Rural Revival: Modern architecture transforms a traditional village

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During the Venice Architecture Biennale in May, China showcased how architecture and marketing could be the ANSWER to rural revitalization. Themed "Building a Future Countryside", the pavillion shared how villages, in a mountainous region in east China's Zhejiang province, managed to TURN its fortunes around. Let's take a look at how they're doing.

Pingtian Village is one of 70 traditional villages in Songyang county. Located twenty kilometers away from the county center, the village is tucked away in mountainous areas, and difficult to access.

Four years ago, Pingtian became a dilapidated village due to urbanization. Most young people migrated to cities, leaving many elderly people behind. Eventually, dozens of homes were deserted and its beautiful landscape neglected.

In order to retain villagers and attract visitors, the government worked with architect Xu Tiantian to develop Songyang county. He gave clay residential houses a modern twist while preserving their original appearances. Xu adopted local building materials and integrated the landscape and residents' needs with the architectural design.

Today, some of the clay residential houses have been refurbished for hospitality uses. "Yun Shang Pingtian", or "Pingtian on the Cloud", is one of the most popular bed and breakfasts in the village. One of its founders is Ye Dabao, who returned to her hometown Songyang for a promising future.

YE DABAO FOUDNER, "YUN SHANG PINGTIAN" B&B "The architects restored the old houses and modernized their functions. And I was thinking about how to make the houses more dynamic."

With the support of the government, Ye introduced visitors to some of the region's intangible heritages. They are able to experience how local herbal tea is made, and a special dyeing technique using black tea.

YE DABAO FOUNDER "YUN SHANG PINGTIAN" B&B "Visitors really enjoy these experiences. It's an important part of their journey, not only to appreciate the scenery but also to learn more about local culture."

The case of Songyang's revitalization through architecture has become a typical example. Now, more and more visitors are here for leisure, recreation, and a dose of education.

YE DABAO FOUNDER, "YUN SHANG PINGTIAN" B&B "People see Songyang as a successful story of rural revival. For us local residents, there is a growing sense of responsibility to preserve the landscape and promote the cultural merits. Visitors here can expect to see a perfect combination of tradition and modernity."

The problems rural areas face in the process of urbanization are not unique to China. And the story of Songyang may be an example of a possible solution.