Chapter 107 Inheritance
After the survey, Fan Yajun invited everyone to have dinner at the state-owned restaurant on Minzhu Road.
This restaurant is located in Tongdeli. A two-story Western-style building facing the street was converted into a restaurant. Stone pillars and corridors, red bricks and red tiles, and sunlight shining into the store through colored glass create an inexplicable sense of mystery.
Although Fan Yajun is a woman, she acts and speaks very efficiently. Before the meal started, she ordered the local homemade orange soda and gave each person a bottle.
"There are many factories nearby. This is orange soda produced by the Orange Heart Soda Factory. It's chilled and can quench your thirst in the summer. It's hot, so let's not drink alcohol, let's drink some soda instead."
Fan Zhicheng took it, took a sip, lowered his eyelids, and said softly, "I've been away from home for twelve years. I really miss the iced soda here. Today I finally got to drink it. Thank you, Mr. Fan."
Fan Yajun raised her eyebrows and looked at Fan Zhicheng. There were ripples in his eyes, which made people feel pity for him unconsciously.
Fan Zhicheng looked at Fan Yajun and explained softly, "I was an educated youth in a farm in northwestern Hubei for twelve years. If I hadn't been admitted as a graduate student, I really don't know when I would be able to come back."
Fan Yajun was somewhat moved and consoled him, "The lost time will always be made up."
Tao Nanfeng watched coldly and became more and more disgusted with Fan Zhicheng. Who is he showing this look of wanting to say something but not being able to, and playing the victim all the time to show off to?
There were many people who went to the countryside to work as educated youth, why was he the only one who was pitiful?
Is it because he can gain benefits by playing the victim, such as exemption from postgraduate entrance examination, and Li Shunmei's care and love...so he has become very proficient in this skill now?
Tao Nanfeng turned his attention to the exhibits in the store and became more and more fascinated.
The decoration is not luxurious, but it is unique.
In terms of color tone, gray, white and black are mostly used as the main elements, which are simple and steady. There is a row of glass display cabinets at the door, which not only blocks the line of sight but also looks very beautiful, with some interesting small ornaments placed on them.
On both sides of the stairs are simple iron railings painted blue-gray. Going up the stairs, the second floor is slightly lower and is the hotel’s staff dormitory.
The ceiling fan above your head is turning slowly, and fluorescent lights are attached to the corners of the wall. This industrial style of decoration makes people feel cool as soon as they walk in.
Tao Nanfeng didn't stop looking at her until the food was served.
Fan Zhicheng tore off a page of sketch paper and pushed it in front of Tao Nanfeng: "This is for you."
Tao Nanfeng looked down and found that it was the interior decoration rendering of this hotel. The three colors of black, white and gray are expressed by laying out lines. The picture is simple and beautiful, and it makes people feel extremely comfortable when looking at it.
Tao Nanfeng shook his head: "This is your work, I don't want it."
Fan Zhicheng wanted to say something else, but was interrupted by Tao Shouxin: "This painting is good, give it to your instructor as basic information."
Fan Zhicheng had no choice but to stand up and respectfully handed the drawing to Huang Jiafa: "Teacher."
Huang Jiafa was kind-hearted. He took it with a smile and joked, "Tao Nanfeng never accepts gifts from strangers. Xiao Fan, you are still not familiar with her."
Once again hitting a wall with Tao Nanfeng, Fan Zhicheng smiled awkwardly.
After lunch, a group of people went to the conference room of Jiangcheng Architectural Design Institute for discussion.
Jiangcheng Architectural Design Institute is not big. After entering the gate, there is an enclosed three-story brick-concrete building with a concrete space in the center. There is a light blue carport along the corridor with dozens of bicycles parked.
The meeting room is located at the east end of the first floor.
As soon as they sat down, Fan Yajun began to assign tasks.
"The infrastructure department of the towel factory has been slow to come up with the design brief, so... our design institute is responsible for the preliminary survey and topographic mapping, and you guys make a brief. I saw that Tao Nanfeng's notes were very detailed just now, so just organize them and I'll give them to Party A, have them sign and stamp their approval, and then proceed with the design according to this requirement."
Huang Jiafa and Tao Shouxin had no objection.
Fan Yajun asked Tao Nanfeng: "Do you have any questions?"
Tao Nanfeng said: "There is no problem in sorting out the housing opinions of the employees. But I have an idea, I wonder if you think it is appropriate."
Fan Yajun encouraged her to speak.
"Tongdeli is a century-old building, a product of the combination of the old concession and Jiangcheng folk customs, and is of great significance for preservation. Our towel factory dormitory is adjacent to Tongdeli. Can we consider keeping it consistent with the architectural features of Tongdeli in the design, so that the design will have more artistic value?"
Tao Nanfeng's proposal was very bold.
Although the idea of emancipating the mind and seeking truth from facts was put forward in the late 1970s, the afterglow of the movement was still there.
The four olds were to be destroyed, namely the old ideas, old culture, old customs and old habits. Therefore, when designing buildings, designers thought about how to reflect the times and strive to change customs. They never dared to mention keeping the style consistent with the old buildings!
Fan Yajun did not comment, but looked at Fan Zhicheng: "Xiao Fan, what do you think?"
Fan Zhicheng said: "I have lived in Tongdeli for more than ten years. I am very familiar with every plant and tree here, and I have a lot of feelings for it. From an emotional point of view, I certainly hope to see the towel factory dormitory separated by a wall can also be made like Tongdeli, with red brick walls, two-story small Western-style buildings, stone pillars and stone gates, but is it possible? This is unrealistic!"
The engineers from the design institute and the two professors began to drink tea with a smile and signaled the two students to start the debate.
"The truth will not be known unless it is argued. This is a design institute, and it is safe to discuss behind closed doors. Just speak freely, the two of you."
"Yes, it is valuable that Tao Nanfeng has his own ideas. It is commendable that young people dare to break traditions."
"Fan Zhicheng is familiar with this area, and his opinion is worth considering."
"It's a good opportunity for us old guys to take a break and listen to your ideas."
Since everyone let him speak, Tao Nanfeng naturally wouldn't be polite.
She stood up and looked at Fan Zhicheng across the large conference table and said, "Why is it unrealistic? Please tell me your reasons."
Fan Zhicheng showed no mercy and directly expressed his views.
“First, the other party required that the land be fully utilized. If it was designed according to the two-story buildings in Tongdeli, it would be a waste of land;
Second, the stone pillars and stone doors in Tongdeli are all exquisitely carved, and even the window frames have stone decorations. How much would it cost if you did the same? Is the cost issue not a consideration?
Third, the Western-style buildings in Tongdeli originally had individual doors and windows, but were later converted into unit dormitories where several families lived together in one room. The kitchens and toilets were very dirty and inconvenient to use. Who can afford to live in a Western-style building with a private entrance and courtyard, two floors, six bedrooms and two living rooms?
So, Tao Nanfeng, I don’t agree with what you said about designing the new staff dormitory in the style of Tongdeli. ”
After speaking all this in one breath, Fan Zhicheng became a little excited, his chest heaving up and down, and his cheeks slightly flushed. A grown man actually displays a kind of enchanting beauty.
He added: "If I design it according to this idea, will I be scolded by the employees? Will the city leaders think I am corrupt and degenerate?"
If it were the previous Tao Nanfeng, he would probably be completely controlled by Fan Zhicheng.
However, after going through countless hardships and having experience in confronting Huang Xingwu, Luo Xuan and others, Tao Nanfeng was not panicked at all.
She straightened her back, smiling, and looked very relaxed: "Fan Zhicheng, don't rush to accuse me of having depraved thoughts. This is no longer popular now."
Fan Zhicheng opened his mouth, but closed it again. After hesitating for a while, he decided to explain: "I'm not making an accusation. What I mean is that we should be on guard against such a situation."
Explanation is a cover-up. Tao Nanfeng waved his hand and said, "It doesn't matter. Let's just talk about the facts."
Huang Jiafa leaned close to Tao Shouxin's ear and whispered, "Not bad, your daughter is very generous!"
Tao Shouxin didn't smile. He looked at everything with a stern face and listened carefully to the argument between the two students.
Tao Nanfeng said: "Although Tongdeli has excellent buildings with a history of hundreds of years, it is a long time after all, and there will be various problems in the process of living. Fan Zhicheng just mentioned three things, in addition to what he said, I can add two more points.
First, the enclosed layout did not fully take into account the climate characteristics of Jiangcheng, which is cold in winter and hot in summer, and the air circulation inside the building is not smooth; some buildings face east and west, or west and east, and the lighting is poor, which greatly reduces the living comfort.
Second, early buildings did not take the issue of laying electrical wires into consideration, resulting in dense vine-like wires on both sides of the alley, affecting the overall appearance. ”
Fan Zhicheng listened to her very thoroughly and asked curiously, "Since you know that Tongdeli is not suitable for living, with all its problems, why did you propose that the new dormitory building of the towel factory should be designed according to Tongdeli's design?"
Tao Nanfeng glanced at him coldly and said, "Please listen to me carefully. What I just proposed is not to copy Tongdeli, but to consider keeping the architectural features of Tongdeli consistent in the design. Do you know what architectural features are?"
Fan Zhicheng didn't say anything, but his face turned from red to white.
Tao Nanfeng continued: "I remember Director Huang once told us in class that the process of architectural design should be carried out based on the principle of combining inheritance and innovation."
Huang Jiafa nodded repeatedly: "Yes."
“Inheritance is never about copying.
Tongdeli was once prosperous and high-profile. Local chronicles record that when it was built, it attracted countless people from Jiangcheng to visit, and the alleys were crowded with people and were extremely lively.
Tongdeli's architectural design combines Western two-story townhouses with Kyoto courtyard houses. This was a very bold innovation at the time, which attracted heated discussions among peers and was praised as: a product of the combination of Chinese and Western cultures and a perfect work of art.
But as time passed and generations of people lived and renovated the place, problems gradually became apparent. Planning issues, orientation issues, cost issues... Faced with such problems, how can we copy them when we design?
So I propose to retain some architectural features to ensure similarity with Tongdeli style. This will make it more visible and allow people to tell at first glance that it is a Jiangbei building.
However, the specific number of floors, apartment types, and floor plans must be carefully designed based on sufficient research to meet the needs of employees as much as possible and make the constructed homes comfortable and livable.
So what I mean is to extract some architectural symbols of Tongdeli and pass them on to make the building's appearance more artistic and more individual, but to be bold and innovative in the design of the apartment floor plan to meet the functional requirements of the building. ”
As soon as Tao Nanfeng finished speaking, Huang Jiafa's occupational disease kicked in and he was the first to praise: "Tao Nanfeng listens very seriously in class and applies what he learns. Not bad, not bad."
Tao Shouxin did not praise him, but frowned and asked: "Extract architectural symbols. Do you know what architectural symbols are? How to extract them?"
Tao Nanfeng is confident: "Architectural symbols refer to objects that are made for functional use, such as beams, slabs, columns, balconies, railings, walls, plinths, steps, awnings... I have summarized some of them when I was sketching in the early stage, and I will continue to research and extract architectural symbols with historical imprints in the later stage."
Fan Zhicheng asked: "For example?"
Tao Nanfeng said: "For example, the hollow cement balustrades in the stairwells. There are 26 buildings in total, and the patterns of the cement balustrades in the stairwells of each building are different. Some are birds paying homage to the phoenix, some are peonies and chrysanthemums, and some are grapes in the garden, happy eyebrows, and lotus pond moonlight... They are very unique."
A light flashed in Fan Zhicheng's eyes. He leaned forward with his hands on the conference table.
"Is it the same as the concrete railings on our Yangtze River Bridge? There is a carved stone every few steps, which is very beautiful. However, do you know how expensive non-mass-produced building materials are? Just this item alone will increase the budget by a lot! For the sake of those so-called heritages, the construction cost is increased, which is a waste! So, I don't agree with your point of view."
Tao Nanfeng frowned slightly. This question indeed could not be avoided.
Just like making a piece of clothing, simple cutting and sewing costs one price, but if you want to embroider or hem it, the cost will be higher.
The same is true for architecture. Some architectural symbols look beautiful, but this beauty requires manpower, material resources and financial resources. Whether it is worth it depends on the choice of the parties involved.
She thought for a moment and responded, “Everything you gain comes at a price. We can reduce the cost through other means, or we can contact the prefabrication factory to control costs.”
Fan Zhicheng pressed on: "If what you said is true, carved stone pillars and stone doors can also be considered architectural symbols, but these cost a lot of money, right?"
Tao Nanfeng nodded: "Yes, so we need to further refine and select architectural symbols that are both economical and have the characteristics of Delhi for inheritance."
Fan Zhicheng wanted to say something else but was interrupted by Fan Yajun.
"Well, the discussion between the two students is very interesting and fully demonstrates your focus. Tao Nanfeng wants to pass on history, and Fan Zhicheng puts practicality first. Each of them has their own reasons.
Right now, the country's national strength is not strong and the city does not have much money. When the city leaders talked to me this time, they specifically emphasized the need to control construction costs. I will take Tao Nanfeng's opinions into consideration in the design, but please don't include them in the task book, so as not to restrict our own actions. ”
Tao Nanfeng nodded in response and his eyes met Fan Zhicheng's in the air.
A sharp light flashed, and the venue was inexplicably filled with a smell of gunpowder.
After the meeting, Tao Nanfeng returned home, changed into a cotton silk nightgown, and leaned on her father's bed. Only then did she feel relaxed.
"Dad, why don't you say a few words for me?"
Don’t think that Tao Shouxin always has a stern face outside, as if he is very strict with his daughter, but now when he returns home, his smile is full of pampering.
"Nanfeng, you used to be the head of the infrastructure department on the farm, and the farm manager was Xiangbei. The place was small, there were few rules, and there were not many people who understood the profession, so naturally you had the final say. If you want to pass on the legacy, you can pass it on. If you want to innovate, you can innovate. It doesn't matter whether you spend money or not.
But now that you are back in Jiangcheng and you are a student, naturally no one is willing to listen to you.
To be honest, I strongly support your point of view. Tongdeli has a long history that is worth commemorating. I personally feel it is very necessary to pass on that period of history through appropriate iconic architectural symbols. ”
Tao Nanfeng said: "Then why didn't you speak for me in the conference room?"
Tao Shouxin said, "We are father and daughter at home and teacher and student outside. We must have this sense of boundaries. You are my student, and Fan Zhicheng is Huang Jiafa's student. You two disagree, and I cannot clearly express my support for you. Think about it, if I directly say that you are right in public, wouldn't that indirectly make Huang Jiafa lose face? It's not appropriate."
Tao Nanfeng said "Oh", it turned out that these social conventions were the most annoying things.
Tao Shouxin encouraged her: "I support you behind the scenes, and it's the same. Fan Yajun's last words were very smooth, saying that she would consider your opinions appropriately. Then you can investigate and find out which architectural symbols are both distinctive and cost-effective. It will be easier to talk if you have data."
Tao Nanfeng became interested: "Okay, then I will organize the employees' opinions into a task book today, go to Tongdeli early tomorrow morning, and then go to Jiangcheng Prefabrication Factory."
Tao Shouxin looked at his daughter with some concern: "It's hot, remember to wear a hat when you go out for a run."
Ever since being bitten by zombies and mutant rats in his dream, Tao Nanfeng's physical condition has been getting better and better, and he is not afraid of cold or heat.
She smiled and sat up: "Okay, Dad, remember to write me a letter of introduction."
Early the next morning, Tao Nanfeng went out alone wearing a short-sleeved shirt, long pants, and sandals, with his father's Seagull camera hanging around his neck.
The last time he came to Tongdeli, Xiangbei accompanied him, but this time Tao Nanfeng was alone. Being alone has its advantages. She walked through all 26 buildings without distraction, marking each one from the outside to the inside and taking detailed photos.
Then he took the letter of introduction to the Jiangcheng Prefabrication Factory and asked for the price of the distinctive architectural symbols he had drawn, such as the carved railings, eaves stone arches, window sills, lintels, etc.
Tao Nanfeng is good-looking and friendly. She looks very fashionable with a camera on her back, and the workers in the prefabrication factory are all willing to talk to her.
Someone joked with her: "Xiao Tao, please take a few photos for us."
The workers were squatting at the prefabricated panel site, still smiling brightly under the scorching sun. This reminded Tao Nanfeng of the farm workers, who were all so simple and hardworking.
Although film and photo developing were not cheap, Tao Nanfeng readily picked up the camera and took a few work photos for everyone.
As the relationship became closer, a worker team leader said, "Xiao Tao, the picture you just drew looks familiar to me. I'll take you to the warehouse to look it over. There is a batch of cement slabs from more than ten years ago. They were originally ordered by a private boss, but when the movement came, they were covered in dust and have been piled there ever since."
When Tao Nanfeng arrived at the warehouse and took a look, he was immediately delighted.
Nowadays, most of the prefabricated carved balustrades produced by building materials manufacturers are in magnolia patterns, but what is in the warehouse is a batch of custom-made "Baoxiang Flower Group" patterns with exquisite and beautiful patterns. Although there is only one kind, a rough count shows that the stock is large enough to be used in the stairwells of the staff dormitory building.
Tao Nanfeng said to the salesperson of the prefabrication factory: "What is the price of this batch of fences?"
The salesperson asked cautiously, "Do you dare to use this trick? Will you be criticized?"
Tao Nanfeng smiled: "It's a staff dormitory designated by the city, what are you afraid of!"
The supply and marketing agent was relieved: "All the remaining inventory will be sold at half the price, which is cheaper than outside."
Tao Nanfeng picked out a batch of window sills and waistlines in the warehouse and asked, "If I buy them in bulk, will there be a discount?"
The workers nearby all smiled and spoke up for her: "Xiao Tao is so concerned about public affairs, she must give the cheapest price."
Everything is done, Tao Nanfeng knows what is going on.
A few days later, she developed the photos and took them to Jiangcheng Architectural Design Institute to find Fan Yajun.
"Mr. Fan, please take a look. This is the warehouse pressure-delayed prefabricated component I found in the prefabrication factory. You can buy it at half the price. The precious flower clusters represent good luck and good fortune. If they are installed in batches, the effect will be amazing.
The window sill and waistline also have dark patterns, shining silver in the sun, which is very eye-catching. The key is that the price is not high and there is no additional cost. ”
Fan Yajun looked at the bright eyes of the girl in front of her and was unconsciously moved, and her admiration for her grew stronger.
She nodded: "Okay, I'll give you a chance. You will be responsible for the design of the single dormitory building, and you have the final say on your design."
Tao Nanfeng's eyes lit up, and he was filled with the joy of victory: "Good!"
The author has something to say:
The concept of "li" originally referred to the residence of civilian households. Since ancient times, there has been a saying that "households are connected and live in villages". The terms "village", "hometown", "lilu" and "lixiang" originated from this.
"Fen" or "fen" is a Wuhan dialect, meaning a small residential area. From the late 19th century to the first half of the 20th century, a type of terraced house was commonly built in many places in my country, with "li" as the neighborhood unit and "nong" and "xiang" as the organizational structure of residential units. In Shanghai it is called Nongtang, and in Wuhan it is called Lifen.
The "Tongdeli" in the article is based on the prototype of "Tongxingli" in Hankou. In order to avoid writing the novel as a thesis, some exaggerations and fabrications are used for fun.
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