“Urban acupuncture” in rural China

A team of architects and professors from Tsinghua, Hong Kong University, and CAFA have been invited by Songyang municipality to participate in the renovation and showcase of the Diaotan and Pingtian villages in Zhejiang province, ChinaFile reports. The process, labeled “urban acupuncture”, consists of revitalizing the villages by developing innovative projects at a micro-local scale for residents and new visitors.

According to Luo Deyin, professor of architecture at Tsinghua, the concept of tourism, however, has to be expanded and opened up to include cultural and creative activities to avoid the widespread commercialization of traditional culture. It should then also be based on the guidelines established by the new Pingtian plan, which includes the transformation of old un-used houses into spaces dedicated to art exhibitions and/or artist residences, while also creating new public places for residents.