BIM Architecture Showcase: Xi'an Jinlin Tianxi and Botao Pinlin by New Hope Group

Why retreat to the mountains and forests? To find calm and self-reflection.

In ancient times, retreat was the last refuge for scholars who faced setbacks and unfulfilled ambitions. Today, it represents a modern pursuit of a higher quality of life.

Amid the vibrant streets of Tibet, discover a paradise—a healing sanctuary designed to offer busy city dwellers a tranquil and enjoyable home.

△ Aerial view

Xi’an, the ancient capital of thirteen dynasties, boasts a rich cultural heritage and embodies an introverted, humble urban character. This project is situated in Xi’an High-tech Central Innovation Zone, adjacent to the Xi’an Future Eye.

In this historic city, designers have integrated traditional concepts into contemporary architecture through spatial order and modern design.

01 Finding Quiet in the City · Site Overview

New Hope · Jinlin Tianxi is located in the heart of Xi’an High-tech CID and marks New Hope Group’s first “Jinlin series” project in Xi’an. It benefits from an advanced three-dimensional urban transportation network and excellent medical facilities. Located near the Daren Site Park (currently under construction) and facing the Qinling Mountains, it offers a livable, business-friendly, and tourist-friendly peak mansion.

△ Location analysis chart

The site borders a main road to the west, offering strong visibility and signage. The rear launch zone provides ample space, with the western edge serving as the prime urban connection and pedestrian entry point for the exhibition center and initial experience area.

02 The Aesthetics of Seclusion: Spatial Exploration

The exhibition area’s spatial sequence turns tourism into an enjoyable journey. The narrative elements connect seamlessly to tell a complete story of “concealment,” embodying the philosophical essence of Eastern natural landscapes.

△ Plan view

– Overture –

The story begins with a modern, elegant champagne gold gate. Inspired by the scale of the ancient city wall, the gatehouse grille crafted from Qin bricks and Han tiles marks the entrance to a retreat into nature.

△ Entrance Gate Head

– Laying the Groundwork –

Passing through the gate, visitors encounter the story’s prelude. Water flows gently beside a floating bridge over black slate, with pine trees standing quietly by the water’s edge, evoking a sense of homecoming. Subtle landscape gardens gradually reveal the building, inviting visitors forward.

△ Front courtyard space

– Climax –

The building ahead appears as a rectangular prism composed of smaller square volumes, featuring simple lines and creative design. The finely chamfered roof softens the overall form, while the curved ultra-white glass gently blurs the building’s sharp edges, enveloping its boldness in subtlety. This is the first layer of hidden beauty, blending containment with revelation, boldness with restraint.

△ Front facade of sales office

Traditional Chinese landscape painting, the primary decorative element on the building’s exterior, is seamlessly integrated with modern materials. Through processes of deconstruction, simplification, reconstruction, and reinterpretation, it manifests as U-shaped glass facades. The color palette balances white and dark gray, creating interplay of light and shadow that evokes distant mountains and lush jade hills. This design not only enhances the upper blocks with light effects but also reflects the traditional Chinese philosophy of retreating into nature.

△ Sales Office Detail View

Upon entering, visitors reach the story’s climax—the most dynamic expression of architectural language. The building steps down seven meters, with equally tall corridors extending on both sides, naturally forming a rectangular sunken courtyard. Here, the architectural layout and massing reveal themselves.

△ Sales Office

The building’s layout is inward-facing, layered to draw visitors deeper inside. Only upon entry does one discover an exclusive inner world. The designer masterfully created a city reception space that contains gardens within gardens. The extensive use of ultra-white glass on the exterior maintains openness despite the inward focus, allowing unobstructed views. This transition from enclosure to openness reflects the traditional Chinese virtue of concealing beauty within.

△ Aerial view

The abundant ultra-white glass enhances fluidity between interior and exterior. Supported by glass ribs and accented with champagne gold metal lines on the outside, the precise black seals highlight the craftsmanship in materials and construction.

△ Sales office glass wall

Flanking the corridor are a negotiation area and a swimming pool that overlook the internal courtyard. One side is enclosed, providing privacy, while the other side is transparent and open.

△ Negotiation Area

△ Swimming Pool

The upper level features a walkable observation trail accessible via stairs from the ground floor.

△ First floor observation trail (right side)

– Conclusion –

The sunken courtyard, nestled among mountains and waters, features layered landscaping that echoes the mountain’s form, arranged in a staggered pattern. The space contains but does not reveal, creating a lasting impression. Through the glass, the courtyard’s scenery is fully visible, allowing people and nature to flow together harmoniously.

△ Backcourt Landscape

Conclusion

Respect and subtlety are the core principles of hidden luxury aesthetics. A delicate balance exists between spatial form and environmental scale, where fullness and emptiness coexist harmoniously. This project integrates historical landscape culture into architectural space and texture, creating a living environment that embodies the philosophy of being “out of nature, hidden in nature.”

Project Drawings

△ B Section First Floor Plan

△ B Section Roof Plan

△ B Elevation View

△ B Section Diagram

△ B Section Diagram

△ Staircase Elevation View

Project Information

Project Name: Xi’an Jinlin Tianxi

Owner: New Hope Group

Location: Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province

Sales Department First Floor Area: 807.69 square meters

Sales Department Basement Floor Area: 2,921.46 square meters

Total Construction Area: 3,729.15 square meters

Design Firm: Baotao Pinlin (Shanghai) Architectural Consulting Co., Ltd.

Lead Designers: Zhang Zhen, Zou Jian, Zhang Song

Design Team: Zhang Di, Mei Lian, Wang Chunpeng, Guo Wendi, Xiong Qian, Li Yujing

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