Xiaopu Compound

The Xiaopu Compound is situated at the intersection of urban and natural environments, where the urban dynamism of the Jinshi Lake commercial district to the south engages in a dialectical spatial dialogue with the ecological tranquility of the Xianhua Mountain preservation zone to the west. Qingmo Architectural Design, in collaboration with Zhaoyuan Group, has anchored the project within the "negative space" of Pujiang's Xianhua Mountain—a modern landscape painting—extending the ideal residential paradigms of traditional painting theory and translating them into a Chinese courtyard residence adapted to the contemporary urban context.
The site slopes from north to south, featuring a Feng Shui configuration of "three mountains embracing a body of water." This layout corresponds to the Xian hexagram (䷞) in the Classic of Changes, symbolizing a space that gathers wind and concentrates energy. Its spatial structure naturally resonates with the "Three Distances" visual framework established by Guo Xi of the Northern Song Dynasty in Lofty Ambition in Forests and Streams—comprising the verticality of the "High Distance," the layered depth of the "Deep Distance," and the horizontal expanse of the "Level Distance." By "incorporating scenic landscapes and adapting to the terrain," the design creates a modern residence that integrates with nature while continuing cultural traditions, realizing the vision of a "landscape estate and an elegant retreat at Xianhua."
Pujiang's Xiaopu Compound employs a low-intervention strategy to respect the original topography. By reconstructing the spatial sequence of "street–lane–courtyard" and integrating the "Three Distances" visual mechanism, the architectural volumes are staggered along the mountain contours, forming a settlement texture that interlocks with the terrain. Elevation details reinterpret elements from the Shangshan Cultural heritage site using modern materials and techniques, presenting a refined local expression within the Three Distances framework.