This project is located in the city of Suzhou in east China. Inspired by an ancient poem that reads, “My path has wound, through a sheltered hollow of boughs and flowers, to a Buddhist retreat,” the designer moves the Zouma Tower, clamshell windows and arcades of Suzhou gardens into the mansion, injecting poetic quality into the space, and integrating with the life aesthetics of the Tang and Song Dynasties. In the mansion, the architecture retreats into the dark, and the residence shifts from shelter to spaciousness, from seclusion to brightness, leading to a connecting space that extends around the center area.
A deep space is built with the ultra-high floor at the entrance. Symmetric lattices at the ceiling weaken the sense of oppression due to the floor height. The light hidden behind the lattices depicts a golden outline of the sunlight on the panes of the ancient building. The pattern is a hexagonal honeycomb with a stable and compact structure, which is an expectation of family cohesion, and a blessing to the loved ones outside. It also adds to the luxury of the mansion without noticing.
