"In the unique context of Luxelakes Eco-City, an exceptional human habitat community, we aspire to investigate the potential of vertical courtyard development through the study of residential space prototypes and morphological diversity. Our aim is to forge a closer bond between humans and nature, reshaping a dynamic lifestyle harmonious with the ecological order." — Meng Fanhao

Blackstone Island concludes the inaugural phase of Luxelakes Eco-City, anchoring its core with a setting defined by meandering waterways and sweeping ecological vistas. Poised as both a visual and functional gateway, the site embodies a rare confluence of natural beauty and strategic prominence. However, the abrupt enforcement of villa restrictions abruptly halted plans for bespoke single-detached designs crafted by a renowned international studio, compelling a reimagining of the project’s architectural vision.

Despite these challenges—limited site resources, a high-end project brief, and the need to maintain the coherence and quality of the surrounding residential community—the client was determined to uphold the defining characteristics and inherent value of villa-style living at Blackstone Island.

As the first Chinese firm invited to design residential spaces in the district, line+ Co-Founder and Chief Architect Meng Fanhao collaborated with WIDE to develop the Vertical Five-Unit Villa, an entirely new residential typology. By innovatively applying principles of typology, design overcomes the common issue of stacked villas resembling apartment blocks. Instead, it delivers a reimagined single-family living experience with private gardens, ground-level access, and rooftop terraces, achieving a refined iteration of villa-style living that aligns seamlessly with the client’s ambitions.

01

Vertical Five-Unit Villas

Under a 24-meter height limit and a 1.5 floor area ratio, conventional planning would yield 18 six-story buildings. Instead, the design reconfigures unit types to maximize spatial efficiency and elevate living quality.

The five units in each building are broken down into modular blocks and vertically stacked. Ground-level gardens are allocated in a three-dimensional configuration, ensuring full utilization. The facade design corresponds directly to the unit layouts, breaking the large six-story structure into smaller, human-scaled modules, resulting in a fragmented yet cohesive facade language.

Privacy, a hallmark of single-family villas, distinguishes them from other stacked housing typologies. To preserve this sense of exclusivity, the design ensures each unit has its own entry garden, storage space, elevator lobby, underground garage, and terrace courtyard, enhancing the villa-like experience.

The middle and upper units occupy the northern entry facade, while lower units are accessed through side pathways. Lower units feature dual courtyards at the front and back, complemented by sunken patios integrated with the mezzanine level. Middle units offer elevated courtyards, while upper units connect directly to rooftop gardens. This thoughtful arrangement ensures an equitable and elevated living experience for all residents.

02

De-standardized Dual Facades

The facade design reflects two primary goals: fostering architectural diversity by evolving basic unit forms to shape the island’s unique residential character and meeting the client’s demand for individuality, while also addressing sightlines to maximize views of key landscapes and minimize lateral overlooking between units.

To achieve these objectives, two complementary facade strategies—"line-plane" and "plane-volume"—were developed. Alternating across the site, the "plane-volume" approach uses lateral enclosures to prevent inter-unit overlooking, ensuring privacy for each residence.

The "line-plane" strategy incorporates inverted L-shaped folded plates, which wrap individual units and double as extended activity platforms. These plates, in twelve varying heights and lengths, create horizontal rhythms across the facade, complemented by vertical detailing that softens the overall architectural expression.

Inspired by building blocks, the "plane-volume" strategy uses seventeen distinct modular forms stacked, interlocked, and offset to produce animated and unique facades for individual units. These dynamic arrangements reflect the personalized lifestyles of residents while breaking conventional vertical order, resulting in a facade that is rich in depth and character.

Owing to the U-shaped layout, every unit features dual facades: one facing the lake and the other the street. The lake-facing facade emphasizes openness and transparency, integrating expansive glass surfaces, terraces, and balconies to create a seamless connection with the natural surroundings. In contrast, the street-facing facade adopts a more introspective approach, with layered designs that enrich the visual experience at pedestrian level.

03

Maximized Spatial Dimensions

The modular, rectangular design of the units optimizes spatial utilization while delivering an unparalleled living experience. The lower units capitalize on the site’s natural slope, converting the basement level into a lakeside-facing space. This design integrates a mezzanine to create a 7-meter-high L-shaped panoramic corner living room, offering uninterrupted lake views and generous activity areas.

The middle units span two floors, ensuring a functional division between active and private spaces. A 9.2-meter-wide living room and balcony extend the visual connection to the lake, fostering a dynamic interaction with the landscape and compensating for the traditional absence of courtyard spaces in stacked villa designs.

The upper units stretch across a remarkable 26-meter facade width. Together with rooftop courtyards, they form a 7-meter-high core living area. Strategically placed terraces at the corners amplify the sense of openness, offering residents an exceptional aerial perspective and a distinctive sense of connection to the surrounding environment.

04

Craftsmanship Guided by Long-Term Vision

Rooted in a long-term perspective, the project’s craftsmanship employs two facade languages defined by distinct material choices, creating sharply contrasting architectural expressions. The "line-plane" strategy uses materials such as wood-grain metal panels, dark gray stone, cement fiberboard, and corrugated metal, projecting a grounded, clean aesthetic while enhancing horizontal flow and rhythm. Meanwhile, the "plane-volume" strategy adopts lighter materials, including light gray aluminum panels and Blue Eyes marble, with stacked and interlocked volumes that evoke a sense of lightness and vitality.

Attention to detail in material junctions and finishes was achieved through Revit-based precision studies, followed by multiple rounds of on-site prototyping to refine the design. The construction process was meticulously managed at every stage to ensure both exceptional quality and a sense of timeless architectural value.

05

A New Era of Customized Real Estate

As mass-market real estate development winds down, the new era of real estate brings heightened expectations and unprecedented challenges to residential design. The Vertical Five-Unit Villas at Luxelakes Blackstone Island exemplify an experimental response to this transformation.

Through an in-depth exploration of residential typologies and spatial configurations, the design team developed tailored solutions that maximize the innovative potential and unique value of the project. Upon its launch, the 70-unit development achieved rapid sales at premium pricing, generating significant attention in Chengdu's luxury housing market. This strong market response reaffirms the viability of a research-driven, innovation-centered, and long-term-oriented design approach.

Looking ahead, line+ remains committed to addressing evolving residential demands through tailored, innovative solutions. By fostering a balance between urban development, developers, and residents, the firm aims to support the high-quality growth of this new real estate era, delivering mutually beneficial outcomes.

Project Name: Chengdu Luxelakes Blackstone Island

Design Firm: line+ studio

Website: www.lineplus.studio

Contact: pr@lineplus.studio

Chief Architect/Project Principal: Meng Fanhao

Design Team: Zhu Min, Wang Yubin, Li Sanjian, Wan Yuncheng, Li Hang

Client: Chengdu Wide Horizon New City Development Co., Ltd.

Cooperative Design: Chengdu Wide Horizon Design Management

Client Team: Jiao Jie, Zhang Yi, Liu Zhijun, Liu Rui, Sun Wei, Yang Wanyuan

Location: Luxelakes Eco-City, Chengdu, Sichuan

Building Area: 35,000 sqm

Structure: Frame Structure

Materials: Conventional Aluminum Panels, Stone-Like Aluminum Panels, Natural Stone, Insulated Glass, etc.

Photography: Arch-Exist Photography