Doumu Dragon Kiln and ICH Lounge in Qianshan, Anhui

At the end of 2021, when the project's chief planner, ceramicist Li Jianshen—founder of the Sanbao International Ceramics Art Village and distinguished professor at Jingdezhen Ceramic University—invited the architect to visit the Doumu Pottery Factory site, the factory was undergoing a comprehensive upgrade. The design brief included the new construction and renovation of two buildings: the ICH Lounge, for which foundation excavation had already begun, fixing the building's outer contour and structural positions; and the Dragon Kiln, which was covered by an asbestos tile roof that urgently needed renewal to meet the structural durability and aesthetic requirements of a kiln shelter while adapting to its new functions. Doumu pottery-making history traces back six thousand years to the Xuejiagang culture and continues to the present day, and its ceramic firing techniques have been listed as a national intangible cultural heritage. How to preserve traditional memory and showcase ICH techniques presented different challenges for the two tasks. Working within the constraint of preserving the original main building contour, the architect adjusted the volumetric relationships of the ICH Lounge to create a richer ground-floor interface and a more human scale. Inside, circulation was reorganized to form a complete indoor-outdoor visiting route. The Dragon Kiln shelter was redesigned on top of the existing kiln: a new structure that shelters from wind and rain while accommodating kiln firing below, and adds a visiting path at an elevated level that does not interfere with firing operations, creating a fresh series of vantage points for observing the kiln firing process. The existing Dragon Kiln dates to the Qing Dynasty and has, over its long history, experienced multiple fires and restorations. The pre-renovation kiln shelter used lightweight, fire-resistant asbestos tile for ease of repair and fire protection. The spacing of the brick piers supporting the shelter was determined by the firing operations—where kiln workers add firewood and place ceramic greenware—balancing clearance needs with structural logic. The project preserves the memory of traditional pottery while bringing contemporary architectural expression to the Doumu factory site.