At Meizhou Island, birthplace of the sea goddess Mazu—protector of fishermen—the famed temple at the island’s north draws more than three million visitors each year. In the summer of 2022, the celebrated Chinese architect Xu Tiantian and her practice DnA_Design and Architecture were invited to respond to this influx of tourism and its impact on the local communities. True to their philosophy, DnA moved away from the idea of a single monumental museum and instead proposed a network of smaller-scale interventions spread across the island. These projects range from platforms that bring visitors closer to aquaculture practices, to a square where fishermen dock their boats and transmit intangible cultural traditions. Each gesture is carefully calibrated to sustain local livelihoods, preserve fragile ecologies, and re-balance the relationship between tourism and daily life.

Founded by Xu Tiantian, DnA is widely recognized for its pioneering method of “architectural acupuncture,” where precise, context-specific interventions generate outsized cultural, social, and economic impact. From revitalizing abandoned stone quarries in Jinyun County to negotiating the delicate coexistence of pilgrimage, conservation, and traditional farming on Meizhou Island, DnA continues to expand the possibilities of architecture as a form of rural renewal.

This presentation includes an exclusive excerpt from Into the Island, the opening chapter of Groundwork—a three-part film and exhibition series produced by the Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA).