Anren Culture Center for the Sect of Great Craftsman by Atelier Li Xinggang

Located in the historic heart of Anren Ancient Town in Chengdu, the Anren Culture Center for the Sect of Great Craftsman redefines the relationship between contemporary architecture, heritage urban fabric, and landscape. Designed by Atelier Li Xinggang, the 7,682 m² cultural complex sits at the crossroads of old streets, manor houses, and modern developments—an area marked by architectural contradictions, mixed styles, and contrasting scales. The project responds with a nuanced approach that merges historical memory with modern spatial innovation.

Anchored between Shuren Ancient Street, Liushi Manor, Jianchuan Museum, and the nearby Sheraton Hotel, the building becomes a vital connector within the town’s public life. The design draws inspiration from the traditional mansion typology of Anren, forming a constellation of pitched roofs arranged to create courtyards of varying sizes. These stepped roof clusters rise gradually from west to east, echoing the rhythm of the ancestral Chen Yuesheng mansion while articulating a rich and contemporary architectural language.

The architects use these pitched-roof masses not only as symbolic references but also as urban mediators—repairing fragmented textures and harmonizing the scales of divergent architectural eras. A distinctive feature of the project is the elevated roof walkway, which transforms the rooftops into a public promenade. Visitors ascend along the ridges and valleys of the roofs, experiencing the building as an unfolding topography connected visually to the distant Xiling Snow Mountain. This creates a powerful triad of architecture, town, and natural landscape.

Within the interior and structural concept, the design references the eclectic archways of Anren’s mansion architecture. A modular system of 6×6-meter concrete arches defines the spatial hierarchy, generating fluid connections between indoor halls, courtyards, clerestories, and the roof path. Above these arches, a timber roof frame continues the brick-and-timber tradition, while steel pipes and tension rods ensure structural stability. This hybrid structural logic unites history with modern engineering, resulting in a bold reinterpretation of Anren’s heritage in contemporary form.

All photographs are works of Schran Image, Yimin Chen