Guozi Jinding, Zhumadian

Located at the intersection of Zhumadian’s Northern New Town and Western Urban Area, Guozi Jinding occupies a strategic site enriched by both urban connectivity and natural resources. Guided by the concept of integrating contemporary Oriental aesthetics with local cultural identity, the project explores how traditional philosophy can be translated into a contemporary residential landscape.

Drawing from Zhumadian’s historical identity as the “Centre of the World,” the design is informed by the balanced philosophy of the Doctrine of the Mean, reinterpreting traditional Eastern ritual order through modern spatial experience. Rather than replicating historical symbols, the project transforms cultural memory into a living landscape that reconnects residents with nature, place, and history.

The landscape is organized through a framework of “Two Axes and Twelve Gardens,” establishing a layered system of movement, gathering, contemplation, and daily life. The east–west axis follows a ceremonial sequence of “The Ritual of Arrival, The Ritual of Entering the Landscape, and The Ritual of Returning to the Heart,” creating a gradual transition from the city into a more intimate residential environment. Monumental entrance spaces, natural stone compositions, mist landscapes, blue-glazed tiles, and lattice-inspired elements are woven together to create a contemporary expression of Eastern spatial culture.

The north–south axes respond to different residential typologies while maintaining a coherent landscape language. Functional activity spaces support everyday living within the high-rise precinct, while quieter garden environments shape the experience of the villa and large-apartment districts.

Inspired by the Song Dynasty’s West Garden Literary Gatherings, the Twelve Gardens reinterpret scenes associated with activities such as qin music and the game of Go through contemporary landscape design. Together, they form a sequence of immersive environments that transform cultural heritage into everyday experience.

The project creates a contemporary residential landscape rooted in local identity while offering a renewed interpretation of Eastern living.