SPACE April 2026 (No. 701)
In the fields of Huai’an County, Zhangjiakou City, wheat fields stretch endlessly towards the horizon. In the middle of these fields stands an abandoned concrete bridge. Once the tallest man-made structure on this plain, the bridge now remains a silent relic, habouring the memories of the surrounding villages.
Rather than suppressing the site’s heritage, our intervention seeks to spatially transform and regenerate the abandoned bridge through lightweight architectural strategies.
Concept diagram
Upon the existing bridge structure, the new work of architecture emerges as a ‘floating form’. By elevating the volume on a pilotis and employing a lightweight roofing system, the design alleviates pressure on the ground plane. The envelope consists of ultra-white glass curtain walls layered with white metal frames; this pixelated façade resonates with the texture of the surrounding landscape while simultaneously dissolving the building’s mass. The original road beneath the bridge has been preserved, allowing residents to traverse the site along their accustomed paths. Inside, a mixed-use programme serves as a site for assembly, hosting weekend markets and diverse cultural activities.
BUZZ Architects (Zhuang Ziyu)
Ren Zhongqi, Xing Mengzhao, Li Mengyao, Xu Yahan,
Zhangjiakou, China
community centre, pavilion
400m²
10.5m
RC
glass, concrete, steel
2024
Zhangbei Desheng Rural Tourism Industry Developmen
L.J. Design