Regeneration of Yumin Village by Ingameoffice: A Model for Human-Centered Urban Renewal in Shenzhen

Reviving Shenzhen's Historical Urban Fabric

The Regeneration of Yumin Village by Ingameoffice is a landmark urban renewal project that redefines the connection between heritage preservation and contemporary living. Once home to Shenzhen’s earliest “ten-thousand yuan households,” Yumin Village is a key symbol of the city's rapid development and reform. As part of Shenzhen’s 40th anniversary celebration of its reform and opening-up policy, the Luohu District commissioned the revitalization of this historically significant community.

The project’s objective was to enhance livability, preserve cultural memory, and activate public life through minimal yet impactful architectural interventions.

Contextual Strategy: Soft Urban Intervention

Situated adjacent to bustling Binhai Avenue, Yumin Village required a sensitive design approach to balance tradition and transformation. Ingameoffice focused on low-impact, soft interventions that preserved the village’s historical textures while introducing functional upgrades.

The design team emphasized:

• Retaining mature trees and existing vegetation
• Minimizing demolition and material waste
• Creating accessible, inclusive public spaces
• Introducing lightweight landscape features and reflective installations

Three Anchors of Urban Revitalization

1. Village Entrance Park

A once-neglected triangular lot at the village’s entrance was transformed into an inviting green gateway. With curved pathways, ribbon-like mirrored installations, and preserved tree canopies, the park now forms a seamless transition between urban activity and community calm. The design references “Turtle Back Stone” through undulating forms that create moments of pause and reflection.

2. Cultural Corridor & History Museum

This public zone highlights Yumin Village’s socio-cultural legacy through an open-air Historical Corridor and the newly built Village History Museum. Tree rings inspired the architectural language, subtly indicating the layered passage of time. Materials and layouts were chosen to enhance pedestrian flow, with added recreational spaces like fitness zones and rest benches that invite resident interaction.

A standout feature is the museum’s paving ripple pattern, visually emphasizing a prominent tree while serving as a natural gathering point.

3. Community Service Complex

Located behind the village and adjacent to the Shenzhen River, the Party and Community Service Complex integrates four key functions:

• Community Library
• Health & Wellness Center
• Elderly Care Center
• Party & Community Service Center

Each space is designed with inclusivity in mind. The library offers a child-friendly reading zone, a stepped auditorium for community events, and multimedia resources. The health and care center features a calming atmosphere using wood and greenery, while maintaining river views and medical accessibility. The redesign encourages openness and transparency, turning a once bureaucratic facility into a warm, citizen-oriented hub.

Central Plaza: From Cultural Square to Social Heart

At the heart of the village, the Central Plaza was reimagined as a dynamic community nucleus. Renovations preserved its cultural functions while adding:

• Flowerbed benches
• Rain shelters and updated railings
• Redesigned outdoor stage with contemporary aesthetics

These upgrades enhance usability and transform the plaza into a multigenerational gathering space for events, play, and rest.

Community Engagement & Sustainable Aesthetics

Ingameoffice adopted a participatory design process, conducting surveys with over 400 residents to better align architectural solutions with community needs. The design utilizes weather-resistant steel, woodgrain finishes, and modular forms that reflect both modern sensibilities and practical resilience.

The firm’s approach was guided by:

• Environmental consciousness
• Cultural continuity
• Contemporary expression

This careful calibration of old and new turns Yumin Village into a living archive of Shenzhen’s past and a prototype for its future.

All Photographs are works of Yu Bai