The Li’s Yizhuang group facing Shantang River locations on Shantang Street which is a cultural street with a history of 1200 years. Shantang River and Shantang Street of Suzhou are important parts of the Grand Canal as a World Heritage Site. The Li’s Yizhuang group includes a group of traditional ancestral halls belonged to Municipal level cultural relics,15 residential buildings and an old warehouse.
Due to years of illegal constructions, the current site is overcrowded and messy. Through carefully screening, removing the illegal structures and preserving the historic buildings, architects sort through the current space and make it reappear its original spatial organization. The unique neighborhood texture of “street, alley, courtyard” of Suzhou is revealed through the renovation. The 15 residential buildings are renovated as hotel rooms; Li’s ancestral halls and the warehouse are renovated as public spaces of the hotel.
Shantang Street is a national historical street of China. Architects are very cautious to continue the traditional residence elements and retain the mottled exterior walls. Only modern materials were used in the replaced doors and windows.
Bio YIJIAN Architects was founded in 2016. YIJIAN has always upheld the purpose of research-based design. YIJIAN believes that each project has its own unique specialty that cannot be copied. Our job is to find the value through research, so that it can become the core competitiveness and sustainable influence of the project.
YIJIAN's projects focus on Spatial Aesthetics, Sustainability and Social Significance. YJA has won multiple awards.
Other prizes Project: Chengdu Chuntai Yue ·Rural Health Care Community 1.2022 Pro+ Award - Gold Award of Public Buildings from Shanghai Institute of Architecture 2.2023I CONIC AWARDS WINNER Award from the German Design Association 3.2024 German National Design Award from German Design Association Project: Chengdu Chuntai Wang Rehabilitation Hospital and Rehabilitation Care Institutions 1.2022 Pro+Award - Silver Award for Public Buildings from Shanghai Architecture Society 2.2023 ICONIC AWARDS WINNER Award from the German Design Association 3.2023 World Architecture Festival's health building category, short list 4.2024 International Property Awards, health building category Project: Chengdu Chuntai Rural Health and Wellness Complex 1.2024 Pro+ Award - Gold Award of Planning from Shanghai Institute of Architecture Project: Suzhou Shantang Phase IV Renewal Plan 1.2022 A'DESIGN Award - Bronze Award of Urban Planning and Design from Italian Design Association Project: The 12th Mine Hospital Renewal Design 1.2024 A'DESIGN Award - Bronze Award of Architectural Design from Italian Design Association 2.2024 World Architecture Festival's Future Projects category, short list Project: Heilongtan Reservoir Jinsha Island Biodiversity Planning and Birding Design 1.2024 A+ Awards, Special Nomination Award for Landscape category
