High-rise Building Design in the Form of a Vault Structure

Location: Shanxi, China
Time: Nov.2018- Jan.2019
Studio Critic: Deqing BU
Project in collaboration with: Yuxuan Gao, Shuo Li

While traveling along the highway, I observed numerous abandoned kilns scattered across the landscape, remnants of a once-active way of life. This project explores how modern high-rise architecture, inspired by the vaulted forms of traditional cave dwellings, can reconnect people with these cultural memories and encourage a return to site and tradition.

By adapting various forms of vernacular cave architecture to respond to the mountain’s slope, the design integrates traditional spatial logic into a contemporary vertical system. The building is composed of multiple layers, including vertical circulation, communal living spaces, outdoor activity platforms, residential units, and cultural nodes. Each layer contributes to a vibrant, multifunctional environment that bridges past and present, tradition and modernity.