The scent of camphor trees hangs heavy in the air. A subtle fragrance mixing with the concrete and wood. This is the Jiabei Country Park Northwest Visitor Centre.
Let me tell you a story about this unassuming building. It stands here today a near-perfect replica of something else entirely. Something that once stood here decades ago. This wasn’t always a visitor centre.
Before it became a welcoming hub for Jiabei Country Park this site held a different purpose. It was the Xu Qin Village Committee. A U-shaped compound built in the 1990s. Red tiles crowned its double-pitched roof. Brick and concrete formed its sturdy frame. The building had a concrete cornice and attic. Prefabricated concrete boards completed the structure. The north wing boasted two stories. West south and east wings were single-story structures. A large open space graced the courtyard’s east side.
The original plan aimed to renovate this former village committee. The goal was to preserve its basic layout. The architects would update the roof adding new buildings. The result would be a beautiful juxtaposition of old and new.
A steel-wood porch was added. All its lean-to roofs sloped towards an inner patio. The porch faced the entrance square. It perfectly captured the local architectural style. This entrance was in sharp contrast to the more substantial main buildings.
Inside the original design the west wing held administrative and operational departments. This included ticket services information services and tour guide services. Offices and duty offices were also situated there. The southwest corner held public restrooms. The south wing housed a kitchen. The east wing extended northwards becoming a teahouse. A pedestrian entrance opened to the main park road.
The north wing’s ground floor became a specialty shop and bicycle rental. The second floor transformed into a lounge. A turnaround space for electric tourist shuttle buses was designed near the river to the north. Added galleries and loggias provided bus waiting areas.
Then came a crucial discovery. During land inspections a problem surfaced. The southwest corner of the old village committee sat on permanent farmland. This farmland could not be developed. The old building couldn’t be saved intact. There was no time for a completely redesigned project.
A solution was found. The entire building would be moved. A slight northward and eastward shift placed it outside the farmland. The old village committee was demolished. The visitor centre you see today is a precise replica. It’s a testament to compromise ingenuity and the preservation of a park’s unique history. Even the three camphor trees remain. Their positions shifted but they stand as silent witnesses to this architectural transformation. The Jiabei Country Park Northwest Visitor Centre. A story of careful planning and unexpected obstacles ultimately resulting in a harmonious blend of the past and present.