Arenli Community by Atelier Li Xinggang: A Contemporary Town Rooted in Sichuan’s Cultural Landscape

Located on the outskirts of Chengdu’s Anren Ancient Town, the Arenli Community by Atelier Li Xinggang reimagines how contemporary residential environments can grow organically from historical and cultural heritage. Positioned beside the Anren 5A Tourist Center—transformed from the Republic-era Liao Wei Residence—the project occupies more than 64,000 square meters of land and achieves a total construction area of nearly 70,000 square meters. Its strategic location between an expanding urban zone and open farmland allows it to function as a new hybrid settlement, integrating commercial vitality with residential life while maintaining strong ties to the local past.

The design begins with a deep reading of the site’s historical layers. The Liao Wei Residence, now a cultural relic and visitor hub, holds a different urban orientation than the contemporary road network. Rather than forcing alignment with modern planning, the architects used this historic building as an anchor point for spatial and functional organization. Streets, courtyards, squares, and public landscapes radiate outward from this cultural core, creating a community rooted in memory while embracing the rhythms of present-day living. This approach bridges the often-separated worlds of top-down urban planning and preserved heritage architecture.

Drawing inspiration from the evolutionary patterns of western Sichuan settlements, the design references two culturally significant typologies: Linpan, the rural bamboo-and-water settlements that merge with agricultural landscapes, and Changzhen, the market town clusters that historically supported regional commerce. These models influence the layout of Arenli Community, where a mix of courtyard houses, townhouses, apartment buildings, and commercial structures creates a miniature contemporary town enriched by a sense of continuity with local traditions.

Atelier Li Xinggang carefully choreographs how buildings relate to each other to establish a multi-layered public realm. Intimate courtyards, semi-public walkways, shared gardens, and open plazas interconnect across the community, enabling fluid interactions between long-term residents and short-term visitors. This spatial porosity fosters a sense of cultural belonging and encourages authentic social exchange, reflecting the communal spirit present in the region’s historic towns.

Materiality further strengthens the dialogue between heritage and modernity. Brick, cement board, and metal panels form a restrained and tactile palette that echoes the textures of Liao Wei Residence while remaining unmistakably contemporary. This balance allows Arenli Community to embody local identity without resorting to nostalgic reproduction. The historic mansion itself functions as the spiritual anchor of the development, much like an ancestral hall in traditional towns. Its presence grounds the community in shared memory and becomes a host for both organized cultural events and spontaneous public activities.