Qing Residential House
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Qing Residential House
Qing Residential House is an exemplary residential architectural project located in Shanghai, China, that masterfully integrates Chinese cultural symbolism with contemporary spatial design principles. Named after the color Qing, which represents vitality in Chinese culture, this comprehensively renovated two-story villa serves as a dynamic canvas that artfully balances form and function through its innovative use of voids, materials, and light. The design, which earned a Bronze A' Design Award in Interior Space and Exhibition Design, features two strategic voids that create compelling spatial contrasts despite the building's low floor height. The first void incorporates a curved glass wall that transforms the staircase into an upward-blooming floral element, while the second void ingeniously connects formal and private living spaces across different floors, extending to a glass conservatory and culminating in a meditation room. The interior design employs a sophisticated material palette, combining white terrazzo flooring with textured walls and raw dark woods to create visual depth and balance. The 516-square-meter interior space, set within a 985-square-meter site, demonstrates exceptional spatial narrative through its seamless progression from public to private areas, characterized by thoughtful transitions between loose and tight spaces, open and enclosed volumes. The project's distinctive features include a staggered skylight in the entrance, a solid wooden corridor, and a semi-outdoor glass structure, all contributing to a contemplative journey through the space. The renovation, completed between 2015 and 2017, successfully transformed the previously enclosed villa into an open, harmonious living environment that reflects both the external riverside setting and the inhabitants' inner characteristics.
residential architecture, Chinese cultural design, spatial innovation, interior renovation, contemporary villa, sustainable living
Qing Residential House
Qing Residential House is an innovative residential landscape design project located at the intersection of two rivers in suburban Shanghai, exemplifying a masterful balance between privacy and visual connectivity through sophisticated boundary treatment. The project, designed by Peilun Li, represents a significant achievement in contemporary landscape architecture, drawing inspiration from Mexican landscape architect Luis Barragan's philosophy of combining simple masses with natural elements to create poetic spaces. The design's primary challenge was integrating four existing Camphor trees while establishing a harmonious relationship between public and private spaces within its 985-square-meter site. The solution manifests in five strategically placed concrete walls, each two meters high and fifty centimeters thick, arranged in an overlapping, staggered configuration that creates dynamic transitional spaces. These walls serve multiple functions: some support rooftop gardens, others channel rainwater into decorative waterfalls, and several feature ground-level openings that extend sightlines for residents. The project, which earned a Silver A' Design Award in the Landscape Planning and Garden Design category, demonstrates exceptional innovation in its approach to boundary definition and environmental integration. The design's sophisticated interplay of light and shadow on the concrete surfaces transforms the walls into living canvases, while the careful preservation and incorporation of mature Camphor trees maintains the site's ecological heritage. This comprehensive landscape renovation, completed between 2015 and 2017, successfully transforms a previously enclosed villa property into an engaging architectural composition that harmoniously balances privacy requirements with visual permeability, embodying the design philosophy of less is more while creating meaningful connections between human-scale elements and natural surroundings.
residential architecture, landscape design, concrete walls, sustainable integration, boundary treatment, contemporary gardens
Qing Residential House
Qing Residential House is a sophisticated architectural renovation project in Shanghai that exemplifies the harmonious fusion of traditional Chinese residential architecture with contemporary design principles. This Bronze A' Design Award-winning residential structure, completed in 2017, represents a thoughtful reimagining of a two-story villa, incorporating elements inspired by the traditional river houses of Southern China. The design, conceived by Peilun Li, features two strategically positioned solid blocks that minimize traffic interference, with a recessed entrance space nestled between them. The most striking architectural element is the western cantilever, complemented by French windows that create a dynamic interplay between interior spaces and the natural environment, integrating tree shadows and water reflections. The project, spanning 985 square meters of site area with 516 square meters of interior space, distinguishes itself through its innovative interpretation of traditional Chinese architectural elements. The exterior design language employs a deliberately restrained material palette, primarily utilizing blue brick and white walls, yet achieves visual complexity through varied construction details and brickwork methods. Unlike the minimalist tendencies of Western architecture, the facades feature scattered layouts and multiple linear elements that create rich layering effects characteristic of traditional Southern Chinese architecture. The renovation successfully addresses the original structure's spatial limitations and facade organization while maintaining harmony with existing elements, demonstrating exceptional skill in architectural preservation and enhancement.
residential architecture, Chinese traditional design, architectural renovation, contemporary villa, sustainable architecture, cultural preservation
CITATION : "Adam Dawson. 'Qing Residential House.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/define/qing-residential-house?E=439739 (Accessed on October 14, 2026)"
Qing Residential House on Design+Encyclopedia
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