△ Architecture and Surrounding Environment
Songlou is situated in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, within China’s renowned pottery capital, Yixing. The site boasts an exceptional natural environment. Nestled in the beautiful Yangxian Tourist Resort, the Longchi Mountain Scenic Area is surrounded by dense bamboo forests at its base. From afar, visitors can appreciate the textures of the mountains, farmland, and the Zen temple perched on the mountain, all contributing to a serene mountain atmosphere.
Both architects and owners share a unified vision for this project. The homestay, tucked away within the bamboo forest, aims to capitalize on the scenic surroundings and harmonize with nature. As photographers, the homeowners also desire their photographic art to enhance the homestay—not only serving as artistic décor but also infusing their personal artistic sensibility, thereby endowing the homestay with a unique character.
Pure Architectural Form
The building features a simple white exterior, composed of interlocking square volumes with recessed and protruding elements. This design enriches spatial variety, creating numerous semi-outdoor areas that bring occupants closer to nature, while maintaining an overall pure architectural form. Ultimately, the structure integrates seamlessly with the lush greenery, standing out subtly. Together with distant mountains, bamboo forests, and flowing water, it embodies the poetic lifestyle modern people yearn for—simple, natural, and leisurely.
△ Courtyard Corner
△ First-Floor Indoor Public Space
The functional layout is thoughtfully designed. The basement level serves as a multifunctional entertainment area, outfitted with karaoke, a cinema hall, entertainment rooms, and a water bar. The basement’s spatial qualities help reduce noise, allowing some guests to relax and enjoy entertainment while others rest undisturbed. The first floor acts as a transitional zone between the lively underground space and the tranquil private guest rooms above. It hosts reception services, a reading area, and tea tasting, making it a crucial social hub for guests to mingle and connect. Seven independent guest rooms are dispersed across the second and third floors, each offering impressive views and a close connection to nature.
△ Room with Panoramic Window
While solid walls are necessary to divide spaces and ensure privacy, this project emphasizes elements like windows, balconies, and glass partitions that link the building with the surrounding landscape. These features foster a seamless connection between indoors and outdoors, people and nature, architecture and environment. Guest rooms on the second and third floors are equipped with expansive corner French windows, each oriented to capture unique views of streams, distant mountains, dense bamboo forests, and more. Each room’s theme reflects the specific landscape it overlooks, creating diverse interior styles. These French windows act like photography viewfinders, presenting guests with ever-changing natural panoramas like a scroll of images. Inspired by this immersive integration, room names such as “Tanxi,” “Muyang,” and “Shaking Bamboo” were chosen. Every window in the Pine Tower was meticulously designed and positioned by the owner and designer, who are photographers.
△ Guest Room Terrace
Glass railings on the terraces enhance the connection between guests and the natural surroundings, effectively inviting visitors into the outdoors. The terrace is the most popular spot for guests to relax quietly, enjoy the mountain breeze, listen to birdsong, and smell the fragrance of flowers. It also serves as a small outdoor campsite where guests can host intimate gatherings and savor undisturbed joyful moments.
△ Public Areas
Vertical Circulation Core
Natural wood, humble and simple, is a key material in the interior design. It reflects the natural mountain landscape while providing a rustic backdrop that complements the owner’s photographic artworks, allowing them to blend without overwhelming the space. The design of the basement and first-floor public areas cleverly uses load-bearing structures to create flexible activity zones, eliminating spatial barriers. The public spaces are mostly open-plan without doors, bright and permeable. Only stairs and low wooden partitions define specific areas such as study rooms.
△ Architectural Night View
Outdoor Swimming Pool
△ Courtyard Corner
△ Guest Room Corner
△ First Floor Plan
△ Second Floor Plan
△ Third Floor Plan
△ Basement Level 1 Plan
△ Elevation View A
△ Elevation View B
△ Elevation View C
△ Elevation View D
△ Section A
△ Section B
Project Information
Project Name: Songlou
Designer: Pingjie Design
Company Website: paralleliz-design.com
Contact Email: __AI_S_SC0__
Design & Completion Year: 2019
Principal Designer: Huang Di
Design Team: Sun Xueyi, Zhang Chen, Xiao Mingfeng, Meng Minmin, Xiao Xiangdong
Project Location: Yixing, Jiangsu
Building Area: 700 m²
Photography Copyright: Yao Jieqi
Client: Songlou Yisu Photography Homestay
Must log in before commenting!
Sign Up