Organic Renewal to Reclaim the Memory of Place: Dongming Mountain Forest Park Visitor Center

The Dongming Mountain Forest Park Visitor Center encompasses the original entrance, an unused tea factory, and several supporting buildings. Upon visiting the site, the architects observed the long-neglected structures and the thriving vegetation, prompting a focus on revealing the hidden potential within the forest and buildings. Their approach, emphasizing "light intervention" and "regaining the memory of the place," aimed to harmonize human and natural elements in a transitional space, creating more than just buildings.

01 Memories of Being There
Dongming Mountain Forest Park, located in Yuhang District, Hangzhou, is a historical site linked to the 5,000-year-old Liangzhu culture. The park contains numerous relics and monuments, such as Dongming Temple, Qunxian Taoist Temple, and Shen Kuo's Tomb, hidden within dense forests and bamboo groves. Despite its rich history, the park's rugged terrain and inadequate facilities limited its visitors to a few avid hikers and Dongming Temple guests. The park felt like a secret haven, with its sequoia-lined entrance and modest supporting buildings.

02 New Pathways
The design uses the cedar forest as a guiding element, transforming the unused farmhouse into a bus stop and the old tea factory into a pet-friendly B&B. This renovation retained the original functions of office and dining spaces, adding terraces and shaded areas along the cedar forest path. New interior functions revitalized the visitor center, maintaining a balance between built and natural environments.

03 Bamboo Language B&B
The old tea factory was reimagined as the "Bamboo Language B&B," featuring 11 rooms named after native plants like Begonia and Magnolia. The high tea barn was repurposed into a reception and dining area on the ground floor, with three attic guest rooms above. The two low houses formed eight courtyard guest rooms, connected by a courtyard centered around a large camphor tree. The design incorporated traditional brick and tile architecture with modern glass elements, blending the rooms seamlessly with the surrounding bamboo and cedar forests.

04 Distribution Center
The Distribution Plaza, transformed from the original entrance, includes a main entrance, visitor center, convenience store, and souvenir shop. The redesigned sloped-roofed porch and connected pathways guide visitors through the cedar forest. The plaza, scaled appropriately for future tourist numbers, retains the communal atmosphere where villagers once gathered.

05 Ancillary Housing
The supporting office building, serving as the construction headquarters, was the first to be transformed. Light gray brick and staggered masonry were used to maintain a light intervention principle. The public restroom, expanded for increased capacity, features semi-outdoor washroom areas and continuous benches, minimizing wait times and enhancing visitor comfort.

06 Conclusion
After four years of renovation, Dongming Mountain remains unchanged in its essence. The simple materials and light interventions have revitalized the old houses, marking them as "visitor centers." The park's visitor traffic has increased significantly, yet the natural serenity and beauty remain, with the bustle hidden among the mountains and eaves.