A remarkable architectural renovation has breathed new life into a collapsed ancestral home in Qiaodong Old Town, Guangdong Province, where narrow lanes and closely packed buildings create an intimate urban village atmosphere. The Xuebei Home project, designed by architect Huang Yimin of GongHe Construction Architectural Studio, demonstrates how modern design can honor family heritage while adapting to the constraints of dense historic neighborhoods.
The Li siblings approached Huang to rebuild their childhood home on a compact 44-square-meter (474-square-foot) plot after the original structure had fallen into complete ruin. The site presented significant challenges, with split walls, rotted beams, and vegetation reclaiming the collapsed building. Rather than simply replicating the original house, Huang's design seeks to reestablish the family's emotional connection to the place through thoughtful architectural intervention.
Located along Xuebei Street and surrounded by taller neighboring buildings, the renovated home receives only a narrow slice of sky above. To maximize natural light and ventilation without disturbing the delicate balance between adjacent properties, Huang introduced a series of small openings and punctures that allow air and light to flow through the structure. The interior follows a vertical organization with a communal room and kitchen on the ground floor, two bedrooms on the upper level, and a reading loft nestled beneath the distinctively curved roof.
The construction process, which began in mid-2021, required significant improvisation due to challenging site conditions. With minimal access for machinery and materials, workers had to pour a raft slab foundation by hand after discovering unstable soil conditions. Huang remained on-site throughout much of the construction process, often serving as a mediator between neighbors as well as between architectural drawings and practical reality. This hands-on approach to construction brings a distinctly lived character to the finished building.
The walls showcase exposed concrete with wood-grain textures transferred from recycled formwork, creating surfaces that record the labor and craft of construction. The subtle imprints of timber and irregular seams of poured concrete transform the structure itself into a chronicle of the rebuilding process. The decision to leave the concrete unfinished serves both practical and aesthetic purposes, reducing maintenance requirements in the humid climate while allowing the house to age naturally within its historic surroundings.
Climate considerations heavily influenced the building's design and orientation. Huang carefully planned the layout to promote natural cross-ventilation, with north-south openings channeling air through each level of the home. Narrow vents positioned at the base and roof edges maintain airflow even when the house is sealed. Traditional wooden doors and windows, assembled using mortise-and-tenon joinery techniques, provide slight permeability that softens the typically sealed atmosphere of modern aluminum systems. Inside, gentle breezes move between volumes while light filters through small fan-shaped windows angled to prevent direct sight lines between neighboring houses.
The building's most striking feature consists of two intersecting concrete arcs that define the house's distinctive silhouette. The larger canopy extends outward to shelter a small terrace where residents can sit facing a church visible beyond the lane. This architectural detail specifically responds to the clients' wish to play violin music toward the church. Beneath the curving roof, a bed is built into the corner, offering partial views framed by parapets and neighboring eaves.
The curved roof design serves multiple functions beyond aesthetics, as rainwater naturally collects along the arc and falls into a narrow garden below where ferns and moss take root in the damp concrete surfaces. This integration of natural elements transforms the building into both a living vessel and a small-scale landscape that sustains various forms of life within its architectural enclosure. The project ultimately demonstrates how contemporary architecture can respectfully engage with historic urban fabric while creating spaces that honor both memory and modern living needs.
