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As part of a special collaboration between Architizer and METROPOLIS, a select group of the 14th A+Awards winners were profiled in the magazine’s July/August 2026 issue, and those stories now appear here online. Learn more about Architizer's A+Awards and subscribe to METROPOLIS.
In an era when many rural villages struggle against depopulation and economic decline, Langtou Village in Guangzhou, China, offers another possibility — not preservation frozen in time but adaptive reuse that allows heritage to remain part of daily life.
Located in the marshy outskirts of the sprawling Chinese metropolis, the settlement was established in 1367 during the Yuan dynasty and is now recognized as one of China’s historic and cultural villages, often celebrated as one of the largest and best-preserved Cantonese villages in the country. Its distinctive Lingnan architecture reflects centuries of adaptation and community life.
For the Langtou Village Inn in Guangzhou, China, architecture firm Studio Hu worked with local artisans to delicately balance contemporary design with ancient Lingnan architecture—with its irregular clusters of gray-brick buildings with thick exterior walls, narrow alleys, and compact layouts designed for the region’s hot, humid climate. Courtesy Studio Hu
“Langtou Village embodies the typical southern Chinese Confucian, agrarian civilization,” explains architect Hu Youpei, founder of Studio Hu and professor of urban design at Nanjing University’s School of Architecture and Urban Planning. “Its tight, compact layout and thick, enclosed outer walls are brilliant, climate-adaptive, traditional design wisdom rarely seen in modern construction.”
Yet despite its rich architectural history, the village has faced familiar rural challenges: population decline, labor shortages, and limited opportunities for economic growth, as residents relocate, leaving buildings abandoned and in disrepair. In 2021, the Huadu District government and the Vipshop Charity Foundation launched a rural revitalization initiative that sought to reimagine the village’s future.
“[Langtou’s] vernacular architecture, the layout of the settlement, and the way the village intertwines with nature struck us as endlessly fascinating and deeply moving,” says Youpei of the new hotel’s historic site. “Even without official heritage protection status, these buildings carry two centuries of village memory.” Courtesy Studio Hu
The centerpiece of the initiative is the Studio Hu–designed Langtou Village Inn, where the architects transformed 21 abandoned, vernacular courtyard houses—most built during the Qing dynasty—into a 35,500-square-foot boutique hotel. “Increased tourist foot traffic will stimulate demand for local rural catering, handicraft sales, and cultural sightseeing, activating the whole village’s tourism-driven economy that was previously stagnant,” says Youpei.
Studio Hu carefully surveyed the site, documenting all surviving original ornaments and damaged structural elements, reinstating the traditional layouts, and repairing deteriorating facades. It partnered with local craftspeople to restore decorative details, including brick niches for Buddhist shrines, painted plaster moldings, and sculpted lime that frames the entrances. “Only traditional craftsmen master the age-old, region-specific construction and ornament-making techniques passed down through generations, which modern construction workers cannot fully replicate,” says Youpei.
“Our way of working together wasn’t about producing exhaustive drawings of every historical detail,” Youpei explains. “Instead, we outlined the overall forms and locations of the details, then wrote down their traditional names on the blueprints. From there, the craftsmen took over, relying on the deep well of knowledge stored in their hands and minds. In many cases, they didn’t even need drawings—they simply knew what to do.” Courtesy Studio Hu
The inn’s interiors contrast the village’s historic fabric. “We layered minimalist modern language on top of the building materials, creating a dialogue between contemporary and ancient, rather than fake, retro replication,” says Youpei. Old fishing baskets were transformed into lighting fixtures, glass curtain walls open up interior spaces, and even wild trees that had emerged from neglected ruins were preserved as reminders of the village’s layered history.
Hu hopes that the project will encourage relocated villagers to return to their hometown for steady work instead of migrating for better jobs. “The income generated by the inn can support continuous maintenance of the village’s vernacular architecture, forming a self-sustaining rural revitalization cycle.” Through thoughtful adaptation rather than strict preservation, Studio Hu has helped awaken a historic village and chart a future rooted firmly in its cultural identity.
As part of a special collaboration between Architizer and METROPOLIS, a select group of the 14th A+Awards winners were profiled in the magazine’s July/August 2026 issue, and those stories now appear here online. Learn more about Architizer's A+Awards and subscribe to METROPOLIS.
The post Architectural Details: Studio Hu Breathes New Life into a 700-Year-Old Chinese Village appeared first on Journal.
In an era when many rural villages struggle against depopulation and economic decline, Langtou Village in Guangzhou, China, offers another possibility — not preservation frozen in time but adaptive reuse that allows heritage to remain part of daily life.
Located in the marshy outskirts of the sprawling Chinese metropolis, the settlement was established in 1367 during the Yuan dynasty and is now recognized as one of China’s historic and cultural villages, often celebrated as one of the largest and best-preserved Cantonese villages in the country. Its distinctive Lingnan architecture reflects centuries of adaptation and community life.
For the Langtou Village Inn in Guangzhou, China, architecture firm Studio Hu worked with local artisans to delicately balance contemporary design with ancient Lingnan architecture—with its irregular clusters of gray-brick buildings with thick exterior walls, narrow alleys, and compact layouts designed for the region’s hot, humid climate. Courtesy Studio Hu
“Langtou Village embodies the typical southern Chinese Confucian, agrarian civilization,” explains architect Hu Youpei, founder of Studio Hu and professor of urban design at Nanjing University’s School of Architecture and Urban Planning. “Its tight, compact layout and thick, enclosed outer walls are brilliant, climate-adaptive, traditional design wisdom rarely seen in modern construction.”
Yet despite its rich architectural history, the village has faced familiar rural challenges: population decline, labor shortages, and limited opportunities for economic growth, as residents relocate, leaving buildings abandoned and in disrepair. In 2021, the Huadu District government and the Vipshop Charity Foundation launched a rural revitalization initiative that sought to reimagine the village’s future.
“[Langtou’s] vernacular architecture, the layout of the settlement, and the way the village intertwines with nature struck us as endlessly fascinating and deeply moving,” says Youpei of the new hotel’s historic site. “Even without official heritage protection status, these buildings carry two centuries of village memory.” Courtesy Studio Hu
The centerpiece of the initiative is the Studio Hu–designed Langtou Village Inn, where the architects transformed 21 abandoned, vernacular courtyard houses—most built during the Qing dynasty—into a 35,500-square-foot boutique hotel. “Increased tourist foot traffic will stimulate demand for local rural catering, handicraft sales, and cultural sightseeing, activating the whole village’s tourism-driven economy that was previously stagnant,” says Youpei.
Studio Hu carefully surveyed the site, documenting all surviving original ornaments and damaged structural elements, reinstating the traditional layouts, and repairing deteriorating facades. It partnered with local craftspeople to restore decorative details, including brick niches for Buddhist shrines, painted plaster moldings, and sculpted lime that frames the entrances. “Only traditional craftsmen master the age-old, region-specific construction and ornament-making techniques passed down through generations, which modern construction workers cannot fully replicate,” says Youpei.
“Our way of working together wasn’t about producing exhaustive drawings of every historical detail,” Youpei explains. “Instead, we outlined the overall forms and locations of the details, then wrote down their traditional names on the blueprints. From there, the craftsmen took over, relying on the deep well of knowledge stored in their hands and minds. In many cases, they didn’t even need drawings—they simply knew what to do.” Courtesy Studio Hu
The inn’s interiors contrast the village’s historic fabric. “We layered minimalist modern language on top of the building materials, creating a dialogue between contemporary and ancient, rather than fake, retro replication,” says Youpei. Old fishing baskets were transformed into lighting fixtures, glass curtain walls open up interior spaces, and even wild trees that had emerged from neglected ruins were preserved as reminders of the village’s layered history.
Hu hopes that the project will encourage relocated villagers to return to their hometown for steady work instead of migrating for better jobs. “The income generated by the inn can support continuous maintenance of the village’s vernacular architecture, forming a self-sustaining rural revitalization cycle.” Through thoughtful adaptation rather than strict preservation, Studio Hu has helped awaken a historic village and chart a future rooted firmly in its cultural identity.
As part of a special collaboration between Architizer and METROPOLIS, a select group of the 14th A+Awards winners were profiled in the magazine’s July/August 2026 issue, and those stories now appear here online. Learn more about Architizer's A+Awards and subscribe to METROPOLIS.
The post Architectural Details: Studio Hu Breathes New Life into a 700-Year-Old Chinese Village appeared first on Journal.