Great Wall Style

Tessa Cheek, Robert McLeod, Jim Spears

With stunning photographs and evocative text, 'Great Wall Style' invites readers to discover a singular oeuvre of projects nestled in four small villages alongside the Great Wall of China. Its narrative illuminates the personal story and creative practice of architectural designer Jim Spear. From within the vernacular of traditional architecture, Spear has designed thoughtful and surprising spaces for contemporary life. These environmentally sound dwellings surround sustainable enterprises set in re-purposed venues — an abandoned schoolhouse is transformed into a restaurant and glass blowing workshop; a village hut evolves into an artisanal noodle shop; and a glazed tile factory provides guests with a lush retreat in its new life as an eco-lodge. Great Wall Style tells the compelling story of grassroots rural development through an exploration of material memory and the meaning of home.