Architects: Zhang Pengju
Area: 1,276 m²
Year: 2023
Photographs: Yujun Dou, Mingzhuo Zhao
Lead Architect: Pengju ZHANG
City: Hohhot
Country: China
The West Wusutu Village Community Center in Hohhot reimagines the role of public facilities in rural China by serving as a multifunctional hub for diverse community needs. Designed by Zhang Pengju, the 1276-square-meter complex accommodates spaces for elderly residents, children, and returning young villagers, while also offering exhibition areas for artists and facilities for the Hui Muslim community. Organized around a central courtyard, the center integrates rooftop terraces, indoor alley-like passages, and fluid circulation routes that encourage exploration. Constructed using reclaimed bricks from local demolitions, the project emphasizes sustainable, cost-efficient building practices. A facade of white cement and fine sand preserves a tactile connection to the village’s past, while passive ventilation systems utilizing underground air ducts and ventilation towers define its distinctive form. Rooted in the memory of the former village temple and anchored by ancient trees on site, the community center merges cultural identity, spiritual continuity, and architectural innovation into a cohesive rural landmark.
The West Wusutu Village Community Center emerges as both a functional and symbolic structure, reflecting the social and spiritual aspirations of its community. Rather than consolidating its program into a single block, the design arranges smaller building volumes along the site’s edges, preserving the familiar texture of village streets and alleys. This configuration creates a circulation system that pulls inward and extends upward, transforming the compact footprint into a layered network of spaces. The resulting composition of courtyard, terraces, and sheltered passages fosters a setting where daily life, leisure, and gatherings unfold seamlessly.
At the heart of the project is a sensitivity to local memory. Positioned on the site of the former village temple, the plan embraces the existing old trees as anchors of collective identity. The arrangement radiates toward these natural landmarks, reinforcing a continuity of place and affirming the spiritual associations embedded in the location.
Materiality plays a central role in this architectural narrative. By employing reclaimed bricks from nearby demolitions, the project demonstrates both economic pragmatism and ecological responsibility. The weathered surfaces of the bricks, combined with a white cement and fine sand finish, subtly preserve historical traces while presenting a coherent new whole. The introduction of an 80-millimeter fly ash insulation layer further underscores the intent to establish a model of cost-effective yet durable rural housing.
Environmental strategies extend beyond material reuse. The integration of ventilation towers and underground air ducts forms a passive system that naturally regulates airflow while shaping the building’s striking silhouette. This solution not only reduces energy demands but also generates multilevel activity areas on the roof, where villagers can gather informally.
By weaving together social programming, spiritual resonance, and environmental strategies, the West Wusutu Village Community Center transcends its role as a service facility. It stands as a redefinition of rural architecture, one that honors heritage while fostering adaptability and resilience for future generations.
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Project Location
Address: Hohhot, China
The location specified is intended for general reference and may denote a city or country, but it does not identify a precise address.
