Bridge School by Li Xiaodong Atelier
Bridge School entrance, Li Xiaodong atelier
Community architecture has been a steep development since urbanism problems getting worst. With the concept’s development rather fast enough, the concept’s of it’s own seems undefined yet. It can be a community hall, social housing, or even post-disaster houses. So, the question is, “what is community architecture can be define as that weave all these type of buildings together?”. Throw away all those doubts, community architecture can simply define as, no matter public or private, are buildings that actively included end users through out the building process. It is a building style that is basically formless but a breakthrough of the process of building. It’s an action rather than a style, to be specific. There’s already countless efforts from different part of the world, and the community project that inspired me the most is the bridge school in Xiashi, by Li xiaodong atelier.
Dutch graduated and OMA-related architect Li Xiao Dong was first commissioned to design a primary school for a traditional Hakka village Xiashi, in Fujian Province, China. Like a normal China’s village, Xiashi is facing a disastrous steep decline of populations and leaving alone to face aging crisis. People were living in traditional earth-type castle Tulou, but they gradually moving out because of living conditions inside. Besides, there’s two Tulou facing each other divided by a river. With all these challenges, Li Xiaodong came out with a idealistic solution, instead of building a conventional primary school, he built a school on a bridge where children’s education is secured, old folks to hang out, children can have fun.
Bridge School Perspective, Li Xiaodong atelier
Bridge School and Tulou
New bridge school connecting both Tulou’s entrance, revitalising the local usage of Tulou itself. Not only creating public spaces by the Bridge school itself, the design has converted the function of Tulou into a public space can be utilise by the locals. The design itself included 2 classrooms, 1 community library, and a tiny general store. With these program design appropriately for the neighbourhood, it has become a magnets to attract local old folks and kids to gather around during morning and evening times. Furthermore, the construction of the project are entirely by Li Xiaodong atelier and actively with the locals. Interestingly, the whole project were only spent 6 millions of the entire project in a country where a pedestrian bridge were reported 100 millions to build.
Kids and Slide, Li Xiaodong Atelier
Kids and bridge, Li Xiaodong Atelier
With example benchmarked by Bridge School, community architecture seems has more potential to unleash when comes to duelling with end-user, local resident themself. By understanding their needs and their stories, we are able to design a more appropriate and relevant architecture for them. It’s inspiring how bridge school are able to fit well into the context and rejuvenate the village.
