△ Aerial view
△ Perspective view of the paddy fields
01 Origin
The owner, Mr. Zhang, a Tongji University graduate with a passion for architecture, has always dreamed of creating a more livable and beautiful countryside. His old house is located in Jinshan, Shanghai, a peripheral area where rural construction remains uniform and noticeably lags behind the nearby Zhejiang countryside. Motivated by this, Mr. Zhang aims to build a distinctive modern residence that showcases diverse architectural styles to the villagers, contributing to the transformation of the village’s aesthetic.
△ Project video
At the project’s inception, Mr. Zhang named his rebuilt house “Junmeng.” The name combines “Juntongjun,” meaning dredging and guiding, with “Meng,” meaning enlightenment. This homage originates from Mr. Zhang’s great grandfather, who once ran a village school named “Junmeng,” now defunct but preserved in local records. The name serves as a tribute to his ancestor.
△ South facade
△ Southeast perspective
△ Daytime view of the north facade
△ Northeast facade
02 Space Layout
The design team embraces the philosophy that architecture, interior, and landscape are inseparable elements. From the very beginning, these relationships were carefully integrated into the design, taking advantage of the site’s spaciousness. Inspired by Mies van der Rohe’s cross composition layout, the design maximizes views of diverse landscapes across different spaces.
Large floor-to-ceiling glass windows blur the boundaries between the dining and living rooms, framing vibrant rice fields and rural scenery to create a comfortable home atmosphere. Minimal interior decoration eliminates visual clutter, focusing on the essence of the space to achieve an authentic and serene environment. This pure and quiet space stimulates the senses, allowing the owner to experience the subtle shifts of light, shadow, time, and seasons when returning to the second residence.
△ Aerial view
△ Southeast facade
△ Entrance
Daytime view of the living room
△ Living room
△ Western restaurant
03 Form and Materials
Within the constraints of local regulations, the architectural form adopts a simple, dignified, and restrained modernist style, avoiding excessive decoration or overly intentional design. The facade features a dry-hanging contrast between Shandong white hemp and Italian volcanic rock, maintaining pure colors and solid blocks that harmonize with the rural setting.
△ East lawn
△ Local facade
△ Facade details
△ East facade
△ Southeast facade
Indoors, materials like stone, wood, concrete, plaster, white latex paint, linen, and leather are used sustainably and will develop richer textures with time.
As a second home, the design prioritizes authenticity and nature over luxury, creating a calm, simple, yet warm and inviting space.
The design team also salvaged doors, benches, and other elements from the original house, transforming them into wall art to preserve memories of the old residence.
△ Living room
△ Western restaurant
△ Chinese restaurant
△ Western restaurant
△ Chinese restaurant
△ Night view of the lawn
04 Light and Shadow
Light serves as the best decoration within the space. Skylights are strategically placed above the stairwell, bathroom, and north-facing study, along with a high window on the west side of the living room. The interplay of light and space evolves throughout the day as sunlight changes direction and form, influencing not only brightness but also the emotions and sense of time experienced by occupants.
△ Sunlight through skylight
△ Staircase
△ Study room
05 Conclusion
After the completion of the house, the designer asked Mr. Zhang if his wish to transform his hometown had been fulfilled. He responded, “Not quite yet. There is still much work to be done. Many visitors come by, and the neighbors’ acceptance is not as high as we initially expected. However, we firmly believe that beauty eventually wins people’s hearts. We’ll leave it to time.”
△ North facade
△ Partial night view of the north facade
△ Local facade
△ Local facade
△ Aerial view
Project Drawings
△ First floor flat color image © Lu Qishui Architectural Firm
△ Second floor flat color image © Lu Qishui Architectural Firm
△ Third floor flat color image © Lu Qishui Architectural Firm
△ Section color image © Lu Qishui Architectural Firm
△ Model © Lu Qishui Architectural Firm
Project Information
Project Name: Shanghai Junmeng
Design Period: October 2022
Completion Date: June 2024
Design Company: Lu Qishui Architectural Firm
Company Website: lqs-a.com
Design Scope: Architectural Design, Interior Design
Project Type: Self-built Private Residence
Building Area: 450 square meters
Lead Architects: Lu Qishui and Ma Qing
Design Team: Sun Yiqun, Lu Qiyue, Zhang Shijie, Li Guobin, Xie Shuteng, Zhang Chen
Architectural Photography: Arch Nango
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