Forbidden palace
Bike repair shop
Beijing Experience
Public toilets and showers found in the old hutong area in Beijing
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ublic toilets and Showers Public toilets can be found in the hutongs as many residence don’t have this facility in their homes. Beijing with 10 million people has 6,800 public toilets with 20% of them still using them.
Shuangxing Tang is Beijing’s last remaining bath house
Bath house
Bath houses used to be fixtures of Beijing and they go back to the times when homes in Beijing lacked plumbing and bathing was communal. Now they serve as social gathering point for the hutong residence. In 1935, Beijing had 123 traditional bath houses and families would make special trips to a bath house during major traditional Chinese holidays to cleanse.
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evelopment of Bathing Customs Chinese travellers brought back few bathing customs from different parts of the world but public bathing was first introduced when Buddhism spread from Japan to China and religious bathing took place for sick in the temples.
Sheikh Bahai Bath, Iran Designed by philosopher, architect and mathematics Heated by a single candle using methane gases channeled in underground tunnels
Sento, Japanese communal bath house Social importance Emotional intimacy Japanese gardens
Turkish hammam Combines functionality and structural elements Place for entertainment and ceremonies
Ancient Roman baths Thermae, Hot, warm and cold bath with outdoor gymnasium and dinner parties
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Hypocaust Ancient roman underfloor heating system to heat sweat rooms
ublic Bathing Around the World Bathing in public baths seemed common around the world, all with different traditions and customs of washing.
Scenes showing the idea of having fast automated showers, in contrast with the old times in southern China where people travelled miles to take a bath in natural waters and saw it as a religious act
‘Shower’ (film)
Scenes showing the interior of the bath-house
‘Shower ‘is a 1999 Chinese comedy-drama film which features within the oldest and the only remaining bathhouse in Beijing. The film revolves around the family-run bathhouse, an aged father and his mentally challenged son have been working hard every day to keep the bathhouse running for a motley group of regular customers. Shower explores the value of family, friendship, and tradition.
Now they do Bigger task Shorter Time
Used to do Small task Longer time
Life Journey
‘S
hower’ Concept Model The idea behind the model came from the film ‘Shower’. The curves represent the old generation in China and shows the bond within them as they grow which also forms the basis of the new generation which seem to have a different form.
Jiezitui, saved Prince Chong’er’s life, and when he wanted to offer him a position, Jiezitui declined and hid in the mountains. Chong’er burnt the mountains in the hope of forcing them to come out but fire burned them to death
On Tomb Sweeping Day they tend the graves of deceased ancestors. The graves are swept clean of any dirt, once cleaned offerings are laid out for the ancestors: food, tea, chopsticks, and wine are common offerings
Jie Zhitui saved prince Chong’er by secretly cutting a piece of flesh and from his thigh and cooking it into a meat soup
Qingming Festival
A traditional Chinese holiday also known as Tomb Sweeping day, celebrated on the 106th day after the winter solstice, which occurs on 4th or the 5th of April of the Gregorian calendar. It marks the middle of spring and is a sacred day of the dead. This is one of the dates which families would make special trips to a bath house to cleanse.
Cuju is a rubber ball made of leather and stuffed feathers Invented it to train soldiers
Swinging not only stops the chillness from eating cold food, but also develops a child’s bravery
In memory of Jiezitui, the King decreed that fire was forbidden on that day every year, and the households could only eat raw and cold food
Kite flying is an important custom, believed to bring good luck and eliminate diseases
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ingming Festival’s Activities Apart from tomb sweeping there is time for various activities, and the most popular ones are, spring outings, and kite flying. Some other lost customs, such as putting willow branches on gates and riding on swings and people often participate in a sport to ward off the cold.
Chinese put leaves of Acorus and Artemisia on the doors or windows to repel insect, fly, flea and moth active in this summer month away from the house
The boat races during the Dragon Boat Festival are traditional customs to attempts to rescue the patriotic poet Chu Yuan
Fishermen dropped wrapped food with leaves tied with colour silky ropes into the river to scare fish away also so that Chiu Yuan can unwrap the leaves and eat the food. This later on turned into the custom of eating rice dumplings
Dragon’s Boat Festival
In China, the Dragon Boat Festival memorializes the Chinese patriotic poet Chiu Yuan, who committed suicide by jumping into the river after tying himself with big rock on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. This is one of the dates which families would make special trips to a bath house to cleanse.
Red enveloped are passed out during the Chinese New Year’s celebrations usually containing money
Burning fireworks is also a typical custom on the Spring Festival now replaced by firecrackers
On the 8th day of the 12th lunar month, many make Laba porridge
People hang red lanterns and red spring scrolls on windows and doors to scare the mythical beast away
Spring Festival
Spring Festival is on the 1st day of the 1st lunar month, its also the Chinese New Year which is the most important festival for the Chinese people and is when all family members get together, just like Christmas in the West. This is one of the dates which families would make special trips to a bath house to cleanse.
Mikveh means collection and is a bath used for the purpose of ritual immersion in Judaism
Wudu is the Islamic procedure for washing parts of the body using water often in preparation for formal prayers
The use of holy water for baptism in Christianity
Zamzam water comes from a well, Muslims believe that is a contemporary miracle, never having gone dry despite the millions of litters of water
Water in Religion
Water is used in religions and cultures for the passage of time and change, a substance or a tool that can bring about a purer state and to remove specifically defined uncleanliness, especially prior to the worship. Most believe that water is the primary element of life and for Chines is one of the basic values in human existence.
Sui, is the Chinese character for water in the form we see today
The earliest form of the Chinese symbol for water
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ater in Chinese Language The earliest form of the Chinese symbol for water was a river indicating flowing water. Over time, it became the form we see today. Chinese characters are not phonetic but combination of about 231 basic elements or radicals, which include ‘metal’, ‘hand’, ‘person’, ‘tree’, ‘rock’, ‘small’, ‘big’ and ‘water’. These stand alone as a character but when combined with other radicals they describe multiple aspects of an idea and a new word. Water + Wood = Bath
They hold a seed of each other They are opposite but equal
Yin Slow, soft, yielding, diffuse, cold, wet and passive Elements: Water, earth, moon, femininity and night time
Yang Fast, hard, solid, focused, hot, dry and aggressive Elements: Fire, sky, sun, masculinity and daytime
A see sprouts out from the earth and grows upwards towards the sky (yang) then falls back to the earth (yin)
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in and Yang The Yin and Yang manifestation is about the complementary opposites like dark and light, female and male, low and high, cold and hot, water and fire, air and earth. Yin and Yang don’t replace each other but become each other through constant flow of the universe as they transform each other.
Site
The site for the project is situated outsite Beijing’s city centre along the airport expresswat, between 4th and 5th ring road.
Artist studios and galleries
Car park
Warehouses and small working factory
Site plan 1:1500
Site
The site is surrounded by small factories and warehouses and artist studios and galleries.
Site area Old train line
River
Site area
The site for the project is situated outside Beijing’s city centre along the airport express way, between 4th and 5th ring road in an area known as the 798. The area used be occupied by factories serving the military but once closed artists moved in and turned the factories into studios and galleries
Gallery 798 Site situated south from the 798 factory
Gallery 798
Old area photo
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actory 798 Factory 798 is one several structures within a complex formerly known as joint factory 718 which was a military industrial cooperation between the Soviet Union and People’s Republic of Chine. It began production in 1975, producing modern electronic components for People’s Liberation Army. The factory lost 60% of its workers due to Deng Xiaoping reforms of the 1980s and was closed down.
Cladding of different materials
Tree, sign of growth and age
Cotton plants on site
Plants growing on facade of a building
Site Concept Model
Palace Experience 7 Aromatics Massage Rooms Hot Pool Flower Bath, big pool separated with short walls to give a sense of greatness but also individual feel Cold Chamber
Monastery Experience Hot Bath Sweat Rooms Massage in Aromatic Oil Artificial Pond or River Drinking Water Hall
Private Home Experience and Therapy Warm Room before entering the Pool Small Wooden Pools Rice Water hair wash Pea Soap mask room Sulphur and Salt Water Bath Hot Foot Bath
Facilities, Resting areas, Toilets and Showers
Plan Room
Resting area looking towards artists studios
Palace bath experience
Monastery bathing experience
Medical bathing experience Changing rooms and showers
Peter Zumthor Therme Vals, Switzerland
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orking out Spaces To work out the space needed a volumetric study was needed. The idea was to have different levels with different bathing experiences like the ancient times.
Openings in the roof channelling light through the building
Openings in the roof
Hot water feet wash Salt water bath Massage room Rice water hair wash room Resting area Artificial river dropping down to lower floor Access to lower floor
Top Floor Plan view
Enterance Changing rooms Showers Cold bath Artificial river Warm bath Hot bath Access to top floor
Overall plan view showing all spaces and elements proposed
Ground Floor Plan view
A
rranging spaces The spaces were identified then placed on the model to see the arrangement and their relationships.
I
nitial Model The initial model followed the idea of the site concept model. The idea of cotton plants growing on site, outwards and upwards was taken and a new model was made based on that concept.
Section showing the computer model
Plan 1:500
Computer Model
A computer model was produced based on the same concepts and spaces began to change and develop on the computer model.
Research showed that in ancient china , the emperor used to bath in the water and draw the water out for others t use
Ponds which freeze in the water with water drops on the facade of the building
Roof terrace and ponds with entrance going under the building structure
Frank Lloyd Wright, Falling Water House
Spaces
These views and collages from the computer model are each showing a particular idea which relates to a spaces within the model.
Hot bath In ancient times they used to heat the bath with red hot metal taken out of fire
condensed water
Hot bath with metal rods heating the water, flower bath and cold bath with condensing water between the two spaces dripping out on to the facade
Flower bath Common in the ancient times
Spaces
These views and collages from the computer model are each showing a particular idea which relates to a spaces within the model.
Cold bath
Changing room with view out to the site. The thin window strip means that inside stays private
Rain Shower room Reminder of ancient times where people used to bath in natural water like rivers and rain water
Spaces
These views and collages from the computer model are each showing a particular idea which relates to a spaces within the model.
Views Views out and down while having a massage
River Idea of having water constantly flowing within the building relating back to the word water in Chinese language
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paces These views and collages from the computer model are each showing a particular idea which relates to a spaces within the model.
7 am
1 pm
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter
Solar Study
6 pm
Men and Women Level
Men and Women changing rooms and Public access to the courtyard
Underground pool and staff access
Entrance
Model showing circulation Men and women levels and roof garden
Traditional courtyard Chinese house
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evelopment The idea behind this model was to have men and women in the same area which they can see but not access, with a mixed pool underground and a courtyard in the centre for the public to use.
Men and women level circulation based on the concept of yin and yang
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evelopment The sketch plans were done to figure out the circulation of different people entering the building and their relationships and also to figure out the spaces.
Overlooking areas
Hanging cone shaped pools
Hanging temple, China
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evelopment Computer model was produced to explore the idea whilst working out the circulation.
Roof garden
Ground level
Underground
Men and women level opposite each other
Tara house, Studio Mumbai
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evelopment The idea was to have vertical circulation as well as horizontal circulation within the building.
Hanging pools
Developing computer model
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evelopment The idea behind this model was to keep a central circulation and have hanging pools from either side above the existing buildings on site.
Sou Fujimoto, Atelier House
Development
Computer model development
Looking east
Infinity pool looking at 798
Studio Mumbai
Final computer model
Cantilever pools
Public roof terrace
Blue Lagoon, Iceland
I Resort, Vietnam
Entrance going under
Rising pool
Pools at the top for a great view
Development