
The Digua Community, founded by designer Zhou Zishu, is a collaboration program between citizens, designers, artists, public and private parties, that aims to transform the dark bunkers into better places. The first transformation of bunkers happened in Beijing’ Anyuanbelli’s neighborhood. After co-creation with residents, the dark bunkers have turned into a colorful community center, connecting people from the whole neighborhood. The community center offers a wide range of communal activities like sports, teaching, and library services, as well as commercial activities to foster local entrepreneurship.
The Digua team wanted to not only improve the living conditions for residents, but also to connect people and build a sense of community among neighbors. Residents from both aboveground and underground came together in special workshops initiated by the Digua team. In these workshops the residents shared their demands and needs to the design team, enabling active engagement of residents in both the design and the renovation process. These workshops then resulted into a permanent platform where residents still share their expertises, trade services and do business together.
The community center project has been supported by officials, and this might affect other landlords to improve the conditions of the bunkers as well, preventing eviction by authorities. Nonetheless, the special workshops not only improved the social interaction between residents, but also strengthened social capital for the many low waged people living underground. The success of Digua’s pilot community center, has already led to multiple requests from other neighborhoods in the city. This year, another five to ten underground spaces in Beijing’s neighborhoods will be transformed into colorful communal places.
Pop-Up City is an official media partner of the International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam 2016. Digua Community is featured in IABR—2016’s main exhibition.
In de afgelopen jaren hebben we onderzoek gedaan naar het fenomeen stadverlaters. In dit rapport kijken we naar hun drijfveren en de kansen die deze trend biedt voor het platteland.
Learn more