A few historic villages have been preserved in the dense modern urban fabric of Dongguan City. Each of them occupies an area comparable to the area of a city block. Their buildings are predominantly one-story stone houses covered with old ceramic tiles. These are a kind of historical enclaves, which are surrounded by modern multi-story residential buildings. Villages are in desolation and decline, and their cultural and tourist potential has not been revealed.

The purpose of this project is to unleash such potential for one village, Puxin Village. The peculiarity of this village lies in the fact that the old “gun tower” has been preserved in it. It is a stone building 13 meters high. It has one entrance, and its walls are covered with many arrow slits. In the past, when the village was attacked by robbers, the inhabitants, along with supplies of food and water, took refuge in this tower. As a rule, the robbers were poorly armed and therefore could not get inside the tower. Residents were waiting for help there.

The site for the project is a partly ruined area, directly next to this tower. The principle of the project is to create a point of attraction that would attract both various tourists and residents of nearby high-rise buildings. It is crucial to design a space that would be appealing to different audiences. For people with different rhythms of life, and interests. The main aim is to bring life and constant activity to the Puxin village.

The small square in front of the tower is preserved and becomes a venue for various events and temporary events. It is actively used during fairs and festivals. The interior spaces of adjacent existing buildings are being refurbished and converted into spaces that are rented out to various small quirky shops. There may be shops and showrooms of designer clothing brands, designer furniture, ceramics, flowers, plants, etc. A new facility with a comprehensive program is being built nearby. This is a restaurant with a rooftop veranda, a souvenir and toy shop, and a small space for organizing a flea or farmers market on weekends and holidays. The rooftops of Puxin village houses are charmingly beautiful and form a wondrous rhythm. The desire to identify these advantages forms the basis of the project idea. So there is a path leading to the roof of the restaurant, on which the veranda is located. The route and the veranda of the restaurant are a point of observation and contemplation of the surroundings providing views on the historical heritage of Puxin.