HIGHLY COMMENDED

SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY

CENTRE , L IJIANG , C HINA
ARCHITECT
LI XIAODONG DESIGN STUDIO

52 | 12

With the unrivalled rate of

development in China, there is
a genuine concern (admittedly
from foreign observers) that
Chinese architects are yet to
find a coherent contemporary
architectural identity.
Traditionally, China has had a
rich architectural heritage within
which even the most elementary
architectural eye could
identify common architectural
motifs: Dougong brackets that
articulate the junction between
column and beam; sweeping
concave roofs that create
distinctive silhouettes in both
urban and wild rural contexts;
brightly painted timber; and
perhaps most fundamentally,
the systematic grouping of
buildings around courtyards,
where the now overused
Western architectural clich
of making inside/outside space
had merit, authenticity and
appropriateness.
As last years Beijing Biennale
demonstrated, the most
interesting home-grown talents
were those who had chosen
to work with, rather than
against, their heritage. With this
project, Li Xiaodong is very
much part of this generation;
a generation that while not
necessarily being completely
satisfied with the resolution of
their own architectural language,
nevertheless works rigorously
to extract essence and nuance
when considering how to build.
The Yuhu Elementary School
and Community Centre,
completed last year, nestles in
the foothills of the Jade Dragon
Snow Mountain, in Lijiang, home
to the 280 000 or so members
of the Naxi minority nationality.
Providing educational space for
160 students and community
activity space for up to 1300
villagers, the complex comprises
three small buildings arranged
in a Z-configuration. This
creates two courtyards, each set
aside for separate school and
community activities. Deriving
significance from the Naxi

ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
Li Xiaodong revisits established architectural typologies
when placing this contemporary group of buildings within
a sensitive UNESCO World Heritage site.

1
From the south,
the school
courtyard is set
beside a large
maple tree.

HIGHLY COMMENDED
SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY
CENTRE , L IJIANG , C HINA
ARCHITECT
LI XIAODONG DESIGN STUDIO

first floor

1
2
3
4
5
6
7

museum
classroom
exhibition area
community courtyard
reecting pool
school courtyard
staffroom

ground floor (scale approx 1:500)

site plan

54 | 12

tenet that sees the mountains

as the backbone and water as
the soul of their culture, both
stone and water feature heavily;
as do reinterpretations of the
traditional Naxi home.
One such reinvention is
the articulation of the stair,
which forms a focus to
the community courtyard.
Traditionally occupying one
corner of a Naxi house, the
stair frees up space to provide
more flexible orthogonal rooms
while celebrating the ritual of
teachers making their way to
the classrooms below. Effort
was also made to simplify the
architectural language while
respecting traditional details

and techniques. The use of

traditional timber-frame
detailing with mortise and tenon
joints, for example, is a proven
safeguard against earthquake
collapse, with all masonry being
independently reinforced and
non load-bearing. Traditional
ornamentation is also reduced
to basics, with curved ridgelines
straightened and gable end
ornament simplified to a simple
lattice framework inspired by
traditional grain racks. Sliding
and casement windows are
also abundant, bringing fresh
air, light and access when
required. The uniqueness of the
design within a very particular
context impressed the judges,

as a demonstration of how
local materials, technology
and spatial arrangements can
be transformed into a fresh
language. The challenge for
this generation, however,
with Li Xiaodong and many
contemporaries based in cities
like Beijing, will ultimately
come when they are given the
opportunity to raise their game,
and to tackle the problems
associated with large-scale
urban developments. R. G.
Architect
Li Xiaodong Design Studio, Beijing
Project team
Li Xiaodong, Yeo Kang Shua,
Chong Keng Hua, Stanley Lee Tse Chen
Photographs
Melvin H. J. Tan

2
From within the classroom,
nature and landscape remain
dominant and distracting.
3,4,5
Within the community
courtyard, the twisted
staircase forms a focus ...
a contemporary twist, in
an otherwise traditional
context.
6
The community courtyard,
reflecting pool and Snow
Mountain beyond.