Tea OZ by Ao.ArchLab: Restoring a Century-Old Jiangnan Residence into a Contemporary Teahouse

Tea OZ by Ao.ArchLab is a refined adaptive reuse project that transforms a century-old Jiangnan-style residence into a contemporary teahouse immersed in culture, craft, and landscape. Located in Moganshan Town, Huzhou, the 380 m² site features a historically significant five-bay dwelling with elevated timber beams, rammed earth façades, and elegant double eaves. After decades of neglect, the structure had fallen into disrepair, prompting the client to pursue a restoration that could preserve its authenticity while introducing a modern, commercially viable tea-drinking experience.

Preservation of Traditional Craftsmanship and Structural Integrity

Ao.ArchLab conducted a detailed heritage survey and structural integrity analysis to guide the restoration. All original timber beams, columns, and the overarching wooden structural system were preserved in situ following specialized insecticidal treatment. Damaged purlins, roof tiles, flooring, and rammed earth façades were repaired or replaced using traditional construction techniques and locally sourced materials. Decorative elements such as wall paintings, beam carvings, corbels, and lattice windows were meticulously retained, reinforcing the vernacular architectural identity of Moganshan.

Through careful conservation strategies, the project maintains the full integrity of the wooden frame while giving new life to the ornamental details that define the region’s heritage architecture.

Introducing Light, Air, and Spatial Fluidity Through Architectural ‘Pruning’

To enhance spatial quality and adapt the historic residence to contemporary functional requirements, the architects implemented a design strategy defined as “pruning.” Selected portions of the ground-floor façades and sections of the original roof were removed to introduce daylight and cross-ventilation. The intervention created two new porches, one facing the courtyard and another oriented toward a tranquil Zen garden enclosed by the original stone wall.

Removing parts of the second-floor slab enabled the architects to carve out a dramatic double-height interior space connected to a water feature extending directly from the courtyard. This gesture dissolves the threshold between indoor and outdoor environments, making spatial boundaries visually fluid and atmospherically immersive. The resulting environment encourages visitors to experience the architecture as an interplay of heritage, landscape, and light.

Glass Pavilions: Merging Contemporary Transparency with Historic Timber Structure

The project’s most striking contemporary additions are two glass pavilions strategically inserted into the site to enhance comfort, climate control, and functionality. Inside the historic structure, a double-layered, self-supporting glass form acts as an inner liner, creating air-conditioned tea rooms without altering or touching the timber framework. The alignment of the new glass roof with the historic roofline ensures that the addition feels seamlessly integrated rather than imposed.

At the far end of the courtyard, a second stand-alone glass pavilion introduces programmatic elements including a tea bar, restrooms, and a shading canopy. This structure uses a bamboo-steel composite system, and its curving bamboo louvers echo the rising eave lines of the traditional dwelling across the courtyard. The mirrored architectural language creates continuity between the old and the new, allowing visitors to engage with a layered architectural narrative.

Dialogue Between Past and Present Across the Courtyard

The project stages a sophisticated head-to-head dialogue between the meticulously restored timber residence and its contemporary glass counterpart. Inside the historic building, the glass pavilion acts as a climatic buffer, while outside, the detached pavilion functions as a visual counterpoint. The bamboo framework inside the modern pavilion echoes and reinterprets the timber craftsmanship of the original house, creating a rhythm of architectural quotation between eras.

Through this juxtaposition, Tea OZ becomes more than a teahouse, it becomes a platform for architectural discourse. It offers visitors a dynamic experience where heritage and modernity coexist, intersect, and reframe one another through space, transparency, and craft.

 A Contemporary Cultural Landmark Rooted in Preservation

Tea OZ by Ao.ArchLab represents an exemplary model of adaptive reuse and cultural restoration in contemporary Chinese architecture. The project balances historical preservation with spatial innovation, aligning traditional craft with modern materiality to create a sensory environment where old forms and new interventions mutually enhance each other. As a result, the teahouse serves as both a community destination and a meaningful architectural contribution that protects the past while reimagining it for present and future use.

All photographs are works of Wen Studio