Chinese restaurant entrance. Image © Guangyuan Zhang
- Architects: China Architecture Design & Research Group
- Location: Wu Jia Cun Lu, Beijing Shi, China
- Architectural Group: U11
- Lead Architects: Lei Xu
- Design Team: Hua Zhang, Xing Jin, Hang Yu
- Architecture Construction Drawing Designer: Hua Zhang, Xing Jin
- Area: 3817.0 m2
- Project Year: 2015
- Photographs: Guangyuan Zhang
- Collaborators: Shougang Architects.
- Project Owner: Ksk Corp.ltd
Chinese restaurant courtyard. Image © Guangyuan Zhang
Ease
Chinese ancient language has the word “ease”, which has a detached meaning of inside self-relief, as well as an acceptance of outside matter, and which not only implies the retreat of inaction, but also the aggressiveness for insight.
Chinese restaurant courtyard. Image © Guangyuan Zhang
The work of an architect doesn`t seem so easy ,while he is to create the place that makes one feel at ease:vThe first is about the place, which has its own context, and in which you build a house, you should respect what makes the place wonderful. The second is about human, who has his own sense, and for whom you build a house, you should see what makes him feel at ease.The last is yourself. You can hold one heart with ease, only if the design is selfless. To feel, think, explore and let it go. Set your foot in the field of heartlessness, then build.
Chinese restaurant courtyard. Image © Guangyuan Zhang
Concession
Among lots of ideas for this project, we choose “concession” as our final strategy.
Alteration diagram
An old warehouse and a vacant lot stay in our site where the client wants to transform into a western restaurant with wine cellar as well as a Chinese restaurant. Dormers, prefabricated roof panels from 80s, crane beams and hoists fade in time along with several large trees– eucalyptus and paulownia.
Chinese Restaurant Partial. Image © Guangyuan Zhang
The design eventually adopted a strategy of humility and integration. Retaining the original style and structure of the factory building. The new part of the factory building adopts the brick masonry model, “concession” the original structure, and forms its own support structure system.
Chinese restaurant partial. Image © Guangyuan Zhang
Avoid the tree
The external space created by the brick building itself should be integrated with the atmosphere of the surrounding industrial era. The same brick structure. And in a free form, “yield” trees that are freely distributed. To achieve harmony and unity between architecture and nature.
Western restaurant partial. Image © Guangyuan Zhang
In that case, the Chinese restaurant outlines to avoids the trees. Walkway and foyer are arranged according to the function. The windows` placement are based on the scenery can be seen. Windows facing west are cancelled since their noisy surrounds. Brickworks ensures that the new form still got the old-time smell.
Cellar. Image © Guangyuan Zhang
Avoid the plant
Furthermore, the added section stays separated from the old structure to fulfill the needs of function and reservation.
Western Restaurant. Image © Guangyuan Zhang
Wine cellar`s underground location leaves us no place for the exhibition that We have to create an outdoor space. Corridors make the new space connected to inside space naturally without breaking any old structure and leave the old hoist a joint space that everyone can see it.
Chinese restaurant partial. Image © Guangyuan Zhang