C&D · The Cloud House Demonstration Area, Changsha

In light of the fact that the site adjoins modern high-rise buildings on the Furong Middle Road, the design team figured out a subtle solution. That is to create a traditional venue in the city, whose historical charm echoes the local culture, so that the neo-Chinese architectural style can be truly integrated into the modern living environment and add a sense of historical warmth to the bustling downtown as well.



By taking the spirit from Hui-style constructions and shedding some old technical expressions, the design team successfully transformed an architectural entity into a garden-like space, making it a traditional architectural carrier which suits needs of contemporary urban life.



While meeting practical functional needs, horse-head wall brings a fresh aesthetic effect. It’s the most representative cultural symbol. In the project, black-white staggered horse-head walls exert a dominant influence on the overall image of the building cluster.



The gate fully absorbs the features of Hui-style ancestral temple. With modern materials and construction methods combined together, the entrance space in a humble posture is endowed with a unique local atmosphere, naturally evoking imagination about water town.



Traditional dwellings are characterized by a plain color palette, elegant tortuous lines and a calm ambience. Numerous white walls that share the same style are distinguished by various kinds of windows and carvings. Inspired by this character of Hui-style architecture, the team laid great emphasis on the application of materials and the design of details, eventually realizing an ideal architectural effect.



At the early stage, the design team made great efforts to work out the form of gray tiles, type of stones, splicing methods and decorative patterns, etc., and also managed to adopt modern materials and techniques, in a bid to create a Chinese-style traditional space. During the on-site proofing process, the team focused on the actual performance of materials at different times and in distinct weather conditions, so as to ensure strict quality control and perfect reproduction when the project was completed.