Made In China – Building Bajia

Over the past three decades, China has experienced rapid urban growth and rural-urban migration – responsible for approximately 70 percent of the country’s urban population growth in 2008. Such rapid urbanization has transformed the spatial and social landscape of Beijing. As a consequence, the creation of chengzhongcun – ‘villages in the city’ highlights the persistent divide between rural migrants and urban citizens with ‘Hukou’ status.

The most recent solution adopted by the Chinese Government to Beijing’s overcrowding issues and ambitions towards their ‘utopian product city’ is the implementation of the ‘Wegai System’.  A policy that looks to re-house residents of Beijing’s most densely populated areas to the outskirts of the city.  However, through being forced to live in anonymous high rises, residents have lost their traditional sense of identity and community. Furthermore, with the threat of being re-housed at any time, residents are reluctant to invest in the maintenance of their homes.

The project strives to find an appropriate solution to the problems presented within the site, Bajia migrant village. Forming a sustainable and responsible migrant community. Making use of design qualities that already exist within Bajia, residential clusters aim to achieve high-density living. A permanent ‘spoke’ structure supports additional living pods which allow for the expansion and contraction of the settlement.  Having relocated to the area, migrants become part of a self-sufficient community, with the plan acting as generator for offspring developments. Building on the concepts of legible programme and radial zoning the proposal promotes a green environment encouraged by algae cultivation and flexible living; through a policy of combined ‘fixed community anchors’ and temporal private domains. The solution represents the key themes of legible programme hierarchy, the creation of a thickened, habitable structural frame and fusion between private and public event.