Youth Commons
In the Shuinan Sub-district of Songyang County, a second-floor platform enclosed by residential buildings had remained derelict since the community was built between 2015 and 2017—its surface cracked, facilities absent, a rudimentary public restroom fallen into disrepair. In 2024 the housing was converted into subsidized youth apartments. Studio RE+N was asked an open question: what could improve the neighborhood?
The architects identified this neglected rooftop as the site with the greatest public potential. On its west edge, red light-steel structures establish a new street interface: a permeable canopy frame, a spiral stair tower bridging the level change, and canvas panels modulating light and shelter. Beneath the canopy, movable service modules enclosed by vertically arrayed rebar contain foldable tables, seating, and storage. A paving system of radial and concentric patterns in pink, blue, and green—executed in SPU flooring—guides movement and defines zones for table tennis, badminton, fitness, and a running track without hard barriers. Along the street, an interactive lighting installation assembled with interlocking logic serves as a community landmark.
Residents now exercise, gather, and hold evening events on the platform. Monthly programs bring music performances, markets, and public forums. When the LED strips embedded in the structural joints illuminate at dusk, the daytime skeletal frame becomes a glowing presence—and this once-forgotten rooftop re-enters the everyday life of the town.
