Sign-ups for the international architecture design competition for the protection and utilization of Fujian Tulou, a Chinese rural dwelling, will take place from April 28 to May 20. The deadline for design submission is July 5, according to a press conference about the competition in Fuzhou on Wednesday.
The theme of the competition is "Protection and Flexible Utilization of Fujian Tulou in the New Era." It aims to discover innovative ways to protect and utilize Tulou and energize the regional rural economy.
Participants will select one of the 10 Tulou buildings for designing renovations, which must be in accordance with the modern lifestyle and people's aesthetic appreciation. The existing structure should be preserved as much as possible, and surrounding buildings, the environment, climate, natural resources, and so on should be taken into consideration in the design. The materials used for renovation can be innovative and meet low-carbon requirements.
The Tulou in Nanjing county of Fujian province boasts profound history and distinct features, said Huang Hanmin, an architecture professor specialized in Chinese dwellings. The protection and flexible utilization of Tulou in Nanjing will contribute toward the integration of old architectures with rural revitalization, and promote Tulou as a hallmark of Fujian so that it becomes well-known at home and abroad.
A survey and big data studies have been conducted on the current conditions of Tulou. The competition results will become highlights of tourism at Nanjing Tulou, contributing to the protection and development of Fujian's cultural heritage.
"We sincerely wish that domestic and international architectural professionals will participate in the competition, and advocate their works as well as Tulou," said Zhang Qinglang, deputy director of the organizing committee of the competition.
