The Yunnan region is a sun-drenched highland basin where shade becomes a cherished refuge. We responded by shaping the eaves—on the first floor (terrace, corridor handrails, and master balcony) and the second floor (parapet of the rooftop)—as three-dimensional curved forms, evocative of a bird alighting on the house. These elements provide shelter and shade while fulfilling a deeper desire: to being with the sky and the land.
We began with a kind of common sense and belief: humans comprehend the cosmos before understanding “home,” and perceive the horizon before knowing where to settle. We celebrate the perennial spring-like sunshine and air, organizing the architecture around modern "sky-wells" which is a Sundial Tower and a Book Tower, and an inner courtyard with upturned eaves—to invite wonderful natural elements such as wind, rain, and shadow to live with the inhabitant. Every effort was devoted to orchestrating the subtle relationships between time, space, atmosphere, and emotion, allowing people to experience layered support and coexist with a broader existence. A small piece of land and a modest house can thus feel boundless—small, yet infinite.
The enclosed front courtyard complex includes a yoga and meditation room, living room, master suite, dining area, six guest rooms, and supporting spaces. The garden backyard houses storage, a wine cellar, a drying area, a woodworking workshop, and a campsite. The owner desired a house for “living freely”—a goal beyond functional arrangements. For us, this meant designing a structure sensitive to solitary reflection, collective joy, life’s rhythms, and the full spectrum of daily states. Human life is dynamic, and architecture must respond to its most delicate relationships.
We believe architecture can serve as a universal language—one that reveals how daily life can be a medium for sensing our profound connection to nature and the cosmos, and for experiencing what it means to be truly alive.