Relocation of Tongxian Gatehouse, Beijing, China. Architect: NADAAA, 2012. Detail of the patched foundations with steel rolling

---

This house and artist studio was relocated by drilling through the foundations and then rolling the building on steel rods a distance of approximately 40 meters to make way for a proposed road widening programme. LOCATED 30 MILES FROM BEIJING, IN AN UNSUSPECTING VILLAGE THAT SEEMS MORE LIKE A RURAL OUT-BACK, LIES AN ARTISTS COMMUNITY THAT IS THRIVING IN THE INTERNATIONAL ARENA. ITS POPULATION OF OVER 200 CHINESE ARTISTS IS REPRESENTED BY MAJOR GALLERIES IN THE UNITED STATES, FRANCE, AND GERMANY— AMONG OTHER PLACES. WHILE HAVING ACHIEVED CRITICAL NOTORIETY AT AN INTERNATIONAL SCALE, THE COMMUNITY STILL LACKS ANY PUBLIC INSTITUTION OR SPACE THAT MAY ACT AS A MAGNET FOR INTERACTION, A PLACE FOR THE PRESENTATION OF ART, OR A SETTING FOR RECEPTIONS AND OPENINGS. AS A RESULT, A CONSORTIUM OF ARTISTS, CRITICS AND AGENTS— THE CLIENTS— JOINED FORCES TO ACQUIRE A PROPERTY AND PUT TOGETHER A PROGRAM FOR TONGXIAN ART, AN ARTS COMPLEX THAT ACTS AS A BASE FOR A VISITING INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCE.

---

Size: 5017px × 3345px
Location:
Photo credit: © Nathan Willock-VIEW / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 2012, 21st, architecture, asia, beijing, build, building, century, china, close-, construction, day, detail, exterior, foundations, gatehouse, home, house, image, moving, nadaaa, nader, private, redevelopment, relocating, relocation, road, rods, rolling, series, site, steel, tehrani, tongxian