The Land of Wilderness features more than 20 houses and installations created by Qiao Xiaodao and his team in Lijiang, Yunnan province. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Self-taught architect makes miniature structures, turning wasteland into a charming tourist attraction, Xing Wen reports.
Between the vast sky and the boundless earth, rows of stylish log cabins appear, as wild grass bend to the wind. In addition, a colorful watchtower, cottages on wheels, an A-frame greenhouse, tree houses, stilted houses, animal-shaped huts, transparent houses, a haystack-like slide and an irregular-shaped auditorium, the exterior of which embraces minimalism design, are all scattered on the untamed stretch of land in the suburban areas of Lijiang in Yunnan province.
A peculiar airship-like vehicle made of metal scraps sometimes crawls by on a narrow cemented path that connects the buildings and installations, blowing bubbles from its "mouth".
Each building there has a name and function－a grocery store, coffee shop, concert room, bookshop or temporary dwelling. The modernity, colorful accents and whimsical quality the playful place exudes may make visitors feel like they are circumnavigating a land from a fairy tale.
The place has been built from scratch by Qiao Xiaodao, 43, who has never received formal architecture education.
Most of the time, instead of sketching the layout of the prototype beforehand, he would fall back on his instinct and experience when constructing a building or an installation.
However, designing and constructing stylish houses is just among many accomplishments of the tall, lanky man with sun-tanned skin.
The Land of Wilderness features more than 20 houses and installations created by Qiao Xiaodao and his team in Lijiang, Yunnan province. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Born in a poor family, he used to help his father to build houses brick by brick and do some woodwork in his boyhood, which made him a handy person and someone who doesn't shy away from hard work.
Although Qiao dropped out of high school during his teen years, he never stopped learning new skills on his own and has set foot in different fields.
After he moved to Beijing from Heilongjiang province in 1998, he became a welder, house painter, visual designer of a website, owner of a printing studio, editor of an indie magazine and a curator.
In 2006, he bought a guitar and learned how to write folk songs with the instrument. Soon he formed a band with his 9-year-old niece.
The next year, they released their first album, titled Xiaoshide Guangnian (Disappearing Lifetime).
Their debut in the music circles was successful as the album won several awards and enjoyed popularity among folk music lovers. He continued exploring music until he moved to Yunnan in 2013.
When Qiao wandered the streets there, a tricycle, with tools such as saws, hammers, nails, hatchets and chisels, drew his attention. The items belonged to a local carpenter who had just died.
The tools reminded Qiao of his younger days when he helped his father with manual work.
"When I was young, most people around me built their own houses. I also got to join my family members to construct our home and make furnishings," he recalls.
"However, as I grew up, I tended to be attracted by new things one after another and gradually left my boyhood memories behind. Then (in Lijiang) I decided to pick up the memories again."
The stylish miniature houses have turned the wasteland into a playground. [Photo provided to China Daily]
He restarted by making chairs and tables, and constructing small houses. Qiao equipped himself with different skills to ensure he could cover the entire process of constructing a house: laying bricks, welding the steel framework, mapping the domestic electric circuit, painting the exteriors and woodwork.
After he posted online photos of small-sized houses he made, his designs attracted many who asked Qiao to make such houses as decorations for commercials and other events such as a music festival.
"He is highly focused on what he does," says Zhen Zhen, Qiao's wife, who assists him in his business and social interactions, which gives him the time to throw himself into the construction activity.
Qiao decided to turn a wasteland of some 40,000 square meters in Lijiang into a tourism venue, calling the area Land of Wilderness, where 100 tiny houses or installations of different shapes and styles are being built for adults and children to stroll about and play.
More than 20 houses and installations are already in place. When the site had a soft opening in June, groups of artists and children visited the place. Their feedback inspired Qiao to upgrade his work.
"I found that I should make facilities that can better interact with our young visitors," he says, adding that he is making a locomotive that can be used to "pull cottages".
"That will allow children to stay in the cottage and make a joyful circuit of the zone."
Qiao Xiaodao (first from right, front row) and his team pose with one of their creations, a bookshop made with recycled materials. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Besides, he also plans to set up a big stage for musicians to hold gigs.
Most raw materials he uses to build the houses are scraps abandoned by other people.
Recently, he shared photos of timeworn desks, old television sets and obsolescent stereos on social media with excitement, saying the things were donations from his friends and neighbors. "They are useless in others' eyes, but are treasures in mine."
Now, Qiao has several assistants who also have the passion to build such houses. The group is working together to enrich the tourist spot.
"I hope visitors can embrace a fresh experience every time they step into Land of Wilderness," he says.
Qiao's daughter was born last year. The couple say they hope their daughter will enjoy her childhood there.
The Land of Wilderness features more than 20 houses and installations created by Qiao Xiaodao and his team in Lijiang, Yunnan province. [Photo provided to China Daily]
The stylish miniature houses have turned the wasteland into a playground. [Photo provided to China Daily]
The stylish miniature houses have turned the wasteland into a playground. [Photo provided to China Daily]
The stylish miniature houses have turned the wasteland into a playground. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Qiao Xiaodao, folk singer and self-taught architect [Photo provided to China Daily]
