Tao Yuan | CAALADI China

"Taoyuan | Reviving an Old Mining Area with Literary Architecture"

The scholar-gentleman culture in China has spanned thousands of years in the land of Zhejiang, gradually evolving into the unique "literati lifestyle" of today. It embodies a philosophical approach to life that modern people can draw inspiration from. Today, particularly in architecture and space, it conveys a distinctive aesthetic and lifestyle that resonates with contemporary living. Nestled on a secluded mountain ridge amidst the greenery of an old mining area, a literary building attempts to portray such a lifestyle. It responds to the understanding of the site environment, architectural considerations, and interpretation of contemporary literati life through the integration of people with nature, architecture, and the surrounding landscape.

"First Encounter - Painting on the Re-greening Project in the Old Mining Area"

The architecture of the Taoyuan Project is designed by Xiong Lihe and his team from the Institute of Landscape Architecture Design at China Academy of Art. The design approach considers aspects such as form, structure, function, usage scenarios, and sustainability, responding to the possibilities within the small-scale scope of the rejuvenation project in the old mining area. The pavilions and courtyards, arranged in a staggered manner, blend harmoniously into the environment, exuding a beauty of secluded living.

The project is situated on a broad platform along a mid-level mountain ridge, backed by green hills and offering distant views of the Fuchun River. At the original site were two abandoned functional buildings. The client's objective is to transform these structures into a sanctuary that harmonizes with nature—a place for literary gatherings—while integrating emerging concepts of contemporary ecological leisure living. It aims to be a private retreat, yet also a space where scholars and literati can share the joys of the mountains and forests.

"Creating - Formation of a Literary Gathering Place"

User experience and environmental context are crucial considerations in the design. The architect has thoughtfully responded to the relationship between the architecture and the site, the scale of the surrounding space, and the integration of indoor and outdoor areas, reshaping people's perspectives and physical experiences of the sky and the mountains. Ascending the mountain along a winding path through bamboo leaves, visitors enter the site. Three groups of buildings, gradually appearing closer as one approaches, lie low on the ground. Following the hierarchical logic of traditional Jiangnan folk architecture, they interact with each other in a harmonious blend of skillful and rustic elements, high and low structures.

The first group of buildings, located in the front area of the site, offers the best panoramic views and serves as the bedroom and terrace. In the rainy Jiangnan region, traditional houses in the Yan Dang Mountain area predominantly feature structures made of grass, wood, and stone, with large eaves and low profiles, imbued with a serene Zen atmosphere. The architectural transformation of the Taoyuan project follows this approach. The houses are built according to the terrain, reaching a state parallel to the ground. The large eaves create ample overhead space, and considering the scale relationship between people and buildings, the eaves are intentionally lowered to 2.4 meters. This "low-profile" design allows the buildings to blend into the overall mountain landscape, creating a subtle and ethereal beauty amidst the bamboo forest.

"Symbiosis - Localization Expression of Natural Construction"

The second group of buildings offers broader views of the river. Similarly arranged in response to subtle changes in terrain, the two small houses accommodate various literary gatherings such as playing musical instruments, playing chess, drinking tea, and practicing calligraphy and painting. In terms of material usage, both groups of buildings incorporate local elements from the mountains and forests. Stones from the original mining site are selected for landscaping, while the exterior facades of the buildings feature a combination of oak and white walls, paying homage to a rustic and enduring aesthetic expression.

In terms of construction techniques, considering the challenging nature of the project, the architect opted against standardized methods. This is particularly evident in the treatment of the roofs. As the interface separating the heavens and the earth, the roof not only serves its basic function but also implies the architectural response to sheltering the body and embodies a minimalist lifestyle attitude. Therefore, the design of the roof emphasizes maintaining consistency with the contours of the mountains, following a lateral extension. The four-slope roof now features straight and powerful vertical lines, aligning with the terraced fields nearby to create a cohesive visual narrative. The aim is to confine human intervention as much as possible within the harmonious and unified natural ambiance.

Horizontal roofs are not commonly seen in the market due to their complexity in craftsmanship and the risk of leakage during usage. The unconventional adoption of horizontal roofs in this project involved a collaborative experiment between the design team and a customized material factory. Through iterative trial and error in terms of technical aspects, construction precision, and structural safety, the team ultimately achieved a lighter and more rounded expression by customizing aluminum panels.

"Deep Cultivation - Pursuing Design Value for Human Use"

As urban renewers and builders, the team has designed numerous large-scale public projects in commerce, culture, tourism, offices, and education. They persistently strive to break through conventional boundaries through independent thinking and creativity, exploring the public and social aspects of architecture. The completion of the Taoyuan Project marks their renewed collaboration with old friends, starting from small-scale, highly flexible practices to explore the symbiotic relationship between people and architecture.

Looking back at the design of Taoyuan, it not only carries on the leisurely pursuits of literati in the Jiangsu-Zhejiang region since ancient times but also inadvertently documents the spirit of the times. With the mountains as a canvas, it leaves behind a sustainable ecological perspective, prompting questions about the expression of architectural publicness and the realization of value in serving people.

Project Name: Taoyuan

Design Unit: Institute of Landscape Architecture Design, China Academy of Art

Building Area: 200 square meters

Design Content: Architectural Design

Chief Designer: Xiong Lihe

Design Team: He Xiaogang, Zhou Kai, Wang Yijie, Xie Shangjin, Yan Xishui, Wang Limin, Wang Zhetao Project Photography: Zhang Xi

Content Planning: One Plus Brand Management Consulting