The Home in the Badain Jaran Desert / SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING, NANJING UNIVERSITY

The Home in the Badain Jaran Desert / SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING, NANJING UNIVERSITY - Interior PhotographyThe Home in the Badain Jaran Desert / SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING, NANJING UNIVERSITY - Interior Photography, Table, Lighting, BeamThe Home in the Badain Jaran Desert / SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING, NANJING UNIVERSITY - Interior PhotographyThe Home in the Badain Jaran Desert / SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING, NANJING UNIVERSITY - Interior Photography, Chair, BeamThe Home in the Badain Jaran Desert / SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING, NANJING UNIVERSITY - More Images+ 32

Alxa League, China
  • Design Team: Yushu Liang, Jingwen Gan, Yifan Dong, Shibo Guo, Shilong Wang, Xiao Wang, Yuhao Luo
  • Structural Consultants: Zhun Zhang, Yue Xu
  • Sustainability Consultants: Weihui Liang, Yibing Hu
  • Construction Drawing: Xuejian Wang, Zhonglou Zuo, Fuchun He, Yiling Pan
  • Lighting Design: Zi’ang Ma, Min Wang, Bo Du
  • Advisor Acknowledgement: Wowo Ding, Chen Zhao, Pengju Zhang, Ling Zhou, Xiao Fu, Andong Lu, Huaqing Huang, Mingrui Xie, Xiaodong Miao
  • Sponsors: Velux (China) Co., Ltd, Shanghai Collodin Material Scientific & Technology Development Co., Ltd
  • City: Alxa League
  • Country: China
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The Home in the Badain Jaran Desert / SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING, NANJING UNIVERSITY - Interior Photography
© Xiaobin Lv

Text description provided by the architects. The Dilemma of 'Home' - Many traditional herding families, mainly Mongolian, live on ranches around the inter-dune lakes. In July 2024, the 'Towers of Sand and Lakes' landscape of the Badain Jaran Desert was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List. With the ensuing ecological preservation and construction restrictions, how to build homes that meet contemporary needs has become a pressing issue for the local herders. Delved into the vernacular, the designers intend to retain the indigenous building techniques, providing an intriguing possibility for future sustainable inhabitation in such a World Heritage site.

The Home in the Badain Jaran Desert / SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING, NANJING UNIVERSITY - Image 14 of 37
© Xiaobin Lv
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Section
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© Xiaobin Lv

Straw Brick, Metal Shell - The project is a house for a herding family with the potential for tourism hospitality. The core area is constructed with straw bricks to meet the living needs of the family and guests. A breathable metal shell covers this core, providing space for festive gatherings and storage. While the metal shell represents mature industrial solutions, the straw bricks are directly derived from vernacular architecture in the region. The fusion of this lightness and heaviness forms our vision of an ideal desert shelter of the future. Herding and Living - The host and guests access their rooms through two corridors covered by the metal shell.

The Home in the Badain Jaran Desert / SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING, NANJING UNIVERSITY - Interior Photography
© Xiaobin Lv
The Home in the Badain Jaran Desert / SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING, NANJING UNIVERSITY - Interior Photography, Table, Chair, Beam
© Xiaobin Lv

Meanwhile, the corridor is also used for cooking in the summer and slaughtering and storing meat in the winter, fulfilling the needs of a herder's life. The arched roof creates a yurt-like space on the mezzanine floor, evoking a sense of cultural tradition during gathering moments.

The Home in the Badain Jaran Desert / SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING, NANJING UNIVERSITY - Interior Photography, Chair, Beam
© Xiaobin Lv
The Home in the Badain Jaran Desert / SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING, NANJING UNIVERSITY - Image 34 of 37
Diagram
The Home in the Badain Jaran Desert / SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING, NANJING UNIVERSITY - Interior Photography, Facade, Beam
© Xiaobin Lv

Adapting to the Season - The excellent thermal performance of the straw-brick wall and the climatic buffer zone enclosed by the metal shell ensure both a comfortable indoor climate and low energy consumption. In winter, heat is concentrated in the straw-brick section, while the climatic buffer zone minimizes heat loss to the outside. In summer, the breathable shell provides effective air circulation, keeping the interior cool and comfortable. 

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© Xiaobin Lv
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Detail
The Home in the Badain Jaran Desert / SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING, NANJING UNIVERSITY - Image 16 of 37
© Xiaobin Lv

Low-tech Construction - The building makes experimental use of locally sourced natural materials such as straw bricks and lake clay, complemented by lightweight prefabricated materials such as light steel frames, perforated aluminum alloy sheeting and polycarbonate panels. This approach significantly reduces the high transportation costs in the desert. The construction process is relatively simple and was completed through collaboration between designers, students and local craftsmen, making it a model with potential for wider adoption.

The Home in the Badain Jaran Desert / SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING, NANJING UNIVERSITY - Interior Photography, Dining room, Table, Wood, Beam
© Xiaobin Lv
The Home in the Badain Jaran Desert / SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING, NANJING UNIVERSITY - Exterior Photography
© Xiaobin Lv

Amidst the darkness of the silent night in the Badain Jaran Desert, the house glows like a silver bowl in the Mongolian Festival. Upon entering, all senses are immersed in the familiar textures of the land. Our herder friend, Hass Bayara, remarked with nostalgia, "This is exactly the house we lived in when we were kids."

The Home in the Badain Jaran Desert / SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING, NANJING UNIVERSITY - Image 19 of 37
© Xiaobin Lv

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Cite: "The Home in the Badain Jaran Desert / SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING, NANJING UNIVERSITY" 24 Oct 2024. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1022630/the-home-in-the-badain-jaran-desert-school-of-architecture-and-urban-planning-nanjing-university> ISSN 0719-8884

© Xiaobin Lv

巴丹吉林沙漠里的家 / 南京大学建筑与城市规划学院

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