I. Preface
The current core strategy of China's rural revitalization is to rely on the feeding effect of the city, bring vitality to the countryside through the development of tourism, and then drive the entry of capital, industry and culture, and effectively promote the return of the rural population and the settlement of the foreign population.
Among them, the stationing of cultural programs in villages has become a brand new attempt. China's famous literary group, Longma Studio, has established a Drama Commune in Changshou Village, Pingshan, Shenzhen, to form a regular base for rural art performance, engaging in the creation, rehearsal and performance of dramas. In order to support the establishment of the Drama Commune, Zhu Xiaodi was invited to undertake the overall planning and design of the key areas of Changshou Village.
II. Entering Changshou Village
Changshou Village is located in the northeast of Shenzhen, among the hills of Pingshan, and the venue for the show is determined to be the original traditional Hakka residence in Changshou Village - Jiang's House. The house was built in the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty and covers an area of 8,000 square meters. With its back to the mountain and facing the water pond, it is a typical layout of Guangdong houses. Nowadays, part of the house remains intact, while the other part has been demolished.
Observing the spatial pattern of Changshou Village from the air, it can be seen that Changshou Village still retains the form of an agrarian civilization - the houses of each family are self-contained, the road system is relatively narrow, and there is a lack of necessary open space and corresponding public space. The village entrance, streets, alleys, and water ponds themselves are also very constricted, and coupled with the baptism of the market economy over the past few decades, it has now lost the charm of gathering popularity in the past.
The pond in front of the enclosure house is now leased to a private party for use as a fish pond. The original shoreline has been replaced by stones and concrete, and in order to prevent people or vehicles from accidentally falling into the water, stainless steel railings have been installed around the pond, which has completely changed the original appearance of the pond and its status in the village. These changes are incompatible with the rustic tone of the village and constitute an irreversible destruction of the landscape, invariably exacerbating the sense of fragmentation of the rural public space and making people more detached and numb.
The LongmaStudio's theater performances will surely have a huge impact and gathering effect on Changshou Village, Pingshan and even Shenzhen, becoming a heavyweight cultural event that will inspire people to watch and participate in rural cultural life. However, the regularization of the performance will bring about a surge in the number of tourists, posing a considerable challenge to the originally limited public space of Changshou Village. How to accommodate the large group of visitors and avoid potential conflicts between local residents and foreign tourists has become an urgent issue.
Water ponds in the hilly areas of the south play an important role in traditional villages, which not only carry the villagers' functions of collecting water, washing clothes, and fire prevention, but also have landscape and feng shui meanings, and are important public spaces and emotional ties in the villages. Nowadays, the increasingly urbanized way of life makes the water pond gradually lose its original function and become an isolated “fish pond”, and its rigid boundaries block the extension of sight and the possibility of water intimacy, which makes it impossible to form a communal nature and the occurrence of various interaction activities.
Simply restoring the original shoreline of the Reservoir is neither feasible nor practical. Removing the railings along the edge of the reservoir will also affect the safety of villagers and tourists. At the same time, with the increase in the number of foreign tourists and spectators, they come here not only to watch the drama, but also eager to deeply understand the village culture, experience and integrate into the village life.
In August 2023, Zhu Xiaodi and his team came to the site of the enclosure house, and based on the research and analysis of the water pond in front of the enclosure house, they proposed a spatial upgrading plan, which was highly recognized by the Pingshan Municipal Government and the Longma Studio.
III. The birth of the “soft square”
Zhu Xiaodi puts forward the idea of building a huge rope net weaving structure on the water pond, this installation is flat and perfectly connected with the surrounding roads, as if expanding a new square and becoming a new public space in the village. The rope net material has extremely low ductility and a breaking tension of up to 90KN, allowing people to walk, stop, sit or lie freely on it. This design not only innovates the construction of public space, but also provides villagers and tourists with a unique enjoyment of being close to nature and relaxing. Thus, this architectural installation has its own name: “Soft Square”.
Although the rope net is absolutely safe, its unique grid structure creates a sense of novelty by forcing people to be careful and try to keep their balance so as not to inadvertently trigger the butterfly effect of swaying. Because of the nature of the rope net, each step of another person is clearly transmitted and vice versa, and this experience constitutes a unique form of interaction that transforms passive perception into active participation.
In the process of gradual adaptation, people begin to release their nature to the fullest. A rope not only weaves a net covering the water pond, but also connects the people on the net closely, weaving together the joys and memories in Changshou Village.
The “soft square” allows people to temporarily forget their own identity, blurring the boundaries between each other, whether it is a city dweller or a local, can find a sense of belonging in this rope net, into the embrace of the countryside. At this moment, people feel equal and happy, and draw each other closer with friendly greetings.
The rope mesh offers a serene spot for people to leisurely gaze at the vast sky, overlook the pond, and watch the swimming fish and blooming lotus flowers below. In the evening, they can wait for and appreciate the rising moon, its reflection shimmering on the serene water.
In order to optimize the structural design of the rope net and reduce the cost, seven circular concrete support structures were designed in the pond, which effectively shortened the span of the rope net. At the same time, in order to balance the horizontal tensile force of the rope netting on the side walls of the pond, multiple steel supports were extended to the perimeter at the seven concrete support structures.
The distance between the centerlines of the two adjacent ropes is 120mm, which allows people of all ages to move safely and comfortably on the rope net. Underneath the rope net, another rope net made of more slender material is laid to prevent objects from falling.
In addition, two openable entrances have been provided on the rope net layer to facilitate daily maintenance by the management. Of course, the presence of the rope mesh does not eliminate the original function of the pond, but remains an integral part of the village water system.
IV. Summary
Public space is not a static entity, nor is it a closed system with clearly defined boundaries. Instead, it is an open, inclusive, ever-evolving organism that is continuously explored and expanded. The "Soft Square" architectural installation not only accommodates the daily life of the countryside and integrates various functions of tourism and entertainment, but also holds deep spiritual significance. It serves as an important place for connection and emotional expression, demonstrating that the meaning of space often resonates with specific communities in a particular time and space context. Beyond functional attributes, this space holds cultural and social significance.
