WEME Award Winning Projects | The Long Rhythm of Lai Ethnicity, Don't Miss the Good Scenery

Long Li Rhythm, Don't Lose the Good Scenery

--Donghe Township, Dongfang City - Beautiful Countryside Enhancement Project of Oxian and Nanlang

- Award Category / Level: 2023 Hainan Provincial Excellent Engineering Survey and Design Award for Landscape Design

- Awarded by: Hainan Provincial Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, Hainan Provincial Landscape Architecture Society

This project won the 2023 Hainan Provincial Excellent Engineering Survey and Design Award for Landscape Architecture. The project team successfully combined traditional rural areas with modern lifestyles through the design of the project for upgrading and building the beautiful villages of Oixian and Nanlang in Donghe Town. The project focuses on the protection and inheritance of local culture, and through the rational arrangement of space planning, functional layout and landscape places, it creates a rural environment that is pleasant to live in, visit and work in. The creativity and professionalism of the project team have given the rural enhancement project in Donghe Township a unique charm and potential for sustainable development.

01 Project Overview

The project is located in the hinterland of the picturesque Oxianling Tourist Area, surrounded by numerous scenic spots. Among them, the majesty of Ohxianling and the elegance of Huanghuali Manor have long become well-known landmarks in the hearts of tourists. In the context of the country's strategy of vigorously promoting rural revitalization, Rohyen and Nanlang villages have become a rare natural treasure with their unique karst landscape and the perfect blend of virgin tropical rainforest. This mountain range seems to be a work of art carefully carved by nature, left by the Creator between the mountains as a precious gift. The scenery of the magnificent, species-rich, known as Hainan mountains in the bright pearl, so folk affectionately called "the East small Guilin".

1.1 Advantages of attractions

Within the village, tropical plants grow luxuriantly, abundant forest resources, dense vegetation, lush greenery, constructing a vibrant natural ecological environment. In this land, Oxien, Nanlang Village to pear industry and rural tourism as the two main pillars, the village is filled with a strong Li culture, as if it is a living epic of Li culture. Here, not only is the home of Li people's life, but also to the tourists to show the unique cultural flavor of Hainan Li excellent stage, so that every visitor can deeply feel the cultural charm of this land and the beauty of nature.

1.2 Design difficulties

How to dig deep into the rural cultural heritage, realize the unique charm of "one village, one product", highlighting the distinctive characteristics of Li culture? This requires us to dig deep into the history and culture, folk customs and natural landscape of Oixian and Nanlang villages, and turn them into the core competitiveness of tourism products. At the same time, it is crucial to plan reasonable tour routes to ensure that tourists can easily visit various attractions in the villages and fully experience the charm of the Lixiang culture.

In terms of creating diversified functional support, we need to focus on the improvement of food, accommodation, transportation, shopping and playing. In terms of food, we can introduce special Li dishes, so that tourists can taste the authentic Li flavor; in terms of lodging, we can build lodging with Li flavor, so that tourists can feel the tranquility and beauty of the countryside in a comfortable environment; in terms of transportation, we need to optimize the layout of the traffic in the village to ensure that tourists can travel conveniently; in terms of shopping, we can set up a sales point of special commodities, so that tourists can buy souvenir Li artifacts; in terms of entertainment, we can organize a rich variety of activities, so that visitors can easily visit various attractions in the village. In terms of entertainment, rich cultural activities can be organized so that tourists can feel the charm of Li culture in participation.

While satisfying the comfort of existing villagers' living, we also need to focus on the harmonious coexistence with tourists. Through reasonable planning and management, to ensure that the activities of tourists will not interfere with the normal life of the villagers, and at the same time let the villagers benefit from tourism development, to realize the harmonious coexistence of villagers and tourists.

1.3 Problems of the current situation

The infrastructure of the village is still in its infancy and is in need of further improvement. At present, the internal orientation system of the village is not clear, resulting in tourists and villagers often feel confused when moving around the village, unable to quickly find their destination. The architectural style of the village also fails to fully demonstrate its unique charm, and the lack of unified planning and design has led to a poor overall effect. In addition, there is a common phenomenon of electric wires being built haphazardly in the village, which not only affects the aesthetics of the village, but also poses certain safety risks.

At the same time, many open spaces in the village are exposed, lacking greening and beautification, making the overall environment look monotonous and desolate. More importantly, there is a lack of recreational areas for public activities in the village, such as fitness areas for the elderly and children's playgrounds, making the choices for villagers and tourists in terms of recreation very limited.

In addition, there are safety hazards on some of the traveled roads, with uneven road surfaces and unclear traffic signs, which have brought certain nuisances and risks to the travel of villagers and tourists. Therefore, we need to carry out a comprehensive planning and renovation of the village to improve the overall image and quality of the village, and provide villagers and tourists with a more comfortable, convenient and safe living and tourism environment.

▲The current situation of the site before remodeling

02 Design Concept

Only when design is deeply rooted in the renewal and transformation of local culture can it take root and grow in this hot land. In order to further promote the development of Oixian and Nanlang villages, and to enhance the charm and market competitiveness of rural tourism, we deeply analyzed the cultural heritage, ecological resources and industrial structure of the two villages, and focused the design on humanistic art and ecological resources. We expect to use humanistic art and ecological idyll as two wings, re-create, re-develop and re-use local elements, skillfully integrate art with nature, culture and tourism, and carefully create a unique and attractive rural tourism resort.

We plan to use folk art as a powerful engine for future tourism development, injecting a steady stream of cultural elements and vitality into the countryside. The project design will be closely integrated with different terrain, village characteristics and industrial status quo, focusing on the four core elements of "mountains, pears, Li and gardens", and tailor-made for the four villages with the four themes of "secluded residence, pear aroma, Li love and flower town", and strive to realize the unique design effect of "one village, one product", so that each village will have its own unique design. Design effect, so that each village has a unique charm and luster.

Flower township Baomei - lakeside flower sea, visitor services

Pear Fragrance Rohyen--Flowering pear fragrance, craft experience

Li Love Dawei--Li ethnic flavor, folklore experience

Nanlang - mountain seclusion, facilities and services

▲Remodeled Village Scene - Village Entrance

2.1 Respecting the spirit of place and shaping characteristic cultural space places

In response to the gradual weakening of the village characteristics, we need to protect and reshape the key places and spaces of the village through systematic sorting and focused design, in order to inherit the cultural characteristics and awaken the cultural confidence of the villagers. The first task is to improve and optimize the leisure space of the village, remove the temporary structures that affect the overall appearance, and reshape the interface around the square, so that it can be revitalized and become the core of the villagers' daily activities once again, and carry a more colorful public life. At the same time, we also need to improve the path and node system in the village core area, and carefully create a cultural space network with village characteristics to show the unique charm of the village.

▲After the renovation of the village scenery - leisure space

▲After remodeling the village scene - leisure plaza and bus shelters

▲Rehabilitated rural landscape - leisure space

2.2 Balancing tradition and modernity - the use of old and new materials and techniques

While the design skillfully uses local materials, it also boldly innovates by incorporating cement imitation wood technology and stainless steel imitation wood devices, which not only highlights the local culture and rural characteristics, but also ensures that the materials are more durable and effectively reduces the maintenance costs in the later stage. In the village renovation, old and new elements coexist harmoniously, and the whole is still filled with warm memories of village life. The stone retaining walls are cleverly left open, planted with flowers and plants, and old objects such as ceramic pots are carefully collected and transformed into chic landscapes, which are recycled and skillfully integrated into the villagers' life imprints, giving new life to the local culture.

▲After the renovation of the countryside--Li residential street style

2.3 The continuation of Li countryside style - Li elements are used throughout the application

Digging deep into the essence of Li culture, actively defending the cultural treasures of the village, skillfully using the "Li brocade pattern" and "Li totem" as the core elements of landscape design, embellished with totem poles, frog sculptures, clay pots and other landscape vignettes rich in Li characteristics, aiming to create a strong Li cultural atmosphere. create a strong Li cultural atmosphere. This not only turns the village into an important carrier of Li spiritual culture, but also guides the young generation of villagers to appreciate and cherish the deep value of the historical and cultural heritage of Li villages.

▲Li Ethnic Elements Landscape Vignettes

03 Social benefits

Following the construction concept of "the world look at the pear, Hainan pear look at the Orient", we fully respect and retain the existing pear tree in the design of the complete form, while in the planting layout, carefully selected pear trees for replanting. This not only optimizes the living environment of the villagers, but also strengthens the unique status of pear in the heart of the Oriental people, leaving valuable economic benefits for future generations. In terms of supporting facilities in the village, we have carefully designed the farmhouse, lodging, etc., which improves the facilities of the scenic spot and effectively promotes the farmers' income. As an indispensable and important part of the scenic spot, the Li specialty village is a place to display the Li flavor and reflect the Li

Through the careful design of the beautiful villages of Oixian and Nanlang in Donghe Township, this project has successfully integrated tradition and modernity, culture and nature, giving new vitality to the villages. On the basis of deep excavation of rural culture, we focus on protection and inheritance, and through landscape shaping and functional layout, we create a rural environment that is pleasant to live in, pleasant to swim in, and pleasant to work in. In the future, as the project continues to advance, this land will blossom into a more brilliant luster and become an exemplary work of rural revitalization.

(Contributed by: Hainan Branch)