Yunshi Zhou:
This dissertation concerned with the re-thinking of the role of higher education in rural Chine. The project challenges the separation, classification and segregation of different groups of people based on their status as users and the social, cultural and economic hierarchy imposed by regeneration projects. Through a discussion of the design of regeneration projects, key issues were addressed, in particular, the challenge posed by the spatial separation of tourists, students and villagers and the issue of public and private property ownership. New form of community designs will then be suggested to deliver greater socio-economic benefits for both universities and local vulnerable communities.
The village entrance uses the element of courtyard as strategy to improve the socio-economic value; furthermore, the stage is proposed to reconnect the cultural activities between different people.
The farmers’ workshop is going to be built for local farmers, who want to increase the land value of courtyard housing, and to develop experiment fields under the support of agricultural students.
The courtyard housing is proposed to shift to multiple commercial spaces: tea house for the elderly, dormitory for students; open workshop for different forms of informal educational activities.
The children’s centre proposed in order to increase the left-behind children’s social skills and educational knowledge. The living space on the side is proposed for experimental students and teachers.
The weaving workshop is primarily proposed for local stay-home women, for who want to redefine their daily works, and help to take care of children with each other.
The stage is proposed for different functions such as open lecture, market, performance, as well as for the local elderly to play mojiong and chess.
The village centre is the core educational spaces inside the village, the element of courtyard, liner and cluster workshops are proposed for having test-field works, e-commerce, critic activities.
Read the whole dissertation here.
