Tian qi converts huxi pottery kiln into a hillside dining experience

THE HUXI POTTERY KILN, DESIGNED PRO-BONO BY LOCAL ARCHITECT TIAN QI, IS LOCATED ON A HILL IN SANHE VILLAGE OUTSIDE OF CHONGKING, CHINA. dotted with several pottery factories which have led

to an oversupply of product in recent years, the owner of the property decided to turn the kiln into a restaurant- an endeavor which architect qi agreed to on the one condition that the

kilns remain fully functioning.  a hybrid structure of local brick and wood meets the existing stone on site image © tian qi, liu guochang (also first image) THE FOOTPRINT OF THE BUILDING

WAS KEPT FOR THE MOST PART THE SAME- A NEW ROOF FOLLOWS THE EXACT SLOPE OF THE HILLSIDE AND LOCAL BRICK FROM A NEARBY MANUFACTURER WAS USED TO KEEP MATERIAL COST DOWN. the new restaurant is

a carefully planned combination of old and new, traditional and avant garde, combining different elements to create a one of a kind dining experience that offers a working pottery kiln as a

backdrop. masonry and wood framing were utilized as the primary construction components both for their economical and historical implications. the assembly of the structure was planned out

with input from the workers that would build it, using the methods and materials that are currently used in the area due to their time and effectiveness.  slate floor tiles terminate into

the natural rocky hillside that made up thge kiln’s walls image © tian qi, liu guochang A SEMI INDOOR/OUTDOOR RESTAURANT IS COMPOSED BY A DISCONTINUING ROOF SUPPORTED BY A TIMBER FRAME

STRUCTURE AND BRICK COLUMNS. elements of the original pottery kiln, left almost in a state of ruin, are closely tied into the newly installed slate tile floor or custom steel and wood

fixtures. the project goes beyond a new structure overlayed onto an existing condition- small details present throughout the renovation show the architect’s attention to the history of the

site and its culture. apart from the construction method itself, small pots produced on site can be found embedded into a masonry wall, local stones unearthed are placed as pedestals in a

rock garden as well as lighting the pathway to the entrance, while short bamboo stocks serve as chandelier stems. the specific surface structure of the walls and ceiling was developed

through extensive material research image © tian qi, liu guochang the highly dense and extremely heavy engineered gypsum fiberboard panels reflect sound image © tian qi, liu guochang after

nine and a half years of construction, the project is finally nearing completion image © tian qi, liu guochang restaurants, cafés, bars, and a hotel are now open to the public image © tian

qi, liu guochang various circulation routes connect the multi-storey scheme image © tian qi, liu guochang views from staircases help activate the interior space image © tian qi, liu guochang

escalators lead visitors to the upper reaches of the building image © tian qi, liu guochang views from staircases help activate the interior space image © tian qi, liu guochang views from

staircases help activate the interior space image © tian qi, liu guochang views from staircases help activate the interior space image © tian qi, liu guochang views from staircases help

activate the interior space image © tian qi, liu guochang views from staircases help activate the interior space image © tian qi, liu guochang the original kiln before renovation image ©

tian qi, liu guochang 1/5 PROJECT INFO: ADDRESS: sahe village, shaping district, chongqing AREA: 500㎡ ARCHITECT: tian qi ASSISTANT ARCHITECTS: xue kai, zhang han, xinyue wei, yu si LANDSCAPE

ARCHITECTS: tian qi, bai xuefeng INTERIOR ARCHITECTS: tian qi, yue qiang ARCHITECTURE PHOTOGRAPHER: tian qi, liu guochang TIME OF COMPLETION: 2016 Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save

Save danny hudson I designboom apr 24, 2017