Project for the renovation and reuse of panjiayuan market, Beijing (group A)

The project presented in the following pages starts in February 2014, when we left from Turin for our trip in China to take part to the Joint Studio Experience in Beijing from 4th to 14th of March 2014.

For all of us it was the first time in China. From the beginning we knew that we would have to face with a country and a nation very different from ours, with ancient traditions and intricate history.

We visited modern metropolis like Shanghai and Xi’an, countryside like Yangshuo and the rice fields outside Guilin, archeological site like the Hanging Temple in Datong and a city like Beijing always hanging in between the past and the future, between his hutongs, imperial palaces and brand new skyscrapers. This long trip has been for us very important because it was our first contact with China and it contributed to the creation of our Chinese architectural background.

The theme of the fourth edition of the Joint Studio Experience was the transformation of the Panjiayuan Ancient Market in Beijing, one of the largest and most famous antique and handicraft market in China. Because of the actual urban changes it requires nowadays a big transformation.

Our challenge has been to draw up a project for the New Panjiayuan Antique Market, ensuring functionality and architectural image and preserving the atmosphere that characterizes the site.

All the design process has been possible thanks to the collaboration between us and a Tsinghua University student, Wang Muge that we met in Beijing and who has been our partner for the Joint Studio.

In order to have a better understanding of China and his architectural traditions and language her contribution has been very important and this cooperation has been one of the most exciting points of the Joint Studio.

This collaboration has been so important because we had the chance to work side by side with a student who came from a different cultural background and who could explain us all China culture aspects. The project started with the first two week workshop at Tsinghua University, when the main project concept has been decided and carried on during next months with a continuous contact with the Chinese student and the professors.

Step by step we tried to solve all the design problems and to realize our idea of the New Panjiayuan Antique Market.

In the following pages we would report our experience from Beijing to Turin and our design for the New Panjiayuan, analyzing how to design a trading space that aims to become an active and living part of the city.