Architectural Cases

In a groundbreaking endeavor, an interdisciplinary team has breathed new life into the centuries-old 'dikengyuan' underground dwellings on China's Loess Plateau. This innovative project not only reimagines traditional architecture for a changing climate but also strengthens community bonds, demonstrating a powerful fusion of heritage and modernity.

A Modern Revival of Henan's Subterranean Legacy

In the picturesque Zhangbian Township, nestled within the vast Loess Plateau of Henan Province, China, a visionary project spearheaded by a team from the University of Hong Kong has redefined the ancient practice of subterranean living. Professors John Lin, Olivier Ottevaere, and Lidia Ratoi, alongside a dedicated cohort of student volunteers and skilled local masons, embarked on a mission to modernize the 'dikengyuan' – traditional underground courtyard houses carved directly into the loess soil. This initiative, known as the 'Underground House of the Future,' seamlessly integrates traditional construction methods with cutting-edge technologies like large-scale 3D printing. The primary goal is to empower these unique architectural systems to withstand evolving climate patterns while simultaneously enriching the social fabric of rural communities. The project highlights the enduring relevance of underground homes, which, despite the rise of modern concrete structures, continue to offer stable indoor temperatures, effectively mitigating both summer heat and winter cold. Following the severe floods of 2021, which devastated many traditional underground dwellings, the focus shifted from mere preservation to adaptive innovation. A key figure in this transformation was Miss Zhu, the owner of the selected dwelling, who actively participates in documenting underground life through social media. Her collaboration with the design team led to the inspired decision to convert her private residence into a vibrant community gathering space. The central courtyard has been ingeniously redesigned as a stepped amphitheater, featuring terraced seating that doubles as pathways and guides rainwater into an advanced drainage system. This stepped surface was crafted using robotic 3D printing with earth-based materials, a technique collaboratively tested during construction workshops. Above the courtyard, a lightweight, translucent tensile canopy, conceived by Ottevaere, filters sunlight while preserving an open-air feel. An aperture in the canopy allows for a newly planted tree, honoring local feng shui traditions and restoring greenery lost to flooding. The surrounding rooms, reinforced with brick vaults by local artisans using traditional bamboo branch guides, now benefit from enhanced natural light and ventilation through new skylights and openings. This collaborative process not only infused new structural techniques but also created local employment, bolstering existing community skills.

This pioneering project serves as a compelling testament to how architectural heritage can be thoughtfully adapted to address contemporary challenges, fostering both environmental resilience and community cohesion. It reminds us that innovation is not always about discarding the old, but often about ingeniously weaving it with the new to create sustainable and vibrant futures. The transformation of a traditional home into a community hub offers a powerful model for rural development worldwide, emphasizing the importance of local wisdom, collaborative effort, and environmental consciousness in shaping our built environments.

Artist JR's latest exhibition, "Horizons," at Perrotin's Los Angeles gallery, encapsulates a decade of his compelling public art installations throughout California. This showcase, running from March 12th to April 25th, features a curated selection of photographic works that transform urban and natural landscapes into powerful social commentaries. JR's distinctive approach involves photographing individuals and communities, then monumentalizing their images onto buildings, walls, and even the U.S.-Mexico border, inviting viewers to reconsider their perspectives on shared spaces and human connections. The exhibition highlights his capacity to fuse art with activism, demonstrating how grand-scale visuals can initiate dialogue and foster empathy across diverse environments.

The exhibition's title, "Horizons," is deeply emblematic of JR's artistic philosophy. The horizon, representing both distance and a viewer's unique vantage point, serves as a metaphor for the varied interpretations and social dialogues embedded within his work. JR utilizes this concept to disrupt conventional understandings of familiar structures, transforming them into canvases for human interaction. Through these expansive images, he challenges the audience to engage with their surroundings and the narratives of the people depicted, encouraging a shift in perception and a deeper understanding of communal experiences.

A significant portion of the artworks on display originated as intimate portraits. JR meticulously captures the essence of individuals and groups, subsequently enlarging these photographs to monumental proportions. These installations are strategically placed within the built environment, utilizing facades, rooftops, and other urban elements as backdrops. This technique effectively imbues cityscapes with personal stories and expressions, making human presence palpable within the architectural fabric. The exhibition illustrates how California's diverse settings, from bustling city centers to remote desert landscapes, become integral components of JR's compositions, seamlessly blending art with daily life.

Among the most striking works featured is "Kikito," an installation near the U.S.-Mexico border. This piece depicts a toddler peering over the border wall, his small hands grasping the steel barriers. The image, born from JR's personal encounter with the child's family, powerfully recontextualizes the wall from a symbol of division into a site of innocent curiosity. Following its installation, JR orchestrated a cross-border picnic, uniting people from both nations in a shared meal, with a tablecloth adorned with a pair of eyes, symbolizing mutual observation and understanding. This act transformed the contentious boundary into a temporary nexus of shared humanity.

The exhibition also revisits "The Wrinkles of the City," a poignant series in which JR adorns urban architecture with close-up portraits of elderly residents. In Los Angeles, these evocative images sprawled across rooftops and building exteriors, transforming the city into a sprawling gallery of human memory. These portraits, seen from various vantage points, stretch across brickwork and industrial surfaces, with individual faces and pairs of eyes animating the skyline. Each photograph contributes to a collective tapestry of the city's past and present, anchoring human expression firmly within the urban landscape.

Another compelling aspect of the Perrotin exhibition is JR's ongoing collaboration within the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi. This initiative began when JR secured permission to engage with inmates, documenting their stories through portraiture. These portraits were then integrated into collaborative installations within the prison yard, fostering a sense of shared artistic creation and giving voice to an often-overlooked community. This project underscores JR's commitment to using art as a vehicle for social engagement and transformation, extending his visual narratives into unexpected and challenging environments.

The exhibition offers a profound reflection on the power of public art to bridge divides and highlight shared human experiences. Through his monumental photographic installations, JR invites viewers to transcend conventional boundaries, both geographical and conceptual. His works in California, from the U.S.-Mexico border to the Tehachapi prison, serve as poignant reminders that art can be a powerful catalyst for dialogue, empathy, and a reimagining of our collective horizons.