TEAM_BLDG redefines urban living with apartment complex renovation in guangzhou, china
located in a dense urban village in downtown guangzhou, china, this renovated residential building by TEAM_BLDG combines both elements of interior and landscape architecture in its design. the original building was a matchbox type house complex built between the 1950s and 1960s. in order to meet the actual needs of the occupants, a selection of alterations and additions was made.
the apartment building at dusk in a city of tall buildings
all images courtesy of TEAM_BLDG
considering the noisy, bustling surroundings of the apartment complex, as well as the fact that the area is mainly populated by young office workers, TEAM_BLDG realized the urgency of improving the quality of the community and the living environment. through conversations with the owner of the building, the designers decided to transform the façade, to get rid of the old, dirty impression and establish the benchmark image of the long-rented apartment brand. the new façade enhanced the integration of the urban village with the city, while still maintaining the cohesion of the local community.
night view
after extensive research, the wavy punched aluminum plate was chosen to wrap the façade, extending from the two ends of the atrium to the exterior. the pattern was picked as a reminder of the original façade’s splicing mosaic and also, as a semi-transparent covering layer that can visually ‘reduce the weight’ of the entire building. in addition, the reconstructed exterior highlights the contrast between the new and old design languages, and the symbiosis of the different buildings within an urban ‘collage’ of different sizes and textures.
new building and old street
meanwhile, the interior was redesigned, to assure the use of the common space for neighborhood interaction and activities. staggered floor was applied to the corridor, and the walls were ‘cut’ in order to create public and private resting spots. another focal point of the inside renovation was the inner yard: the original structures of the yard were cleaned and the various cords, lines and pipes were sorted out in order to ensure the openness and comfort of the space. the apartment complex includes a gym, audio-visual rooms and other public spaces. at the entrance, an elevator was added to reach each floor conveniently. as far as construction is concerned, in order to meet the design requirements of low cost and high efficiency, prefabricated building materials were used, such as terrazzo floor tiles and dry hanging metal sheets.
the new building and the old building
lighted apartment building at dusk
the rhythm of the facade can be seen from the sidewalk
‘light’ façade material
the public space surrounded by the main three-dimensional dynamic lines of the original building
atrium-looking up
Rhythmic interior façade
2f plan
section a-a
project info:
architects: TEAM_BLDG
location: guangzhou, china