Alumnus Hon Chi Hou’s Studio Project “Grotto Retreat Xiyaotou”

Studio Avoid, led by our alumnus Hon Chi Hou (BSSc 2017), has completed a hostel namely “Grotto Retreat Xiyaotou” in China’s Hebei province, which consists of a series of cave-like brick-clad pods connected by a raised walkway. The design is inspired by the traditional cave dwellings, and attempts to realise a community in which public and private coexist. The hostel’s pods have a seemingly irregular placement and organic forms, which complements the natural properties of the surroundings. The hostel, developed as part of a programme supporting the redevelopment of abandoned villages, could provide accommodation, local cuisine and activities for visitors. Due to its separation into a cluster of individual units, the retreat could be adapted in the future according to the community’s changing needs.

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