Rebuilding TaiYang Farming collective

This project is a social experiment on natural construction with environmental design. Based on the
reflection of urban construction, we tried to make a difference in several aspects. With no outside
intervention and by using only local labour and material to set up all those natural structures is
thought to be the first consideration and concept. Harbouring the idea of the significations in rural
construction, we activate the village by designing this project of eco-farm, and building up a new
image and new economic system. This is a positive social experiment for the architect as well to be
involved, and to involve all rural force into one shared objective.
Located in the western mountainous area from Hangzhou, this project is based in a natural village
with 140 peasant households. The main part of the building material is bamboo grows in its original
site, and pebbles picked from the rivulet. The craftsman named Chen is the eldest son of the farmer
in this area, other workers and materials chose are all local. During the design process, animal
behavior was studied while rotational grazing and site were planned in the same time. This Pig barn
is designed with special dormitory, feeding area, outdoor toilet, external field and swimming pool.
Excavation is no longer needed on the field, a self-stable structure which seems like a big bird landed
on the stone parapets, was completed by giant bamboo. Thatch picked in mountainous area nearby
was first knitted by villagers under the commune’s call, and then hanged onto the roof of this bamboo
structure by the workers.
The henhouse is built on the compacted flat ground between small agricultural reservoirs at the end
of the valley and the north hilly area, the shallow foundation of which is formed by uniformly inserting
tiny wood into the ground. With the use of bamboo, a platform is built on the wood foundation top, and
on which placed two 8X8 bamboo unit structures in the formation of an open and sturdy structure.
Quickly and easily built bamboo roof create stability for the whole construction. The interior is tall
and roomy covered densely with bars, which allows the birds stay on it.
Since seasons changing through the year, thatch is impossible to harvest all the time, whereas
bamboo can be found everywhere, thus people could switch to bamboo tile for roof building. Each
bamboo is divided into two pieces for making this arc-shaped bamboo to natural tile, people just
need to pierce the bamboo joints, and this half piece of bamboo becomes an ideal tile in a row. Each
bamboo joint on those bamboo tiles are cleaned by craftsmen with hammers to make the front and
back of bamboo tiles buckled together.In order to create smooth connection in between, the cleaning
process therefore is quite exquisite. The roof of the whole structure is filled with more than two
hundred bamboo, and with no chemical materials for water proofing.
The Pavilion was built on the reservoir dam with great view and good ventilation. The foundation of
the Pavilion is the top of the dam. It is consolidated to set the base with six logs and connect to the
plank covered above.With the bottom timber, five bays of bamboo structure for man independent and
compact structure.The unit for one bay is 4x3 to build this pavilion suitable for people to live, and the
function therefore is to be a resting place for farmers in work.