An Urban Retreat in Nanshan

The project is located in Nanshan District, Shenzhen.

When I got the project, my excited feeling was beyond description.

The idea of “Creating a secluded heaven in the prosperous city” came into my mind, and the client and I reached an agreement quickly, which inspired me a lot. The former site with a land area of 1,000 m2 had several run-down brick houses and lots of lychee trees and longan trees, which was actually a heaven of nature. In this way, it needed an overall planning and design from architecture to landscape and to the interior.

In pursuit of the original idea, I decided to maintain the original fruit trees and renovate the former architectural yard. As poets Tao Yuanming and Wang Wei preferred the white color, no matter for spiritual need or personal interest, I desired a white house too.

Therefore, the site is divided into two functional areas that the dining room and kitchen area are on the west side and the living room and two suites are on the east side. A sunken garden is created according to the elevation discrepancy on the site. And the former pool is transformed into a sunken outdoor circular wooden patio.

A secluded and peaceful residence can make people feel easy and contented for embracing nature. The modern minimalist style cooperates with bamboo, wood and stone materials, welcoming people to appreciate its elegance. Two windows are created on the white wall, available for enjoying the landscape outside. When people make tea in the interior, the outdoor space is full with its fragrance. Walking slowly along the stone path, transparent French window enables people to appreciate the views easily. The house is surrounded by natural views, such as tree, stone, water and flower, etc., integrating with the outdoor natural space in a harmonious way.

Drinking tea or wine, people can sit here for enjoying natural landscape. What a pleasant and comfortable heaven it is!