeck dimensions : 2.4m x 1.2m). Low cost materials and poor construction skills resulted in several damages during the quarterdecks opening, like scars and pulling marks. All these different level of defects were deliberate results and emphasize the rough, harsh and lonely atmosphere of the memorial. The paving is also composed with a mixture of concrete pieces, made from Chishui local grit-stone (sandstone) infiltrated with red iron powder (single unit dimensions: 24cmx12cmx6cm).

Huangpi Dong Combat Site / West-line Studio - Exterior Photography
© Haobo Wei, Martina Muratori

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Project location

Address:Huangpi Dong, Chishui, Guizhou Province, 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: "Huangpi Dong Combat Site / West-line Studio" 03 Feb 2021. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/956043/huangpi-dong-combat-site-west-line-studio> ISSN 0719-8884

© Haobo Wei, Martina Muratori

黄陂洞战斗遗址纪念场 / 西线工作室

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