This vacation villa is situated on the outskirts of Pudong, Shanghai. In the spring of 2018, we received a commission from the property owner who wished to demolish the old house and build a new home. The goal was to create a weekend and holiday retreat for siblings returning from the city to the countryside. The house would serve as a place to visit their parents, enjoy tea and dinners together, relax in the peaceful rural environment, experience the natural rhythms of life, and escape from external distractions.
Our design concept is built around three key principles. First, nature takes precedence. Although the site faces a fruit orchard and there is space in front of the house suitable for a garden, we aimed to integrate greenery throughout the building itself. Inspired by traditional Eastern classical gardens, this approach allows nature to flow into the interior, dissolving the boundaries between indoors and outdoors.
Second, as a home for a large family, creating open and inviting communal spaces was essential. These areas foster communication and promote a harmonious family atmosphere.
Third, modernity guides the entire project. Despite its rural setting, we believe a contemporary white house holds significant meaning for this homestead, bridging traditional surroundings with modern design.
According to Shanghai’s rural residential construction regulations, the size of the old house before demolition determines the form of the new building. The footprint is fixed to one story, the east side height is limited to two floors, while the rest of the structure can reach three floors. There are also clear limits on the height of sloping roofs and eaves.
Within these constraints, we implemented the nature-focused design by embedding inner courtyards and patios on multiple floors, creating layered, inward-facing gardens that cultivate a serene atmosphere. The building itself faces outward—a 21-meter-long horizontal volume is cantilevered and elevated toward the fruit orchard. Additionally, a 3.5-meter cantilever on the west side extends to the site boundary, addressing space requirements caused by the inner courtyard.
Natural light floods the interior through large windows positioned around the courtyards and atrium, filling the space with soft, abundant illumination. The structure and construction methods respect local rural building traditions. We guided workers, many without modern construction experience, to build the volume using traditional brick walls reinforced with concrete frames.
Upon completion, the villa’s modern design has influenced local villagers’ perceptions and acceptance of contemporary housing. The elderly family members, native villagers, continue their farming lifestyle within this modern residence—growing vegetables and raising poultry. Meanwhile, the middle-aged homeowner integrates urban Shanghai habits into rural life, enjoying coffee in the courtyard, achieving a harmonious blend of city and countryside.
For Shanghai’s metropolis, suburban rural villas offer relief from urban pressures, shielding residents from distractions like mobile devices and consumer advertising. Local villagers find self-built homes better suited to their daily needs and more organized than many real estate projects. Considering current land policies in China, building on existing homesteads is often more economical than purchasing new properties.
We hope this project demonstrates a modern rural housing model suitable for contemporary China, balancing aesthetics, practicality, and construction technology.
Project drawings
△ First floor plan
△ Second floor plan
△ Third floor plan
△ Section diagram
△ Section diagram
Project Information
Architect: Ke Li Architecture
Area: 430m²
Project Year: 2023
Photographer: WM STUDIO
Lead Architects: Li Bai, Li Xuan
Structure: Xie Jinhui
Mechanical and Electrical: Zhang Daoguang
Internship: Xu Yuchao
Water Supply and Drainage: Gu Zongliang
Project Category: Residential
Location: Pudong New Area
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