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The Central Manor
By : W.DESIGN, Ben Wu
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 16th edition
Discipline : Interior Design
Categories : Residence / Real Estate Project Sales Office : Platinum Winner
The Central Manor in Chongqing
LAKEHOUSE
During the period of the Republic of China, Bing Xin moved to the side of the Gele Mountain in Chongqing, known as “Lakehouse”. The ideal residence for literati is probably a pursuit of inner peace—meeting friends and composing poetry.
The Central Manor is located in the north of Chongqing Central Park, surrounded by lakes and green trees. With the undulating topography, the terrain is concave towards the lake. When entering the building, the viewer can experience the fun of splashing in the mountain.
All these make us consider beyond the project—in such a place with an abundant natural landscape, the rhythm of life could be suspended and plenty of anecdotes happened here.
WALKING AROUND
Due to the site characterization, one has to walk through a dense forest to reach the building. The architect took advantage of the original terrain conditions and adopted the way of earth-sheltered architecture to present the charm of nature.
The ceramic plate of Tushan Kiln is chosen as the decoration of the facade. We hope to continue the locality of architecture in interior design: on the one hand, to ensure the integrity of the spatial logic; On the other hand, the spatial narrative is a mutual dialogue. The ceramic plate on the surface of the building can only be seen across the water, but cannot be touched. Once the viewer enters the room, the polarity of the substance can be felt.
A city, accompanied by mountains and forests, brings a sense of retreat when chatting under the shade of trees in leisure time. Correspondingly, we applied it to the space where dark gray sedimentary rock is selected as the material.
The scale of the “box” and the gap are precisely managed through an implicit modular relationship. We need to make sure the scale is appropriate, which means the scale itself — the size of the space and the scale of the construction.
Ultimately, the distribution of boxes is precisely placed. We also added trees, stream and stones into the gaps, forming unconventional landscapes where viewer can walk through, gossip and gaze.
BEAUTY THEORY
Tanizaki wrote in Praise of Shade: “Beauty does not exist in objects, but in the ripples and the shade produced by objects.”
W.DESIGN fully mobilized viewers’ perception and imagination by creating a rich atmosphere rather than simply making concrete visual effects. Therefore, the space is more like a living arts center that endows people with emotional resonance and spiritual belonging.
We constructed a leisure vacation atmosphere: A hotel-style reception desk, plain sedimentary rock space texture and faint warm light. The space is set in a warm shade of the tone. After turning into the main space, it’s suddenly enlightened. The spatial axis is deflected to loose on the water, with a large paper-ceiling device overhead.
The different areas, such as the art gallery, the recreational area and the Tea Pavilion, are connected by winding paths. The exhibition space is like a piece of long-settled amber, gently placed beside the resort infinity pool.
The Oriental aesthetics advocated by W.DESIGN emphasizes the beauty of introspection created in color, light and contrast, and the symbiosis between architecture and ecology through the harmony between man and objects.
MOUNTAIN CLIMBING
Utilizing the slanted height difference, we set up a space that can be reached through the winding stone steps. The skylight could be opened to form a volume of natural light, which makes the space quiet, and lets time stop.
By ingenious scenography, the audience will fully feel the ever-extending scenery through the reflection on the floor and the lines of the window lattice.
Moreover, the outdoor landscape is integrated with the space. And one can perceive the mysterious nature and grasp the essence of life in a cup of tea, even the antiques and small bonsai greet the reflection of the mirror-like table.
Surrounded by green plants, the scenery is pleasant. We take the natural environment through the reflection of the tea table in broad lacquer texture. One can feel the dense green on the table, creating a quiet and solemn atmosphere.
Down the stairs is a cafe that connects to the outdoor space where people can sit by the water and chat under the eaves. Passing through the huge flagstone wall to the west, you can see a square water pavilion whose door is normally open, presenting an interest of lively artistic conception. The rhythm of life is close at hand.
NOWHERE
Chongqing is a unique city. Most people have no intention to go far away, and there are some reasons for this. People living here can master the rhythm of life. Nowhere is in the distance.
Collaboration
