Great Wall Style: Building Home with Jim Spear

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 repurposed 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.