The site is located in a valley sloping from south-east to north-west. Our two single-family houses are just situated in the south-facing hillside next to beautiful poplar trees growing in the middle of the valley.
From these two south-facing houses, one can see another twelve courtyard-style guest-houses within the community, poplar trees in the south and the hills in the background. With the roof surfaces parallel to the hillside, the houses with their volumes appear being imbedded into the hill. The three-storey volume descends according to the terrain. Only one-third of the volume is exposed through the facades. The houses blend themselves into the nature landscape, as homage to the hill, stones and trees.
In consideration of height differences in the interior, six courtyards with particular functions are arranged. By connected itself to the entrance corridor, the independent tearoom in the south stretches out from the main volume and encloses the entrance courtyard and main courtyard together with the huge pitched roof.
The function areas are divided into four horizontal volumes according to the type. Leaning to the terrain, the pitched roof is the extension of the south façade. The seven big roof openings matched to the six courtyards are actually the south viewing windows on the façade.
The building is reinforced concrete shear wall construction, with rough-surface granite hung on the outer wall surface and the roof. Wooden grating and painting are employed in the outer wall toward the inner courtyard. The south enclosure also has openable wooden louvres controlling views to inside and outside.
GSHP (Ground Source Heat Pump System) is used to provide energy for the hot water floor radiant heating of the building. Insulation and an air cavity are set between the concrete wall (inside) and granite (outside). These four layers together constitute the outer wall. In order to improve the energy-saving effect, we have chosen thermally separated aluminum window frame and insulating glass in the window components.
2005
2008
Building Area:1425m²
Design scope :Planning
Architecture
WSP ARCHITECTS
