Dingzha Village Regeneration

Declining of rural industries and the siphoning phenomenon of the surrounding metropolis can be the death sentence for rural towns. Once left to fall into decline, the site of former rural life are then often snapped up at low cost, and swallowed up by soulless new development, often suburban housing. This pattern offers another development direction. Local government, its partners and the design team believed that Dingzha, a once famous historical old town between Shanghai and Hangzhou, offers spatial and cultural potential, to be transformed into market town of new future with a business focus on agriculture, youth, culture, science, and countryside living. A major demolition is never a good way to preserve the history of a site. The site itself offered a rich inspiration. We worked with the texture of the old buildings, reinterpreted the characteristic shapes of existing buildings, and retained important building components and structures. The old and the new are now intermingled and reflect the history of Dingzha in different times. This collage of old and new buildings, the diverse sequences of public spaces and interesting routes welcomes people back into town. The new life in the countryside perpetuates the memory of Dingzha.