Adaptive reuse of vernacular house in Dafeng: a project of cultural and community revitalization

The village of Dafeng, located on the outskirts of Dongguan's central urban area, possesses a rich history dating back to the 31st year of the Shaoxing reign during the Southern Song Dynasty (1161 AD). Over the centuries, this community has accumulated significant cultural heritage.

With the advancement of industrialization and urbanization, the function of the residences changed. Initially intended only for family use, they began to combine housing with rental activities. This transition altered the spatial design, which ceased to focus solely on the daily needs of the family to prioritize greater occupancy capacity aimed at profit. This context generated two movements: many residents demolished their old houses to erect low-rise multi-family buildings, while others chose to move to city apartments, leaving their original properties abandoned, causing the traditional landscape of the Lingnan lake region to gradually disappear.

In 2020, the village of Dafeng initiated a global urban development plan, boosting conservation and growth efforts. On December 8, 2022, the Second Plenary Session of the 13th Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China in Guangdong approved important measures, officially launching the large-scale implementation of the 'High-Quality Development Project for Hundreds of Counties, Thousands of Cities, and Thousands of Villages' at the provincial level. Subsequently, in May 2023, Dongguan city issued a mobilization order to execute the project widely, and in September of the same year, a municipal conference was held to detail the work guidelines.

The specific project is located in Dafeng village. The central building is a typical two-story house, constructed of blue bricks with a hip roof, characteristic of the Lingnan lake style from the 1960s. Oriented north to south, the building is flanked by an ancient stream to the north and overlooks a lake to the south. Additions made in the 1980s and 1990s, located east and south of the old house, consisted of single-story red brick structures intended for support functions such as storage, kitchen, and bathroom. For almost twenty years, the house remained unoccupied, presenting a closed, deteriorated, and disorganized internal and external spatial arrangement. Its modest and elegant character was obscured by neighboring tiled multi-family constructions. In the southeast corner of the plot, a century-old camphor tree serves as a shaded meeting point for residents, a public space that has been integrated into the 'Path of Life' node on the Dafeng village map.

The old residence, along with the streams, lakes, alleys, and century-old trees, holds childhood memories of the owner and the affectionate bonds lived with his grandmother. Thus, the objective of the renovation was to transform the place into a meeting point for the dispersed family, allowing ancestors to be honored and family ties to be reinforced. During times of less family use, the space can also host community gatherings and public debates with village committee officials and neighbors.

The architectural team from CM Design implemented a strategy of dialogue and juxtaposition between the new and the old, both in architecture and materials. The original house was restored following the principle of 'restoring the old as it was,' maintaining the initial spatial structure and the entrance portal in the northwest corner of the courtyard. The wooden beams of the second floor received anti-corrosion treatment for restoration, damaged clay tiles were replaced, the exterior blue brick walls and cement railings were cleaned, and existing doors and windows were replicated and repaired, highlighting the simplicity and elegance of the era. The interior walls and original staircase were painted to simulate rammed earth, recovering a rustic and authentic texture. The ground floor uses traditional Guangdong red bricks, known for their moisture resistance and non-slip properties. Old wooden furniture, cabinets, and household utensils were sanitized, restored, and displayed alongside old photographs.

The original living spaces were converted into a 'Family Memory Memorial,' complemented by photographs, drawings, and models of the renovation design and construction process.

The new addition expands the complex on the east side of the old house. Its primary structure consists of a light two-story steel frame, whose volume follows the hip roof of the original building. The exterior cladding uses galvanized corrugated sheets, a common material in local villages, lending a modern and minimalist aesthetic while underscoring the historical relevance of the old building. This constitutes a heterogeneous isomorphism, where the new and the old coexist side by side. The ground floor houses support areas, such as the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry, while the second floor was designed as a multifunctional meeting room connected to the upper floor of the old house. A metal spiral staircase connects the two levels.

The red brick structures that had been added along the alley facing the lake to the south and on the west side were removed. This intervention served to reveal the old house and accentuate its identity, in addition to freeing up a high-quality 'L'-shaped courtyard. A new access to the courtyard was created in the southwest corner, connecting the lake view to the future landscaping of the 'Path of Life' ancient tree node. The courtyard floor and walls are covered with elongated volcanic stone, harmonizing with the tone of the old house's blue bricks, resulting in an integrated and simple aesthetic. Integrating the courtyard's interior space, the lakeside alley, and the ancient tree square, the top of the courtyard wall features bamboo-steel railings at eye level. These elements, arranged in an orderly and partially rotated manner, establish a permeable boundary with alternating effects of presence and absence.

This project represents a community-oriented revitalization led by the CM Design team. Aligned with public directives for strengthening counties and valuing villages, the project meets the owner's desire to reclaim an idealized rural life and recover affective memories. Through this integration of architectural practice in historic villages of the Lingnan lake region, the team hopes the project will act as a catalyst that respects local culture, reactivates the site's old identity, and promotes the gradual rejuvenation of the entire village. The ultimate purpose is the tangible improvement of residents' daily lives, the stimulation of community coexistence, and the reestablishment of recognition for the architectural culture of traditional villages.