Rui Pinto Gonçalves for the Jiu Xian Garden Village project in China

"The relationship between Man and Nature has always been inseparable, but the connection between the two has undergone numerous and profound changes over time. If we move along the timeline, we can clearly observe these transformations."

Rui Pinto Gonçalves
Architect

In the past, we began from a phase of harmony and balance, where Man, a conscious being responsible for his actions, recognized the power of Nature in the Universe and acted according to its motivations, always keeping this premise in mind and using metaphysical explanations to address his doubts.
With the passage of time and the evolution of scientific and technical knowledge, Man began to feel an inappropriate sense of power over all things, wielded by those who lacked the sensitivity to manage it in the face of a greater entity—Nature. Spontaneous dynamics that established a matrix of natural order, which should have remained insurmountable, were sidelined. Man sought to dominate, transform, and control…

Today, our conscience compels us to stop and think, and to halt the machine that advances over Nature. Progress can and should continue, but in a Sustainable way that ensures the comfort of communities within a healthy context. It is crucial to protect resources with alternative strategies and to reverse the toxicity of modern developments.

Land Art is part of this moment of reflection.
This form of Art emerged in the 20th century when the definition of Art became more inclusive, manifesting in various forms of expression. It is an artistic gesture that emphasizes the scale of Nature, seeking to complement and balance it while respecting its essence. It is based on an equal relationship between Man and Nature, articulating the interaction between the two.

The village of Jiu Xian serves as a platform for this artistic expression, enriched by a natural landscape full of vitality and historical significance, with traces of ancient occupation that seem to have existed there forever.

However, despite this apparent balance, the need for the village to evolve is undeniable, for without it, its existence and longevity are threatened. No matter how great its value, if activities are not created to, first and foremost, retain the native population and then attract visitors, the village’s chances of survival will be slim.

This intervention plan should focus on investment paired with dynamism. The proposed strategy is to capitalize on the cultural and natural wealth of the region and direct it towards tourism through aspects such as:

  • Production and marketing of exceptional regional products, particularly in the fields of medicinal plants and abundant, high-quality food products like rice;
  • Application and promotion of traditional Eastern medicine therapies;
  • Exploration of local handicrafts;
  • Utilization of agricultural areas as settings for thematic tours;
  • Development of a unique and educational type of tourism, offering culturally rich experiences on-site.

It is crucial to infuse the village with a dynamic that is sustainable yet flexible enough to maintain the strength of its identity. Strategies must be defined and necessary tools established to ensure development that is immune to the loss of cultural identity and capable of maintaining ecological balance. The village must achieve a certain level of economic self-sufficiency to enable its ongoing maintenance without compromising its character.

The challenge of the intervention we propose is to add without overwhelming. It is to read what exists, affirm the message present in the spirit of the place, and safeguard its existence. It is to invisibly design the right thing on a solid foundation.

about Rui Pinto Gonçalves

Rui Pinto Gonçalves (b. 1963) is an architect by education and profession, with a degree by the Factulty of Architecture of the Lisbon Technical University, and founding partner of RRJ Arquitectos, an internationally active firm with head office in Lisbon. Traveller by vocation, humanist and ecologist by nature, Rui Pinto Gonçalves has developed architectural projects where environmental integration, self-sustainability and formal experimentation assume the structural theme.