Six Bricolage-houses

by ARCity Office

Client Shenzhen Vanke Company

Award RIBA International Awards for Excellence 2024

Six Bricolage Houses in Nantou Ancient City in Shenzhen, China is an architectural series of six, showcasing innovative urban village renewal through joyful design. 

In the historic heart of Shenzhen in China, the Six Bricolage Houses project emerges as a pioneering and innovative model for urban renewal and housing design to meet community needs into the future.

This curated scheme of self-built houses breathes new life into the ancient streets of Nantou, achieving a delightful integration of modern architectural design into the rich architectural heritage of the local context.  

The architects to this scheme considered themselves curators, selecting six self-built houses by villagers for micro-updates and modifications. Providing architectural delight alongside a pioneering model for urban renewal, the alleys of Nantou Ancient City with their complex urban texture, along with the series of six houses, now provide a series of new curated experiences.

The new housing meeting community needs for the future whilst integrating with the ancient streets of this historic heart of Shenzhen.  

Within the carefully curated creative process the Architects focused on mixing various functions into a traditional “handshake building” typology, preserving the existing social structure and spatial characteristics of the urban village through joyful design.

The architects explored a new spatial paradigm employing innovative techniques of mixed-use design, integration of old and new built fabric elements, and component assembly of found conditions. 

Variously, the houses introduce cantilevers to open up traditional plan forms, employ simple methods such as partial cutting of walls or conversion of floor structures to create more space, introduce natural light to living spaces, and engage inside with outside spaces.

All modifications focus on providing enhanced living conditions for inhabitants whilst making a positive contribution to civic public realm in this complex urban rural mosaic. A unique and pioneering model for urban village renewal. 

Location: Shenzhen, China

Date of completion: 30/11/2022

Cost: Confidential

Gross internal area: 2400 m²

Contractor: Shenzhen Chuangbao Construction Engineering Company

Structural Engineer: Shenzhen Ruihua Architectural Design Co., Ltd