In Nantou City, Shenzhen, Neri& Hu has converted a nine-storey residential building into a guesthouse. Wrapped in metal mesh, the adaptive reuse project features eleven guestrooms and strives to address the cultural heritage of buildings in Nantou City.
Blending with the scale of the narrow alleyways of the urban village, the guesthouse’s small entrance blends with its surroundings while offering a modern appearance with its light steel screen-like cladding. Engaging organically with the urban fabric, the new entrance to the guesthouse is created by extending a side street into the heart of the building, as if inviting neighbours and friends into one’s private home.
Stripping back and cutting open the original building’s structure reveals a new public realm on the inside of the previously private apartment block. The existing exposed structural elements are combined with modern accents throughout the building, resulting in contrast and tension between old and new, past and present.
Old and new are juxtaposed throughout the building. An existing stairwell that had previously connected all nine floors is cut open and expanded to create a new vertical courtyard. The metal stair is suspended within the space to allow visitors access to the upper floors.
At the top, the building features a rooftop terrace with dining space, makeshift gardens and vegetable farms. The multiple roof uses are enhanced by a flat floating roof installed to provide a dramatic panorama of street life below.
