When asked how one should live well, my answer is simple: live in harmony with nature, just like plants, insects, and fish.
—— Zhu Guangqian
This is the finest detail on a stunning cheongsam.
Human, nature, light.
Bare bricks and white walls.
The colors within the space blend seamlessly in a harmonious interplay of black and white, light and shadow.
On this simple white canvas,
pure, unrestrained brushstrokes translate into minimalist ink marks.
Guests arrive, sit down to enjoy tea,
chat casually about the past,
and delight in the beauty of life.
Even an ordinary life feels rich and fulfilling;
Metal and partitions form the framework shaped by the passage of time,
where black carries the weight of history.
Crossing barriers of time and space,
these elements carve out a cohesive spatial sequence,
infusing the plain white space with contrasts of light and shadow.
At its purest,
the design’s aesthetics reveal a dynamic vitality,
expressing itself through a delicate balance between change and permanence,
making the spatial beauty all the more captivating.
Walking along the U-shaped corridor,
accompanied by the warmth of wood and passing through hollow grids,
one opens a small door, steps onto black piano keys, and slowly descends.
What unfolds is the transformation of light telling the story of a day,
a small courtyard bathed in the shadows of trees throughout the year.
As time shifts and angles change,
light and shadow intertwine,
giving intangible moments a visible form.
White silk, light and shadow, ink marks;
amid the torrents of history, even millennia of dust remain untainted.
This elusive vitality
casts a dreamlike glow over the space.
Tree shadows sway through paper curtains,
as if the texture of ink has been woven into the fabric of time.
The gray-green hues of history have impressed upon time,
bringing warmth to the years.
Modern noise and extravagance fade away,
leaving only sunlight streaming through steel windows to fill the tranquil space.
The texture and elegance of wood flow consistently throughout,
unchanged over time.
The mottled wooden floor where beams and ridges intersect reflects a century gone by.
Continuing a transcendent sense of purity,
discarding artifice and stimulating sensory colors,
the design returns to warm, natural, and simple materials,
maintaining a pure texture and tactile quality.
These elements serve as spatial dividers,
blurring the lines between reality and illusion,
while also defining the passage of time and creating a poetic atmosphere within.
It is a discovery of simplicity and tranquility in a busy world,
offering a peaceful, undisturbed sanctuary.
Project Information
Project: Renovation of Old Western Style Houses
Design Company: Li Li Design Firm
Lead Designer: Lee
Design Team: Liu Taoyong, Zhao Shixing
Promotion: Tan
Project Location: Changle Road, Jing’an District, Shanghai
Project Area: 285 square meters
Design & Construction Date: November 2019
Construction Company: Shanghai Lili Architectural Decoration Design Co., Ltd
Main Materials: mosaic tiles, old steel windows, anti-corrosion wood
Photography by Zhang Tao
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