In the rustic confines of China’s southwest Guizhou province, the traditional wooden houses of Nanlong village, relics of a bygone era, stand decaying. Yet, an innovative endeavor spearheaded by architects John Lin Chun-han and Lidia Ratoi from the University of Hong Kong (HKU), promises a renaissance for these structures. Their project, christened “The Traditional House of the Future,” explores the intersection of advanced 3D printing and time-honored wooden construction.
These architectural maestros, utilizing their expertise, embarked on this pathfinding journey during the pandemic. Funding constraints, coupled with travel restrictions, catalyzed a brainstorming session. Integrating Lin’s research on rural China’s evolving housing landscape with Ratoi’s focus on material sustainability through recycled biomaterials, the duo envisaged an adaptive reuse blueprint.
Drawing inspiration from Chinese ancestral houses, constructed using easy-to-assemble mortise and tenon joints, Lin and Ratoi identified a classic house in Nanlong. This prototype, crafted purely from timber sans any steel reinforcement, was disassembled meticulously. The duo’s vision involved refurbishing this heritage structure with 3D printed concrete elements, such as an entrance courtyard, planting space, a state-of-the-art kitchen, bathrooms, and a balcony.
Harnessing cutting-edge tech, they digitized the house, capturing every architectural nuance, including the subtle imperfections etched by time. The 3D printing endeavor, overseen by Professor Xu Weiguo from Tsinghua University, embraced these intricacies. The fusion of traditional craftsmanship with this contemporary process demanded meticulous oversight, ensuring optimal printing speed, material composition, and precise execution timings.
Ratoi likens large-scale 3D printing to a traditional craft, emphasizing the necessity of a skilled technician’s continuous involvement. The fusion of modern technology with traditional Chinese houses showcased not just the versatility of these historic structures but also the adaptability of the artisans who crafted them.
Lin reflects on this synergy, noting how the project stands at the crossroads of the traditional and contemporary, blending the rural with the urban. It addresses the evolving demands of a community witnessing an urban-to-rural migration wave. Ratoi highlights the project’s potential to rejuvenate vernacular houses, with 3D printing offering endless customization possibilities without incurring extra costs.
Having transformed the prototype, a family now resides within its walls. Both architects intend to assess the outcome after a year, looking forward to a brighter future where this innovative method might be employed across multiple villages, reimagining rural China.
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