Sitting alone, playing the piano in a secluded bamboo flute, and letting out a long howl.
The people deep in the forest remain unaware that the bright moon will shine upon them.
– Wang Wei’s “Zhuli Pavilion”
▲ Aerial view
The ‘Yuanshe Puyuan’ is nestled in the scenic Puyuan Town, under the jurisdiction of Tongxiang City, Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province. This region is a rich cultural hub, known for its heritage in Chinese calligraphy, literature, and new drama. Throughout history, literati have woven a vibrant cultural tapestry here, infusing every inch of land with profound artistic spirit.
▲ Aerial view
Design-wise, ‘Yuanshe Puyuan’ artfully draws inspiration from Liu Songnian’s “Western Garden Elegant Collection Painting Part 2” from the Southern Song Dynasty. It utilizes design elements such as the interplay between reality and illusion, occlusion and harmony, symmetry, and scenic engagement. This approach seamlessly blends the refined style of ancient literati with contemporary spatial aesthetics. Walking through this space feels like traveling through a tunnel in time—a return to the youthful springtime of poetry and wine. The essence of Jiangnan’s poetry and charm is condensed within this environment.
▲ Outdoor
The location of ‘Yuanshe Puyuan’ is exceptional, surrounded by abundant natural resources. It boasts a unique geographical environment with advantages in ecology, geology, and landscape. The presence of precious ancient camphor trees, lush and verdant, drapes the land with a historical green veil, adding vitality and vigor.
Leveraging these favorable conditions, ‘Yuanshe Puyuan’ becomes an ideal retreat from urban hustle, offering a peaceful life close to nature. Here, visitors can fully embrace the beauty of the natural world and enjoy harmonious living.
▲ Lobby
The lobby is designed as an elegant resting space, inspired by subtle and refined colors drawn from ancient paintings. Large glass windows blend the captivating outdoor scenery with the serene interior, inviting nature in and resonating with visitors’ emotions.
Silk and linen textures are delicately woven, resembling the fine brushstrokes of ancient art, sparking imagination. The ivory-white reception desk glows warmly like the moon’s first light, harmonizing with the backdrop to create a blend of ancient and modern styles—a quiet place where depth and elegance resonate.
▲ Lobby
The space harmoniously combines different materials—stone and soil textures create a calm, rustic atmosphere, while the warmth of wood injects life and vitality. Here, every deep breath resonates with the balance between nature and architecture. The sturdy architecture and soft natural elements fuse perfectly, inviting visitors to immerse themselves in tranquility.
▲ Meditation Room
When the mind is still, the spirit wanders; with deep wisdom, movement becomes steady. The meditation room embodies this through its simple yet elegant design. Tatami mats invite visitors to embark on a spiritual journey, while a stone wall evokes a rustic breeze, transporting one through the river of time as if time itself has paused.
Outside the window, ancient camphor trees stand tall, their emerald leaves gently dancing in the breeze like whispers of nature. Fallen leaves drift leisurely, each carrying the story of the season, softly touching the ground with crisp sounds—a quiet melody of life’s rhythm, full of vitality.
▲ Restaurant
The skylight skillfully blurs the boundary between indoors and nature, weaving gentle, ever-changing sunlight throughout the space. Geometric structures within the flowing layout offer both stability and beauty, silently dancing with light.
▲ Restaurant
Glass serves not only as a functional partition but also as an artistic element that creates atmosphere. It guides visitors through a play of reality and illusion within the restaurant, unveiling surprises through the interplay of light and shadow. With a touch of subtle elegance, it separates the bustle of the outside world, preserving a peaceful, pure dining environment.
White curtains fall gently like a natural veil, allowing greenery and sunlight to softly filter through—clothing the space in a warm, natural glow and creating a private yet transparent ambiance.
▲ Restaurant
The private room overlooks a lotus pond, offering an exclusive space to enjoy tea and lotus blossoms, engaging in rare moments of relaxation. The ceiling design merges modern and classical elements, with geometric shapes and translucent lighting complementing each other. This creates a soft, even illumination reminiscent of dawn’s first light, casting a warm glow throughout the quiet space.
▲ Outdoor
The building showcases a composition of various geometric shapes interlocking and stacking to create a unique visual experience.
Each window becomes a framed viewpoint of the surrounding landscape, inviting viewers to appreciate and engage with the natural beauty outside. This design not only highlights the architecture but also evokes a sense of discovery and connection through the act of looking out.
The irregular canopy of ancient camphor trees complements the distant scenery. Whether wandering between buildings or sitting quietly by a window, one can deeply feel the tranquility and comfort born from the harmony of architecture, nature, and human understanding. Here, time seems to slow, allowing one to escape the urban frenzy and immerse in subtle, profound beauty.
▲ Standard Room
Cleverly positioned skylights in the walls quietly invite the boundless natural scenery and ever-changing light and shadow into the interior. This interplay of natural light and shadow forms a delicate, unique landscape painting on the opposite wall, creating an invisible bridge between inside and outside, blending the two realms through light and shadow.
▲ Suite
The suite features large windows that embrace the surrounding lotus pond, evoking the powerful image of “opening the window and letting the river flow in.” This design allows the greenery and breeze from the lotus pond to freely enter, inviting guests to connect deeply with tranquility and freedom.
The layout is simple and elegant, reminiscent of blank space in an ink painting, offering infinite room for imagination. Multiple materials intertwine, creating layered textures that reveal depth while quietly telling their own stories. Every touch and glance invites appreciation of life’s delicacy and warmth.
▲ Suite
The window frames’ shapes defy uniformity, complementing the unique light strip structure at the room’s ceiling with their irregular charm. This creates a distinctive symmetry that extends beyond form and layout, infusing the space with a captivating atmosphere as night falls and lights illuminate.
▲ Suite
Our aim with ‘Yuanshe Puyuan’ is to create a spiritual sanctuary that transcends history, reviving the elegance and charm of ancient literati through design. We hope to rekindle the brilliance of Puyuan’s glorious era, as celebrated in the preface to the “Collected Works of Ju Gui.”
In this serene place, visitors can momentarily escape the chaos and pressures of the world, leaving behind the noise and pollution to find a peaceful harbor. Time here feels gentle and extended, inviting quiet listening to the wind, appreciation of ancient grace, immersion in the poetic ink fragrance, and a connection with the wisdom and aesthetic of scholars—like traveling through centuries to converse with the ancients under the moonlight.
Project Drawings
▲ 1F Floor Plan
▲ 2F Floor Plan
Project Information
Project Name: Original Shupu Courtyard
Location: Tongxiang City, Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province
Owner: Shanghai Xiangban Cultural Tourism Development Co., Ltd
Area: 3,106 square meters
Completion Date: July 2024
Interior Design: Chao Yu Design Firm
Interior Creators: Wang Xing, Liang Fei
Interior Design Team: Wang Xing, Liang Fei, Zhou Jie, Yi Hangfei, Wu Taokai
Architectural Design: Mizuki Design – Mikawa Studio
Architectural Design Team: Xu Jinwei, Xie Jian, Li Wenwen
Landscape Design: Shanghai Donglong Landscape Planning and Design Co., Ltd
Construction: Sida Construction Co., Ltd
Soft Decoration Fabric Field: Chen Xiyan, Li Jiapeng, Yi Sumei
Publicity Planning: EDG Erdaobang Media
Space Photography: Xu Yiwen
Aerial Photography: Hu Yijie
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