The project is located within a residential compound at the foot of the Jinshanling Great Wall in Chengde, Hebei Province. Originally designed as a villa, the building was commissioned for renovation by two ceramic artists from Jingdezhen, who envisioned transforming it into a studio that integrates both exhibition and production functions. The two-story interior space was clearly divided into two main zones: one-third serves as a public gallery for displaying ceramic works, while the remaining two-thirds are dedicated to the artists’ working area, fully equipped to support the entire ceramic-making process, including shaping, trimming, glazing, and firing.
In response to the complex functional demands and the constraints of the original structure, we proposed a design strategy of “constructing a second container within the architectural container.” A symbolically charged “ceramic vessel” was inserted into the existing building to become the new spatial core. This vessel functions not only as a container of programs but also as a conceptual metaphor—echoing the dual qualities inherent in ceramic works: the rough, clay-like exterior and the smooth, glazed interior. In ceramics, these two textures represent, respectively, the hand’s interaction with clay and the vessel’s relationship with its contents. We aimed to spatially reflect this duality—assigning the glazed, refined finish to the exhibition area, or the “interior of the interior,” while exposing the raw structural systems and utilities in the production area, or the “interior of the exterior.” This interplay of materiality and meaning becomes a narrative tool embedded within the architectural form.
The inserted vessel takes its structural inspiration from traditional ceramic kilns, composed of a gray steel frame and infilled with white mullite refractory bricks. While this form is structurally akin to blockwork partitions commonly found in interiors, its material reinterpretation lends it both symbolic weight and physical integrity. Externally, the vessel retains an intentionally “unfinished” appearance—its frame expressed, edges rough—like an unglazed clay body still awaiting the kiln. Internally, however, it is lined with refined finishes suited to both display and focused creative work, creating a calm and contemplative atmosphere. The vessel serves simultaneously as a physical insertion, a functional divider, and a carrier of structural, visual, and emotional meaning.
Several openings puncture the vessel, connecting it with both the existing building and the surrounding landscape. These apertures foster visual and acoustic connections between the gallery and the studio, allowing visitors to glimpse the ceramic production process while viewing finished works—and enabling the artists to maintain a clear awareness of their creations’ final presentation. This visual dialogue blurs the line between labor and finished art. Select openings also frame views of natural light and distant mountains, maintaining a tangible relationship with the surrounding environment.
Materially, the design seeks resonance with the site’s geographic and cultural context. Red brick flooring was used throughout, while the walls in the production zone emphasize structural rawness and tactile strength, evoking both the handmade quality of kilns and the ancient masonry of the Jinshanling Great Wall nearby.
Throughout the renovation, we aimed to strike a balance between contemporary expression and local cultural continuity. Retaining the original architectural structure pays homage to the site’s history, while the vessel’s insertion responds to a contemporary artistic narrative. This “embedded but independent” structure acts as a modern interlude within the traditional envelope—an architectural embodiment of the spirit of ceramics. The entire space, shaped around this central volume, gains a renewed sense of order and character—quietly yet distinctively coming to life beneath the enduring shadow of the Great Wall.
Information
Location: Chengde, Hebei Province
Project Type: Commercial / Retail
Area: 220m²
Interior（Architectural） Design: Ao-ArchLab
Back to Homepage