Recapturing the Memory of the Viaduct
PARADISE LOST
LOCATION
Guangzhou, China
YEAR
2017
PROGRAM
Humanistic Community
AWARD
UIA-HYP Cup International Student Competition in Architectural Design,
Finalist
COLL ABORATOR
Kawai Leung (Jiawei Liang)
In the chaos and order of urban development, a relationship exists between city life and urban planning. However, in the pursuit of rational and orderly urban planning, local traditional culture is often discarded and forgotten. Instead, the real-life scenario is a humanistic science of "firewood, rice, oil, and salt," where the relationships between people in public spaces construct the ‘genius loci’ of the place.
The design recreates the scenes of life in the once bustling street, but a space that did not exist in history similarly. Let the familiar images "activate" the memory fragments in our mind, and use "in situ" to retrieve the sense of ‘identity’ and ‘belonging’ that we used to have but have become unfamiliar. This is a poetic utopia that exists between chaos and order, a declaration to reclaim the mark of history on the viaduct.
The design recreates the scenes of life in the once bustling street, but a space that did not exist in history similarly. Let the familiar images "activate" the memory fragments in our mind, and use "in situ" to retrieve the sense of ‘identity’ and ‘belonging’ that we used to have but have become unfamiliar. This is a poetic utopia that exists between chaos and order, a declaration to reclaim the mark of history on the viaduct.
BACKGROUND
Over two centuries, Guangzhou’s unique cultural identity has embodied a pursuit of joy and meaning, now fading amidst modernization. This project reimagines space through elements iconic to Xiguan—corridors, arcades, and Manchu windows—creating dynamic, layered environments where function and memory intertwine. Repetition evokes nostalgia, while flowing paths blur activity zones and encourage spontaneous interactions. Semi-enclosed spaces, such as tea houses and night markets, enhance a sense of community and shared experience. By activating the city’s gray spaces—between chaotic streets and orderly infrastructure—we transform fragments into cohesive, story-driven scenes. Inspired by traditional forms like archways and towers, the design envisions surreal narratives: Mozart beneath a banyan tree, a philosopher at a corner store, a poet under an overpass, weaving life’s drama into the spirit of the city.