Liyuan Mansion, Jining

Jining, a city with a long history and rich cultural heritage, is renowned as the hometown of Confucius and Mencius and the capital of the Grand Canal. It boasts a deep humanistic background and abundant natural scenic resources. The project is situated along the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, where urban and natural landscapes harmoniously coexist. Covering approximately 6,055 square meters, the project aims to cleanse the city’s hustle and bustle, creating a tranquil and serene environment. Named “Liyuan”, it symbolizes a state of peaceful reflection and freedom.



The design emphasizes an integrated approach to architecture and landscaping. The outer cultural corridor embodies the humanistic spirit of the “hometown of Confucius and Mencius”, drawing from the essence of Chinese ancient architecture, such as Song Dynasty sloping roofs, interlocking wooden brackets, and mortise and tenon joints. It preserves Jining’s intangible cultural heritage of willow weaving techniques, interpreting traditional elements with modern methods. The opening and closing of the gate convey the essence and ambiance of an oriental residence. The willow-woven lattices were meticulously crafted through numerous refinements, using the most representative weaving methods. After multiple optimizations and sample deliveries with the construction factory, 36,000 metal strips were manually woven into 1,500 modules, perfectly realizing the design vision.



The inner hidden luxurious garden, an exquisite art garden at the homeowners’ doorstep, captures the natural beauty of the region. Inspired by the layout of Nanyang Ancient Town in Jining, the entrance features a floating bridge leading to a scene that evokes walking on clouds. Upon entering the garden, visitors are greeted by a waterfall surrounded by forest islets, with water encircling all sides. The semi-mountain and semi-water layout creates the impression of a traditional Chinese landscape painting. Among these features are 18 pieces of naturally chiseled Chinese black stones, personally selected and placed by the lead designer after numerous comparisons across three locations, to faithfully reproduce the landscape imagery depicted in the drawings. The goal is to integrate mountains and water into the environment, to celebrate traditional humanistic spirit, to reshape modern living aesthetics, and to create an oriental cultural garden.