West Wusutu Village Community Centre

The village was the focus of a 2018 rural revitalisation initiative that led to widespread brick waste. In collaboration with villagers and local artists, architect Zhang Pengju proposed reusing these bricks to construct a low-cost, multifunctional community centre.

Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Dou Yujun

Aerial view of the community centre.

The centre is accessed via a narrow entrance corridor that leads straight into the off-centre circular courtyard.

The centre's courtyard doubles as a venue for performances and communal events, encouraging everyday connection and attracting visitors from the nearby regional capital Hohhot.

The large roof top is accessible to the public and creates a series of spaces that are used for recreation by the old and young alike.

Aerial view of the centre showing the roof and the courtyard. This building is designed around spaces for community activity.

Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Dou Yujun

Aerial view of the roof towers. Underground ventilation and passive cooling towers harness natural airflow and thermal mass principles, minimising energy use.

Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Dou Yujun

Breaking into the courtyard’s circular shape, a staircase leads to a roof terrace where seating steps invite social gathering.

From the courtyard, visitor circulation is fluid throughout, with no solid divisions between spaces.

View of the building from the south-west. The light exterior finish of the brick was applied by hand; it increases its durability and evokes the soil of the surrounding area.

Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Dou Yujun

Indoor circulation space and resting area. The building maximises passive lighting and shading through strategic placement of large windows, which illuminate the interior while limiting heat gain.

Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Dou Yujun

Instrumental in its low cost was the approach of building it almost entirely of bricks salvaged from the earlier demolitions.

The building's sophisticated geometry creates a remarkable visual connection between its different levels and its interior and exterior spaces.

View from inside one of the four ventilation towers – which are connected to an underground cooling system.

The architecture takes advantage of the beauty of its natural environs, with its views towards the Daqing Mountains.

Performance around a fire in the courtyard of the community centre at night.

Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Dou Yujun

View of the courtyard after it rained. The courtyard features a drainage outlet cut into the brickwork, designed to allow rainwater to flow out. This outlet can be deliberately blocked so rainwater can form a temporary pool.

Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Dou Yujun

View of the interior courtyard where water has formed a reflecting pool.

Existing trees were preserved as a marker for villagers’ collective memory.

Architectural drawing: section and elevations.

Zhang Wenjun / Zhao Zhen

Architectural drawing: Ground floor plan.

Aga Khan Trust for Culture / Dou Yujun

West Wusutu Village Community Centre

Award Cycle: 2023-2025 Cycle

Status: Award Recipient

Country of origin: China

Location: Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China

Client: West Wusutu Village Community

Architect: Inner Mongolian Grand Architecture Design Co. Ltd / Zhang Pengju

Completed: 2023

Images

The multifunctional community centre serves a rural village with a rich historical and cultural context. It has three primary functions: providing gathering spaces for elderly residents, children, and returning young villagers; creating exhibition and social spaces for artists; and addressing the religious needs of the Hui Muslim community, who are far from the main mosque.

The total area is 1,276 square metres, with a significant central circular courtyard of 203 square metres, serving as a focal point for outdoor activities and community cohesion. The 786-square-metre rooftop platform serves as a children's play area. Constructed entirely with reclaimed bricks from local demolitions, the buildings integrate an 80-mm fly ash insulation layer, allowing a cost-effective and durable model for the village housing. Natural ventilation is achieved through ground ventilation, thermal chambers, and automated skylights. Unique ventilation towers also provide playful spaces for children. The design uses a dispersed, small-volume layout forming a central courtyard and alleys, enhancing circulation and adaptability. The project aims to serve as a cultural, social, and ecological hub, integrating traditional materials with sustainable construction methods.