Modern Chinese villa with modernist solutions and oriental philosophy
Architects : T.K. Chu Design
Principal designer : T.K. Chu
Photos © Ting Wang
Villa Smriti Curtilage is located in the Old City of Suzhou, next to the unique 17th century
Garden of Retreat for Couples (Ŏu Yuán), which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage
Site in 2000 and soaks up many traces of the city's rich history. As a representative of
the classical Suzhou garden, Ŏu Yuán garden is known for its cultural style and romantic
poetry. The garden symbolizes the inclusive relationship that inspired the design of
Villa Smriti Curtilage. For designers, the 1,090 square meter Smriti Curtilage Villa
represents a unique opportunity to combine nature, architecture, art, objects
and people in a harmonious order. Set in a secluded location surrounded
by tranquil nature, with a green backyard, the residence is a classic
microcosm of Suzhou gardens.
Every room at Villa Smriti Curtilage on the ground floor has a view of the Zen garden.
Panoramic windows destroy the relationship between the interior and exterior, creating
a feeling of comfort and connection with the surrounding nature. Walking up to the sliding
glass doors is like stepping into a private zen world. Design furniture, shaped like trees
and stones, is placed asymmetrically and naturally. An artistic exploration of the duality
beloved by the Chinese can be seen in the T. K. Chu Design project: a concept hard
to decipher by Westerners becomes more acceptable in the form of verticality
and linearity, in irregularities and angularities - the marble is finely cut, the
corridor is replete with geometric shapes, stones and trees that look raw -
duality is united inside the residence, but separated by windows.
In the floor, in the center of the living room, there is a hole through which light
enters the two underground floors. Thanks to the Inner Temple located in the lower
level, the underground space acquires a spiritual meaning. In addition, the underground
floors also house a home theatre, wine cellar, bar and art collection. The designers modernize
the space with a staircase that looks more like an intricate vertical sculpture and the abstract
sculpture "Coupling" (PoLin Yang), believing that the complexity and richness of
spatial solutions are the gateway to awaken emotions.
Thanks to the efforts of the design team, the villa forms a horizontal coordinate
axis of "harmony between man and nature" and a vertical "balance of the inner and
outer worlds." For T. K. Chu Design, design is the art of the possible. The designer creates
a "possible space" based on the client's desire from countless possibilities, and in each case
the design is a balanced reunion of both visions. The design concept is based on the
externalization of traditional Chinese philosophy: people display their modest
behavior in an attempt to show reverence for Mother Nature and achieve
oneness with nature. Therefore, the elements of nature are scattered
literally everywhere in space.
Smriti Curtilage Villa on YouTube
***
No comments:
Post a Comment