The Vernacular Architecture Evolution of Naya by ZSYZ Studio: Revitalizing Volcanic Rock Houses in Hainan

Located in Naya Village, Chengmai County, Hainan, The Vernacular Architecture Evolution of Naya by ZSYZ Studio is a thoughtful architectural renovation that reinterprets traditional volcanic rock dwellings through contemporary construction techniques. Rooted in local history and climate-responsive design, the project demonstrates how vernacular architecture can evolve to meet modern living demands without severing its cultural lineage.

Founded in the 1600s, Naya Village sits on fertile land shaped by volcanic eruptions dating back to the 4th century. The abundance of volcanic stone not only defined the village’s agricultural productivity but also shaped its architectural identity. Over centuries, local craftsmen developed a distinctive built environment using thick volcanic rock walls paired with timber structures, forming houses that were both thermally efficient and culturally expressive. However, rapid urbanization left many of these traditional villages abandoned, with timber structures decaying and only the heavy stone walls remaining as silent witnesses to the past.

Balancing Old and New in Vernacular Renovation

At the heart of the project lies a critical architectural question: how to balance preservation and transformation. ZSYZ Studio approaches renovation not as an act of replacement, but as a dialogue between time periods. The design resists creating something entirely “new” detached from memory, instead preserving the village’s nature-adaptability, spatial logic, and material authenticity.

The original volcanic rock walls were carefully dismantled, numbered one by one, reinforced, and reconstructed to ensure structural safety while retaining their weathered texture. Traditional roof tiles were restored as the visible roof cladding, while modern waterproofing and insulation layers were discreetly inserted beneath, allowing contemporary comfort standards to coexist with historic expression.

Structural Evolution of the Ten-Post House

To transform the project into a pilot prototype for modernized volcanic rock housing, ZSYZ Studio identified structural intervention as the key strategy. The traditional “Ten Post House”, a timber Chuandou structural system widely found in South China, was deconstructed and reimagined.

The renewed timber framework features taller and slimmer wooden posts, enhancing spatial openness while preserving the original structural rhythm. All timber components are connected through traditional mortise-and-tenon joints, ensuring continuity with local building techniques. At the same time, the components were CNC-prefabricated in a factory, addressing tight construction timelines and establishing a repeatable model for future rural revitalization projects.

Light, Gardens, and the Tropical Climate

One of the project’s most poetic achievements is the way it choreographs light and landscape. Between the precisely sized internal glazed envelopes and the irregular external volcanic rock walls, a series of gap zones emerge. These transitional spaces become lush tropical pocket gardens, filled with greenery that thrives in Hainan’s humid climate.

Natural light filters gently through skylights and garden gaps, creating a constantly shifting atmosphere throughout the day. This “symphony of light” animates the interplay between timber structures, dark volcanic stone, transparent glazing, and living plants, reinforcing a deep connection between architecture and nature.

Weaving Translucence into Community Space

Beyond residential renovation, the project expands its social ambition by transforming three ruined houses into shared public spaces. New timber structure units, standardized at widths of 3.0, 3.6, and 4.5 meters, extend beyond the original house footprints while respecting the historical roofline positions.

The gently extending roofs resemble white birds hovering above the ruins, introducing a light, almost floating presence over the heavy stone remains. Enlarged timber frames envelop the restored walls, physically and metaphorically wrapping old memories within a new architectural language. Steel cables reinforce posts and beams, enabling a contemporary interpretation of the Ten Post House jointing system while maintaining structural clarity.

Flexible Grey Spaces and Modern Rural Life

The spatial system allows for flexible use, responding to both traditional lifestyles and modern community needs. The S-unit, opening like a tree canopy, creates a generous shaded grey space aligned with local habits of resting and socializing outdoors. The M and L units, enclosed with translucent polycarbonate hollow sheets, allow interior and semi-outdoor spaces to merge or separate through operable curtain walls.

This adaptability supports diverse programs, including exhibitions, workshops, communal dining, and gatherings, positioning the renovated complex as a new social catalyst for village life.

A Lantern for the Village at Dusk

As evening falls, the architecture transforms once again. The softly glowing polycarbonate volumes illuminate the site like a string of lanterns, casting warm light across the volcanic stone walls and surrounding landscape. Against the backdrop of tropical dusk, coconut trees, and paddy fields, the project creates a poetic atmosphere where warm timber, hazy translucence, steel tension, and ancient stone coexist in harmony.

All photographs are works of  Hao Chen, Rui Zhu