SHENZHEN, Dec. 13 -- The first Shenzhen Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture provides visitors with a visual feast of works and concepts from top international designers. But a primitive building by an elderly Shenzhen woman stands out for its natural and simple style, and, especially, its construction methods and materials.

    Through photographs, descriptions and video, the biennale displays the strange building in Bao'an District, made entirely of discarded materials.

    The building, four floors of more than 10 meters, was built from 1957 to 2004 by Chen Peijun, an 84-year-old woman in Yousong Village. Chen used bricks, tiles, wood and mud, all collected from nearby construction site debris. No modern materials, such as steel and concrete, were used.

    The round, castle-like construction has more than a dozen of rooms, reached by walking through dark, zigzag paths and stairs. Each room has a different shape and decoration, but all the rooms use fragmented ceramic tiles on the floor. The most beautiful room has walls painted in the style of primitive frescoes. In other rooms, poems and graphics were carefully carved on the doors and walls. On the second and fourth floors, two balconies are richly covered with vines.

    As Chen is a pious Buddhist, the building incorporates Buddhist symbols. The shape of the lotus can be found in many places. Fragmented ceramic tiles, painted wooden bars and enamel, placed randomly throughout the building, form a rich collection of colors.

    Constructed without even the simplest architectural theory, the building is firm and durable. It has withstood almost half a century of rainstorms and typhoons. The simple construction method has also made it warm in winter and cool in summer.

    The presentation of the building has attracted many visitors.

    "I think the building is a great treasure for the city," said Yang Feng, a Shenzhen city employee.

    Some designers and artists also praised the building for its simplicity. "The building is a good representation of naturalism and humanism," said Wang Siming, a Guangzhou architect.

    (Source: Shenzhen Daily)