Location and Overview
From 2015 to 2017, IDO Yuanxiang Architecture, together with Chongqing Hexin Architectural Design Institute, completed two boutique hotels in Dali: “Slow House · Lanqing” and “Slow House · Jimu”. The architects took on dual roles, overseeing the entire process—from initial planning and site selection to design, construction management, and hotel operations.
Now, having returned to their permanent base in Chongqing, the architects focus on embracing local design. The valuable feedback gathered from the previous Slow House projects has become the foundation and driving force behind the design of the Chongqing Slow House, serving as a genuine evaluation of the building.
Slow House Qingmai Manor is situated in Yufengshan Town, southeast of Yubei District in Chongqing. The town benefits from well-developed infrastructure and abundant natural tourism resources.
Known as the “first peak in northern Chongqing,” Yufeng Mountain boasts cultural landmarks including the ancient Great Wall, historic city gates, and the Yongfu Temple and Baoshen Cave—both restored with stone strips during the Guangxu period. Adjacent to the site is Yufengshan Forest Park, covering 18,000 acres, making it the largest and best-preserved forest park in Chongqing’s suburbs. Celebrated as a natural oxygen bar, it is a prime destination for health and relaxation.
Slow House Green Wheat Manor spans approximately 280 acres and serves as a multi-functional suburban rural complex. It combines modern agriculture, rural sightseeing, nature education, and accommodation.
The first phase includes the main hotel, covering about 3,500 square meters with three stories above ground and a suspended floor tailored to the terrain’s elevation changes. It houses 24 guest rooms along with public spaces such as a reception hall, multifunctional hall, infinity pool, breakfast room, chess and card room, and kitchen facilities.
Blending Into Nature
The main building’s design is inspired by the “wheat field waves,” with a wave-like architectural form that harmonizes with the natural mountain landscape of Yufeng Mountain.
This approach makes the building feel like an organic extension of its surroundings, echoing the rolling mountain terrain and expressing a close relationship with nature.
The continuous curved roof breaks the building into smaller volumes, reducing its mass and minimizing the visual impact on the landscape. Internally, the undulating roof creates diverse spatial experiences, particularly in the top-floor “dome” guest rooms, which offer a unique vacation atmosphere shaped by the building’s form.
Anchoring the Site
The design of Slow House Green Wheat reflects a strong connection to its site. Located on a hillside with a height difference exceeding 10 meters, the building follows the mountain’s contours to minimize environmental impact.
The overall layout forms a zigzag pattern from north to south. The northern section serves as the main entrance and public activity area, combining high terrain and forested landscapes to create a welcoming public space. The southern section contains guest rooms with panoramic southeast-facing views, allowing guests to enjoy sunrises from their rooms.
Vertically, a suspended floor adapts to the sloping terrain, housing functional spaces like entertainment rooms, equipment rooms, and linen storage. This design respects the terrain by minimizing disruption while resolving height differences between the building and mountain, effectively anchoring the structure to the complex site.
Public Spaces in Dialogue with Nature
The Slow House series promotes the theme “Slow down, Live.” The previous projects, “Slow House · Lanqing” and “Slow House · Jimu,” located near Erhai Lake in Dali, established a multidimensional connection between people and their surroundings.
At Yufeng Mountain in Chongqing, the narrative is similar but uniquely tailored to the local environment.
Upon entering the park, guests do not immediately see the entire building. Instead, the structure remains “hidden” behind the mountain and forest, visible only from public areas.
Guests slowly descend a winding entrance ramp into the first-floor lobby, which is surrounded by glass walls that provide panoramic views of the mountains. The interior seamlessly integrates with the landscape, creating a flowing and transformative space.
From the lobby, guests ascend stairs to the second-floor public area, where a tranquil water feature and four symmetrical “bamboo umbrellas” create a serene, Zen-inspired setting. This framed view of the mountains and forests resembles a natural picture frame—a popular spot for photography and social media check-ins.
In addition to its visual appeal, the space’s ceremonial atmosphere makes it ideal for outdoor wedding events.
Leaving the public area, guests walk along a corridor to their rooms. Sunlight filters through a lattice on one side, casting beautiful patterns on the floor and creating a warm, relaxing atmosphere.
The public spaces of Slow House Green Wheat are arranged continuously across different elevations, offering guests a “walking path” with ever-changing scenery. The architectural framing enhances the charm of the surrounding forest landscape.
Diverse Guest Rooms with Unique Experiences
Slow House Qingmai offers 24 guest rooms across six distinct types. The interior design thoughtfully integrates landscape views into each room type.
The wave-shaped architecture creates new spatial opportunities. For instance, third-floor rooms utilize the “dome space” to craft a one-of-a-kind vacation experience. Several second-floor rooms, located under the sloping wave form, position their bathrooms beneath the sloped ceiling, incorporating local plant life and allowing dappled light and shadow to create a natural, ecological atmosphere.
The guest rooms feature free-form layouts with varied spatial levels, such as sunken seating areas and stairs, reflecting the mountain’s uneven terrain. The interior spaces dynamically shift between reality and imagination.
With rough-textured walls complemented by wood and greenery, the rooms maintain a rustic feel that echoes the local architectural tradition. This creates a harmonious dialogue between the indoors and outdoors, blending nature with modern living.
Project Drawings
△ General Layout Plan
△ First Floor Plan
△ Basement Floor Plan
△ Second Floor Plan
△ Third Floor Plan
△ Elevation Drawing
△ Section Diagram
Project Information
Project Name: Chongqing Yufengshan Slow House • Qingmai Manor
Owner: Chongqing Slow House Hotel Management Co., Ltd
Location: Yufengshan Town, Yubei District, Chongqing City
Building Area: 3,500 square meters
Design Period: October 2016 – October 2017
Construction Period: October 2017 – October 2020
Opening Date: March 2021
Architect: IDO Yuanxiang Architecture
Construction Drawings: Chongqing Hexin Architectural Design Institute Co., Ltd
Interior Design: Interior and Exterior Design
Landscape Design: Weitu Design Agency
Photography: Existence of Architecture – Architectural Photography, Folk Formula Photography
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