Old buildings in Yangshuo County of south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region have been revitalized by a South African architect, turning them into vibrant spaces that preserve the region’s cultural and historical heritage.
The Architect, Ian Hamilton, first arrived in Yangshuo in 2001. Captivated by the area’s stunning landscapes and rich cultural heritage, he decided to work as a tour guide, introducing foreign visitors to the picturesque surroundings.
His passion for ancient architecture eventually led him to make a significant life change. In 2010, he left his job and moved to Jiuxian Village, a historic settlement with over 1,000 years of history.
The village, which still boasts more than 40 buildings from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 A.D.) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 A.D.), became Hamilton’s canvas. In 2010, he rented his first old house, signing a 20-year lease, and began his restoration work.
“South Africa doesn’t have many old houses. When I arrived in Yangshuo, I saw these beautiful buildings, perfectly suited to local people’s life and the climate and environment here. Local people wouldn’t like to live in them and were building new ones. However, as an architect with a passion for buildings, I believe these houses are not only beautiful but also perfectly constructed. I think they should be preserved,” Hamilton said.
For Hamilton, each brick and timber in these buildings represents not just the passage of time, but also the rich history and culture of the region.
At first, the villagers were skeptical about Hamilton’s plans.
“He said he would restore our old houses, but we didn’t believe him at first,” said Lin Ying, a local villager.
A year after starting his work, Hamilton completed his first restoration. The villagers, who had once seen these decaying houses as mere symbols of the past, began to see them in a new light.
Hamilton’s meticulous efforts turned the buildings into livable, functional spaces. Upon seeing the changes, villagers began to trust him and started renting their old houses to him for restoration.
“It’s wonderful. When I first arrived here, people said the old houses were useless. But after I restored the first one, they stopped tearing down more old houses. They all saw that these houses still had value,” he said.
To date, Hamilton has restored six buildings in the village. Leveraging the booming local tourism sector, he transformed them into charming, antique-style hotels.
