Bowen Rong

As a native of Guangzhou, I witnessed first hand how rapid urbanization erases the social and cultural identity of China’s informal settlements, known as Urban Villages. These neighborhoods are often the first stop for migrant workers and young residents seeking affordable housing, employment, and opportunity. Though overcrowded and poorly planned, they are also full of vitality, with restaurants, markets, family-run shops, and street life that form a resilient community economy. The project proposes four catalytic prototype buildings inserted into the existing Urban Village fabric. Each Node acts as a vertical urban quarter, combining market halls, workshops, social spaces, cultural programs, and flexible housing support. Rather than relying on demolition or large-scale master planning, the design uses an adaptive structural grid, open floors, terraces, ramps, and atriums to support organic growth over time. The proposal offers an incremental model for improving living conditions, preserving community networks, and renewing Urban Villages across Guangzhou.

Faculty Rebal Knayzeh and Sameena Sitabkhan