Tony M Fountain is the founder of Now Entertainment. He singlehandedly built Now Entertainment while also raising two small kids as a single dad. Today he mentors other artists and entrepreneurs to avoid making some of the same mistakes he faced along his journey. With bylines in Forbes & Entrepreneur Magazine, and a new book on the way this year, recording new music, creating Snap lenses, managing campaigns for many of your favorite artists, and more, hes a busy man. Still, I had a chance to get him on the phone for a moment and ask him a few questions. Heres what he had to say.

Who are some of your favorite rappers?

Lupe Fiasco, Bone Thugs -N- Harmony, Kid Cudi, Tobe Nwigwe, Rittz, Dusty Leigh, Hopsin, NF, Odd Squad Family, and so many more.

What are your passions outside of the music and entertainment industry?

I like to listen to podcasts and audiobooks when taking long trips. Im usually listening to Alan Watts, Joe Rogan, or some others like that. I guess you could say Im big on conspiracies and things of that nature. I also like to go fishing and watch movies.

What are some of your favorite movies?

I love a good movie, man, but if I had to pick some favs, itd probably be The pursuit of happiness, Goodfellas, Sleepers, Original gangsters, New Jersey drive, Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind, Forest Gump, The founder, Set it off, The hunger games, Fast and furious, and Sweeney Todd to name a few.

What did you do before starting Now Entertainment?

A little bit of everything from HVAC work, trucker, mental institution guard, even worked at a car dealership for a brief moment, among other things. I didnt really hold down a job for too long. Once I mastered whatever it was, I would get bored and move on. I also couldnt shake the feeling that I wasnt where I wanted to be and doing what I really wanted to do in life.

Have you ever been scammed or faced failure in the business?

Hell yeah! There was this one cunt Michelle Magee. She goes by other names sometimes as well. She has a fake ass company named Bullz Eye Entertainment and scammed me out of over eight hundred dollars. Back before I understood PR and how it worked, I found her on Linkedin and reached out.

At first, she seemed legit and like a decent person, but I was fooled. It turned out this so-called Christian lady was a complete fraud. I found out afterward I was one of many that she got over on. I tried to locate her, but she blocked me on all socials, and when I did a background check, I found she had moved over 10 times in less than a couple of years. She had written bad checks and all kinds of other stuff were on her record. I also learned never to send money to anyone via CashApp unless you know and trust them because they will not help you get it back and instead place it all on the banks, but the banks cant do anything either.

Whats the best method for someone to use if theyd like to reach out to you?

By email or Snapchat. I stopped responding on a few platforms simply because they monitor your messages, and Im not cool with that at all. Plus, I like building and having fun goofing around with the lenses on Snap.

Has there ever been a time where you wanted to quit?

Many times, being an entrepreneur is hard. It defiantly has its perks but can be very stressful. Many people find it tough to deal with, and the anxiety becomes too much to bear. Ive come to a crossroads quite a few times when I either didnt have the funding or didnt understand what to do or who to speak with to get the information I needed to move forward felt like giving up. But the love for it all wouldnt let me, and with some time, research, and deep thought, I always seemed to find my way.

Whats your favorite part of what you do?

Helping others reach their goals. There are many scam artists in this business, and it can break an artists spirit and bankrupt many entrepreneurs. Its nice to have failed forward and thus can guide, inspire, and play a part in others reaching success.

Whats the situation with the guys you started with; are you still a team?

Its all love; we just kind of all went our separate ways business-wise. People grow, and visions change. There was a sit-down once with Kendrick and Snoop where Snoop said something like, and Im going to screw this up completely, but in a nutshell, it was something like, when you start reaching success, sometimes others will try to pull you down, and you cant let them. You can either come back down to their level or keep climbing and hope they catch up. But the minute you come down, you might miss a step and fumble the ball, so you got to keep pushing forward.

Whats next for Tony?

Im getting ready to put out a book this year, and honestly, Im really thinking about possibly putting out some music of my own as well. I recently did a little rap duet video on Tiktok with Kato that got a few good responses.

#duet with @katoproducer #oldschool #rap #music

Duet with Kato 7 Kato On The Track

Excerpt from:
Tony M Fountain: The Architect And The Mason - A Convo With The Founder Of Now Entertainment - NOW Entertainment News

And finally, we're at December, the end of 2020... the year everyone's happy to bid farewell. It's been a melancholic month, with many taking time off from work, some braving the virus to spend time with family, with others staying cautious and remaining at home with family or alone. A vaccine brings hope that life, and work, will start looking more like normal next year. To end 2020, we bring you a summary of this year's final month in architecture...

Creative community issues a call to remove Philip Johnson's name because of his fascist past

The month of December kicked off with a call for institutions to disassociate themselves from Philip Johnson due to his nazi-sympathizing and penchant for fascism. While the call was directed to several architecture and design institutions, only one publicly released a response...

Sarah Whiting, Dean at Harvard GSD, responds to call for removal of Philip Johnson's name

In her letter, Dean Whitingexpresses support of The Johnson Group's request, indicating that Johnson's Thesis house be called "9 Ash Street" from now on.

Dean searches have begun at The University of Virginia and The University of Tennessee's architecture departments

December saw two of architecture departments seeking new leadership through Archinect's job board, in addition to the many other academic job opportunities.

Trump signs executive order promoting 'traditional and classical architecture' for America's federal buildings

After initially announcing the potential for this executive order back in early February, Trump pulled the trigger as his single term approaches its end. Archinect commentertduds summed it up nicely, "All creations are a product of the time in which they were created - most of all buildings. A government policy that requires buildings built in the present to reflect the languages and values of the past is a painfully blunt metaphor for an empire fraught with anxiety over its decline."

Zaha Hadid Architects and Foster + Partners sever ties with Architects Declare

Two of the industry's most recognized firms, ZHA and Fosters, both withdrew from Architects Declare, an organization that asks architects to commit to practices that will help slow down the building industry's effects on climate change.Donna Sink commented, "Dropping like bowling pins now! Hot take: IMO this makes Architects Declare all the MORE significant. It's upsetting the old guard, and that's good!"

Number of licensed Black female architects increases to 500

Architecture has a diversity problem. 2020 has shed a brighter light on this issue. While 500 licensed Black, female architects isn't very impressive as a number, it's a sign that we're moving toward a more diverse industry. Progress is good.

A Studio Visit With Frederick Fisher & Partners as They Embark Upon the Next Phase of Practice

Frederick Fisher &Partners has been doing strong work for decades as one of the firms that have helped define the LA style. While not getting the attention that others in this category have received over the years, their work and values deserve the spotlight. Fingers crossed that 2021 will allow us to do more in-person Studio Visits like this one.

Snhetta's new HQ for Le Monde Group opens in Paris

Snhetta was in the news a lot this year. Most of their work demands attention, and this project stood out to us, especially in December.

Edward Mazria honored with 2021 AIA Gold Medal, Moody Nolan receives AIA Architecture Firm Award

The AIA celebrated architects that push for diversity and environmental consciousness this year.

Mork-Ulnes Architects on Balancing Californian and Norwegian Design Spirits

In December we featured the stunning work and practice of the Norwegian-American architect Casper Mork-Ulnes.

Radio personality, Frances Anderton, joins Archinect Sessions for year-end episode

This episode probably meant a lot more to us that have live in Los Angeles. KCRW, probably the most popular radio stations in the Southern California region, has been airing Frances Anderton's Design and Architecture show since 2002. December marks the end of this 18-year run, as LA gets another hit to local architecture reporting. We invited Frances onto our year-end show to hear more about her time on the radio, and what her plans are going forward.

Swiss architect Luigi Snozzi dies of Covid-19

COVID-19 had a devastating impact on people worldwide in 2020, with many architects succumbing to the virus. Luigi Snozzi, considered the leader of the so-called new Ticino school of architecture, was the latest, and hopefully the last, architect to lose the fight in 2020.

2020 Year-in-Review

And finally, admittedly a little meta, December included our annual monthly look back at the year in architecture. Now that we've wrapped this up, as we look forward to closing this shit-show of a year, here is our compilation of 2020 in architecture.

Happy New Year!

See original here:
Architecture in December, 2020, brought hope with signs of positive change for the new year - Archinect

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--American businesses have faced extraordinary challenges this year, and Patriot Software is on a mission to make sure accounting and payroll isnt one of them. Today, they launched a national TV campaign to assure businesses of all sizes they can save time and money with Patriots accounting and payroll software.

Started in the basement of a factory over 3 decades ago, Patriot knows first-hand how important it is for business owners to have simple software that actually works, so they can focus on what they do best.

We want to make accounting and payroll fast, simple and affordable for millions of American businesses and their accountants, said Mike Kappel, CEO of Patriot Software. National TV allows us to share Patriots message with a broader audience and drive new user growth in our key season.

Patriot tapped All-Inclusive TV agency Marketing Architects for the campaign. They launched with two different creatives, Our Mission, Your Success and The Few, both identified as winners by the agencys creative pretesting platform. The pilot will run for one month on networks like CNN, Comedy Central, Fox Business News, and ESPN.

Patriots passion for their customers comes through in how they run their business and respect their brand, said Marin Suska, VP Client Growth at Marketing Architects. This passion helped bring their campaign to life. Were excited to see how TV helps them have an even bigger impact of the success of businesses nationally.

About Patriot Software

Patriot Software, located in Canton Ohio, provides award-winning online accounting software and online payroll for American businesses. For information on all of Patriots products servicing the United States, contact Patriot Software, LLC at 877-968-7147, or visit http://www.patriotsoftware.com.

About Marketing Architects

Marketing Architects is an All-Inclusive TV agency that gives performance brands access to high-quality, effective TV campaigns without the traditional high entry cost and ongoing challenges of optimization, scale and measurement. Founded in Minneapolis, Marketing Architects has been helping companies connect with their customers in new and surprising ways for more than 20 years. For more information, please visit http://www.marketingarchitects.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Continue reading here:
Patriot Software Turns to TV Advertising to Reach American Business Owners - Business Wire

Malta is filled with inspiration to create the finest architectural marvels to feast your eyes upon. From the bastions that surround our most cherished cities to the golden colour and distinctive texture of Maltese limestone.

The brightest and boldest of Maltas architects have long made our island more beautiful and distinct as a merging point of European, Mediterranean, and North African cultural influences.

MASP Trophy, designed with the intention of capturing the angular shapes and shadows of Valletta's bastions

There is no better feeling than being recognised as a leader in the building and design industry.

Subsequently, the MASP Awards which launched last year, are organised by the Planning Authority under the patronage of the President of Malta.

Townhouse facade in Sliema

Each category focuses on a different aspect of architecture and design to highlight all kinds of projects that architects in Malta find to be their pride and joy.

The submitted projects will be judged by both local and foreign experts, who will be looking for projects that highlight form, function, innovation, and quality.

The awards also include a category The Presidents Awards for individuals who have made an outstanding contribution through research, education, theory, or practice of architecture within the built environment. This award is by nomination only.

Taking part in these awards can help with evaluating your current business model as well as identifying any further improvements one should implement, and offer marketing exposure to stand out amongst the competition.

Luxury Hotel Rosselli in Valletta

Besides the more business-minded aspects of the awards, let us not forget the impact on morale that it can provide. Awards are always a way to give a shout out to your team, their talents, and their achievements.

It can create a greater bond between one another and also, it could be fun to take part and share the stories of your projects.

Commercial building winner, crane currency al Far

The winners of the awards will also feature in a high-end coffee table book, TV programmes, and will even get the opportunity to showcase their designs in a summer outdoor roadshow exhibition.

Visit maspawards.comand select the category (or categories) youd like to nominate yourself forby Wednesday 13th January 2021.

Winners will be announced on the20th of February.

See the original post here:
These awards are looking for the islands finest periti - Lovin Malta

Experts have become increasingly concerned about the effect of climate change on emperor penguins after some of the largest colonies have failed to produce chicks in almost three years. Iranian architect Sajjad Navidis Penguin Protection System aims to address both the threat to emperor penguins as well as the polar ice melt that prohibits their breeding. The two-part system is split vertically with an igloo shape that serves the penguins and an under-water shell that addresses the polar ice melt. Navidi created this concept in response to the Innovation for the Sea category of the Fondation Jacques Rougeries biannual Architecture and Arts Competition, where it earned seventh place.

The upper portion provides a man-made replacement for the penguins shrinking natural habitat of the Antarctic ice shelves. In the new igloos, penguins can continue to lay their eggs and huddle together to warm the eggs without fear that the structure will melt before the chicks can survive without the shelter. Imagery produced for the competition shows penguins huddled together in the igloos in a spiral organization. This natural formation of penguins provided the design inspiration for Navidis upper igloo.

Meanwhile, the lower structure attempts to undo some of the environmental damage that created a need for human intervention in the first place. The crater-filled and inverted igloo is based on the design of a sea sponge and is connected to a swinging underwater pendulum. When the pendulum is moved by waves, electricity is generated and used to cool the area.

By cooling the water in melting areas, Navidi hopes that his proposal would help manage the rapidly melting polar ice. He also designed these lower structures as independent elements that can detach from the temporary penguin homes. He imagines that these elements may be moved to areas that need more assistance in managing melting ice.

Though the Penguin Protection System is still a conceptual project, it demonstrates the intersection between environmental sciences and the built worldan important area that may become more relevant to architects and designers as climate change threatens our natural world.

See the original post:
This 'Penguin Protection System' Would Help the Birds Breed While Reducing Polar Ice Melt - My Modern Met

anchor

All images courtesy of Trahan Architects.

Trahan Architects and Spackman Mossop Michaels haverevealed their design for the renewal of Luther George Park locatedin downtown Springdale, Arkansas. Commissioned by the Downtown Springdale Alliance, the park is a part of the city's larger plan to create dynamic public spaces and plazas that can support public art, performing arts, and seasonal outdoor markets.

"The Downtown Springdale Alliance is thrilled with the work of the design team ofSpackman Mossop Michaels and Trahan Architects. Luther George Park redesignedwill be transformative to the beautiful, diverse culture and vibrancy of downtownSpringdale," said Jill Dabbs, executive director of The Downtown Springdale Alliance, in a statement.

The 14-acre park will facilitate community engagement by providing a sustainable venue for recreation, play, and outdoor performance. The design draws its inspiration from the native landscapes of Arkansas. Two-hundred new trees will be introduced to the site, providing shade for the local community and habitat for local wildlife.

"The park is about bringing people together from across the community and providinga space to connect to one another, and to the natural world," said Wes Michaels,ASLA, founding principal of Spackman Mossop Michaels, in a statement.

The Performance Pavilion is a central focal point of the new park. Its organic form creates twists and lightly touches the ground, giving it an illusion of floatation. The pavilion will host performances of up to 3,000 people. Moreover, the shell can also host smaller events, such as move nights for groups of fifty to one-hundred people.

Trey Trahan, FAIA, founder & CEO of Trahan Architects, said in a statement: "We believe strongly in the power of landscapes to inform our architecture theperformance pavilion draws inspiration from the rolling hills of the landscape and thestrong axial connection between the river and downtown Springdale. It is both anicon and deeply embedded in the context."

Go here to see the original:
Trahan Architects and Spackman Mossop Michaels reveal design for Luther George Park Masterplan and Performance Pavilion - Archinect

Cy-Fair ISDs much-anticipated new visual and performing arts center a multitiered facility with the capacity for an audience of 1,500 people is expected to be complete in 2022, making its debut as a venue for student shows and performances.

The future VPAC, and an adjacent administration building, are currently in the design phase and are intended to be completed by December and November 2022 respectively. Both will be constructed on a 26-acre plot of land located west of Cy-Fair High School near U.S. 290 bordered by Cypress North Houston Road and Matzke Road. The projects were approved as part of the $1.762 billion bond passed by voters in 2019.

Brandon Ross, representative with PBK Architects, who are designing both buildings, said the intention of building them both on the same parcel was to allow ease of access for the community.

Its an efficient use of a parcel for the district and it allowed us to maximize the use of that land to house both buildings, Ross said during the Dec. 14 school board meeting. All of the appropriate site parking, paving, delivery loading areas are on one site. It allows for a smaller floor plate, a more efficient building, stacking things vertically in both buildings and supporting them so that visitors, occupants and employees can completely access both buildings.

The VPAC will house 1,500 audience members in its auditorium. The four-tier building will have two levels of orchestra seating and two balconies. The orchestra space was built closer to the audience to create a more personal experience.

Related: Cypress Creek EMS says operations will stop unless funds are paid by Harris County Emergency Services District No. 11

This central facility will provide both some relief in size and in quantity for future activities, Ross said. Its set up to support true visual performing arts to support your band, orchestra, dance (and) arts. Its truly an all-inclusive facility. It has spaces to support all of those.

The VPAC will have infrastructure in place for additional lights, displays for events, and technology that could be installed at a future date. The lobby will also be used to host art displays and exhibits.

The lobby is a very key element, Jorge Tiscareno with PBK Architects said. Its not only the first (time) youre welcoming the public and the audience, it is actually like another area for performances, displays and galleries.

The admin building will include a five-story office area and a public space for board meetings, a one-stop shop for staff and the community.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Houston area ISD law enforcement and education experts discuss the role of school police

We stacked the five floors in the office tower and separated them from what we call the public area, which is the board room, the conference center and some of the shared spaces, Ross said. That achieved multiple things: a safe and secure building and also allowance of the organization of the stacked floors to support the administration better and separate the two.

Ross said the buildings design takes into account the function of different departments, and which departments regularly collaborate.

It also allowed us to include some internal stairs so there could be more collaboration between departments and smart adjacency, Ross said. When we met with those departments we not only learned about each department itself but who they interact and who they need to work with the most.

Ross said PBK is designing office spaces in the admin building with safety and health in mind, including adequate space to accommodate social distancing safe air circulation.

According to a PBK project schedule, the construction phase for the projects is expected to occur from May 1, 2021 to Sept. 30, 2022.

chevall.pryce@chron.com

Oytro

Read this article:
PBK architects outline features of future visual and performing arts center, administration building in Cy-Fair ISD - Houston Chronicle

Springdale, Arkansas, will be the latest city to get a major parks reimagining, as the New Orleans and New York-based Trahan Architects and New Orleanss Spackman Mossop Michaels have revealed a total overhaul of Luther George Park.

The project continues the Walton Familys reshaping of Northwestern Arkansas, as the parks modernization was funded through a Walton Family Foundation Design Excellence Program grant. The upgrade was commissioned by the Downtown Springdale Alliance to help jumpstart development in downtown Springdale and bring more public plazas and outdoor entertainment to the city.

The new master plan for the 14-acre Luther George Park will add 200 new native trees and will re-center the park with a new Performance Pavilion, a curving, multipurpose archway that can do everything from host concerts to act as a passive shade structure when not in use.

The pavilions Cor-ten steel cladding will weather and patina naturally over time, letting it gradually blend in with the environment. The pavilion will front the parks great lawn and will be bounded in the rear by berm, creating a natural seating configuration and helping to further disguise the structures impact on the landscape. In a press release announcing the overhaul, the design team attributed the pavilions future flexibility to the theater rigging integrated into the structure itself. Once complete, the pavilion will be capable of accommodating up to 3,000 concertgoers and about 50-to-100 movie viewers at a time on the smaller lawn at the back (in a post-COVID world, of course).

We believe strongly in the power of landscapes to inform our architecture the performance pavilion draws inspiration from the rolling hills of the landscape and the strong axial connection between the river and downtown Springdale. It is both an icon and deeply embedded in the context, said Trey Trahan, founder and CEO of Trahan Architects in the same project announcement.

No timetable for the projects completion, or cost, has been announced at the time of writing.

Here is the original post:
Trahan Architects and Spackman Mossop Michaels will overhaul a major Arkansas park - The Architect's Newspaper

Littleton, MA Maugel Architects and Nauset Construction announced the completion of the new 60,000 s/f headquarters for Workers Credit Union (WCU) located on Russell St.

Renovations included demolition of the existing building down to the structural steel and construction of new additions. The new headquarters houses WCUs corporate offices, a number of departments, conference rooms, training rooms, a caf, an outdoor dining patio and a fitness center. Hill International served as the owners project manager.

To create a timeless, elegant design that appeals to all generations, Maugel creatively blended traditional and modern design elements throughout the space. The exterior design features traditional masonry walls with cast stone piers, cornices and lintels that complement more modern elements, such as double-height curtain walls, a glass cantilevered entrance canopy and a metal outdoor pergola.

The interior design juxtaposes modern elements, such as metal and glass, with more traditional elements of wood and terrazzo. A central spine with a two-story lobby allows for expansive views through the depth of the building to the exterior.

This has been an incredible journey. Our new headquarters will be a place of purpose to improve the daily lives of our members and through them, the greater community, said Bob Lockett, chief strategy officer at WCU. It took the combined efforts of a very talented group of people to bring us to this day. The building will not simply be a place to work, it will be a place where families are protected, homes are created, dreams are fulfilled and the journey to financial wellness is begun.

On the first floor, a main circulation path leads to a large caf and training rooms. Folding interior glass walls enable the caf, training areas and adjacent corridor to be opened to create a large gathering space. The caf has access to the outside through a pair of glass doors opening to a colonnade and an outdoor patio featuring a metal pergola and areas for lounging and dining. Adjacent to the patio is an employee entrance equipped with bike racks, benches, and recycling. The employee circulation path showcases a variety of seating areas that encourage impromptu conversation and collaboration.

The second-floor lobby showcases a monumental terrazzo staircase with glass guardrail, floating wood slat ceilings with cove lighting, a multi- colored green moss wall with an abstract design reflective of the WCU logo, and decorative light pendants that spiral down through the double- height space open to below. The upper reception area features a stone, wood, and accent- lighted reception desk with a back-painted branded glass wall.

To promote employee well- being and maximize natural light into workspaces, large open office areas were placed along exterior walls with large windows. The natural light filters through the space, enabling users of internal glass-walled offices and conference rooms to enjoy the borrowed light. Gathering nodes and breakout spaces were thoughtfully placed along pathways to promote collaboration.

It has been an honor working with Workers Credit Union and the outstanding team of the Blackham Company, Nauset Construction, Hill International, RRC Engineering and BLW Engineers to create an iconic workplace, said Maugel project architect Cindi Cascio. This beautifully re-imagined building will now take on a new life supporting Workers Credit Unions amazing work serving the community and improving lives.

Go here to read the rest:
Project of the Month: Maugel Architects and Nauset Construction complete Workers Credit Union headquarters - New England Real Estate Journal Online

Chinese Opera Base in the Qingyun Hutong / Origin Architect

+ 22

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Whatsapp

Mail

Or

Text description provided by the architects. Spaces, in urban, may be formed overnight, but the soul of the city must not be shaped if it is not deposited, immersed, and chafed for a long period of time.

OriginLocated on the south side of the Forbidden City in Beijing, the Qianmen District has witnessed the rise and fall of the city for centuries. Qingyun Hutong No.23-29 courtyards lie on the eastern area of the Qianmen District, just like a miniature imprint in this grand epic. South courtyard, facing the theater stage of the Pingyao Pigment Hall across the alley, once sheltered Mei Lanfang, a Peking Opera master a hundred years ago. He used to train his voice in the courtyard brewing his unique artistic style. Once being the Guandi Gao Temple, there were abundance of well-structured halls following strict order during the heyday of religion in the Middle Courtyard, and the Hutong streets nearby were all named after it. The North Courtyard was occupied decades ago by an electron tube factory, so called "modern industry", with steel-framed and red-brick-wall.

However, these old buildings and memories are gradually vanishing. In recent decadesafter experiencing the era that families lived crowdedly and moved out collectively, the houses in yards are abandoned, collapsed and destroyed. That causes the rapid disappearing of urban texture and cultural memory. And now in the large courtyards, except for a dilapidated house remaining in the South Courtyard, two wing rooms in Guandi Gao Temple, as well as the roof-collapsed run-down factory, the rest have crumbled into dust and disappeared in a pile of rubble. The restoration project aims to restore the city's cultural context, preserve cultural memory and revitalize city and communities through appropriate intervention.

Tiny Hutongs and Successive courtyardsThe architect first carried out in-depth archaeological research and analysis of the process of land change. The remaining buildings are protected, the damaged part of the buildings are selected carefully for rebuilding to develop a courtyard group, so that the defective space texture of city can be recognized again. At the same time, a series of "Tiny Hutongs" are introduced into the courtyard by the specially reserved gaps, which are the inward extension of the outer city streets and drive the continuous flow of the inner and outer spaces of the whole courtyard group.

Memory CarrierArchitecture is not only an inorganic substance, but also a living history. During the redevelopment, the historical diversity of real remains has been affirmed and respected, and the conflicts between the damaged and intact, the red brick and gray brick, the factory building and courtyard are all-inclusive and even strengthened. The residual wall left by the Gao Temple is preserved as it was, as a witness to the interchange of history. Some buildings have been reinforced and patched as necessary. The inclined and collapsed walls are supported by terraced brick buttresses, and the old residual columns are butted up and down with new wood to restore their structural strength. The new measures are firmly anchored and grown together with the old members. After archaeological cleaning and excavation of mounds and rubble, several groups of hard fahlunite column bases Mei Lanfang's former residence have been rediscovered and returned to their original places. Other old objects and materials scattered around--old cornerstones, old bricks and tiles--are collected and randomly mixed into the new walls and floors as time fragments.

In the middle of the brick wall of the rebuilt house, a large number of dispersed glass bricks are inserted like clouds, and the existence of the house entity is weakened, which is not only a confession of one's fictional identity, but also a questioning of the reincarnation of being born and destroyed. Several other solid brick walls are penetrated by irregular steel members, keeping the memory metaphor of drilling holes through walls in the compound yard era. A thick trunk that has been dead for many years has been cleared out of the soil from the middle yard and placed on the wall where it was found to witness the coming and going of people in the future together with other still lush trees in the courtyard.

Weathering steel is used as the main intervention material in the factory building, and the air leakage hole on the red brick wall is closed. The internal structure is integrally strengthened by butting the same type of new angle steel with the old beam-column angle steel. New materials and old stuff are scattered in every corner and talking to each other in different ways, silently tell their real times and changes, and weave a touchable memory of time together.

Opera and CultureStemmed from the original historical accumulation, this place is defined as a compound of Hutong spaces and opera culture, which pours impetus into the revival of the surrounding communities and cities. Unlike large-scale centralized modern theatres, a series of places for opera creating, rehearsals, performances and salons form small-scale scattered communities, attracting emerging small cultural creative groups.

The old factory on the north side and the attached building of Guandi Gao Temple have been respectively transformed into an opera rehearsal factory and a special little theater. The drama and cultural exchange salon grown on the site of Mei Lanfang's former residence on the south side opens to Sanli River on the south side, bringing riverside scenery and tourists into the interior. Several creative spaces scattered in the middle and continuous internal streets connect all parts. For the purpose to ensure the modern comfortable conditions of various spaces, the park is equipped with various facilities and systems, and the air-conditioning equipment in each room is hidden under the ground or in the wall as required by the conditions.

As the future operation maturing, it is hoped that the new drama and cultural activities will break through the boundaries, spread along the flowing roadway to the depths of Hutong, and be integrated into the deep cultural foundation of the old city of Beijing.

Go here to read the rest:
Chinese Opera Base in the Qingyun Hutong / Origin Architect - ArchDaily