xiaowei bai adds concrete volumes within old stone wall for tea maker’s house in latvia

designer xiaowei bai proposed a guest house by placing concrete volumes within an old stone barn wall. this project turned a half ruined old barn house into a tea maker’s guest house in the rural area of riga, latvia. the contrast between the textures, materials and geometries of the old stone wall against the newer concrete pavilions complement each other in an appealing aesthetic. 

the designer added seven simple concrete pavilions that are strategically composed inside the old stone wall boundary. the guest house offers six beds, a tea making and tea tasting studio, kitchen and multipurpose activity room for guests to experience the local tea culture and for urban retreat.

each pavilion is specifically designed and composed to be the necessary size for the each experience. the volumes are custom-made to fit the tea drinking, tea making process, leisure activity and comfortable accommodation in the guest house. the interiors of the pavilions are lined with warm wood, that covers the floors, walls and ceilings. the smooth, natural surface contrasts against the exterior’s rough concrete.

various sized courtyards are created between the pavilions, which bring natural sunlight and fresh ventilation into the rooms. each pavilion is open to the adjacent courtyards on two sides in order to extend the interior space to the outdoor nature. moreover, all the pavilions are interconnected by these courtyards.

inside the old stone walls, a glass corridor meanders between the open spaces to connect the pavilions to each other. designer xiaowei bai shaped different types of open spaces within the old stone wall boundary, concrete pavilions and glass corridor which always offer the contrast of solid and transparent, openness and closeness and changing materials and environments.

project info:

designer: xiaowei bai

competition: tea maker’s guest house

location: riga, latvia

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.