After the Ludian earthquake in 2014, most of the local rammed-earth buildings in Guangming Village were destroyed. Villagers chose to build brick?concrete houses during the reconstruction period. However, the price of building materials rapidly increased and became unaffordable for most local villagers.

© CUHKU - KUST

Architects: The Chinese University of Hong Kong & Kunming University of Science and Technology

Location: Zhaotong, Yunnan, China

Principal Architects: Edward Ng, Li Wan, Xinan Chi, Wenfeng Bai

Design Team: One University One Village project team

Area: 148.32 m2

Project Year: 2016

Photographs: CUHKU - KUST
© CUHKU - KUST

From the architect. After the Ludian earthquake in 2014, most of the local rammed-earth buildings in Guangming Village were destroyed. Villagers chose to build brick?concrete houses during the reconstruction period. However, the price of building materials rapidly increased and became unaffordable for most local villagers.

Site Plan

This project innovates the traditional rammed-earth building technology to provide villagers a safe, economical, comfortable, and sustainable reconstruction strategy that the villagers can afford, own, and pass on.

© CUHKU - KUST

A prototype house has been built for an aged couple to validate the technology and buildin...