The cultural center is situated in Leishan County, Qiandongnan, Guizhou, within the Qianhu Miao Village of Xijiang. Surrounded by mountains and enveloped in clouds and mist, the site features layered suspended floors built along the mountain slopes. Inspired by the concept of a “Cloud and Mist Hut on the Mountain,” the design respects both nature and regional culture. The goal is to seamlessly integrate the architecture with Leishan’s stunning landscape and reflect the natural, simple lifestyle of the Miao people.
The site is located on the village’s western slope, facing the valley and mountains. A dense forest surrounds the area, with a trail weaving through it from end to end. As visitors walk along this path and catch sight of the village, they experience the feeling of discovering “another village with bright flowers in the dark.” Preserving this unique experience was a priority. We also aimed to respect the natural environment by maintaining the site’s original condition as much as possible.
The architectural complex follows the mountain’s natural undulations. Buildings of varying sizes create diverse spatial experiences—some open and inviting, others secluded and intimate—blending harmoniously with nature. The trail twists, turns, and spirals throughout the complex, connecting all spaces and pathways seamlessly.
Our hope is that visitors fully immerse themselves in nature and experience the cultural elegance reminiscent of traditional landscape paintings. The cultural center serves both as a tourism and cultural hub for visitors and as a public space for village residents, fostering interaction between the two. Rather than separating spaces by audience, each area is designed to accommodate both groups’ needs.
The various spaces include an art center, performance center, study center, library, tea room, and observation deck. These are arranged sequentially along the main pathway, organized by function and spatial character.
To reflect Leishan’s natural clouds and mist, we created a “cloud” element that envelops all buildings and flows throughout the site. This cloud takes on different forms in various indoor and outdoor spaces. The combination of structured architectural elements with this fluid cloud aims to evoke a sense of both reality and dreamlike fantasy—a balance between practical construction and a poetic approach to life.
The individual buildings take inspiration from traditional Miao stilt houses, preserving the suspended and perforated structure on the ground floor. However, modern steel structures replace traditional wooden frameworks, offering a more cost-effective solution and enabling larger, more flexible indoor spaces.
Traditional Miao wooden stilt houses no longer suit modern lifestyles. Observing the wave of new self-built homes among the Miao community, this architectural form is gradually fading along with the culture. The challenge is to harmonize modern living with local traditions. This project reflects on how regional culture can be preserved and adapted in contemporary architecture, responding to the environment and modern life through form, structure, space, and materials. It seeks to protect tradition while allowing it to evolve and thrive in today’s context.
The principle of harmonious unity among nature, architecture, and people extends to the interior design. Each building maintains a degree of transparency, allowing natural light to shape the indoor atmosphere, which shifts with weather and seasons. Instead of solid walls, curtains divide spaces, enabling users to adjust privacy by changing curtain height and density, making interiors highly adaptable.
The “cloud” motif continues indoors, setting a poetic tone for all activities—strolling, reading, and socializing as if amidst clouds.
In recent years, the construction of beautiful rural areas has received growing attention. National strategies emphasize modernizing rural regions while preserving traditional styles. This project offers a designer’s response to that challenge, aiming to earn villagers’ acceptance and inspire their future reconstruction efforts.
Project Drawings
△ Base schematic diagram
△ General layout plan
△ First floor plan
△ Elevation drawing
△ Axonometric diagram
Project Information
Project Name: Leishan Cloud House – Scheme Design for Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village Cultural Center
Designer: Non Expert Architecture
Project Design & Completion Date: January 2022
Creator: Ding Xianglei
Design Team: Ma Haoran and Ren Manjia
Project Location: Guizhou, China
Building Area: 4,200 square meters
Photography Copyright: Site images are sourced from the internet; all other image copyrights belong to Non Expert Architecture
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