Modern architectural designs race to be noticed, to reach the skyline, but MAD Architects took a detour in designing Huangshan Mountain Village, a residential complex deeply rooted in the natural landscape.
Located on the shores of Taiping Lake and a UNESCO World Heritage Site of Huangshan, Yellow Mountain spans across 1.2 million m², and the design immerses itself within the natural landscape. Blurring the line between built form and nature, Architect Ma Yansong envision a bold vision to redefine the architecture that is deeply rooted in its context, and belongs to its site, responding to the environment.
Huangshan Mountain Village: Shanshui City Philosophy
Conceptualized in the Shanshui City philosophy, the architecture evolved mimicking the natural forms and contours, connecting with a profound emotional and spiritual connection. This thoughtful approach is inspired by traditional Chinese landscape paintings, emphasizing environment and emotional resonance over realism. Architect Ma Yansong believes that there will be a future where cities are not built for power or status but for people, where architecture becomes nature, and nature dissolves into architecture.
Form Follows Landscape: Architectural Features
The language of architecture was fluid, organic, and asymmetrical volumes that resemble natural valleys and landforms. The towers rise and taper like mountain peaks, varying in height from five to 21 stories, with their parametric undulating curves and soft concrete texture echoing the contextual topography. Earlier, 108 unique floor layouts were crafted, but the design team decided on five modular parametrically derived floor curves to balance design integrity with construction efficiency.
The unique part of the design is the floating terraces, where each unit consists of cantilever balconies inviting users to enjoy solitude and step into the landscape. It connects interior and exterior spaces, becoming a significant transitional space offering residents panoramic views of Taiping Lake and the splendid mountains.
Parametric Design and Building Techniques
The making of undulating surfaces required considerable structural knowledge and tools. MAD architects employed parametric design tools to develop and optimize building form. The facade features smooth, fair-faced concrete formed with customized formwork, and five core shapes are repeated according to structural ability without sacrificing functionality and aesthetics.
The decreasing floor plates towards the top of the tower created a striking mountain-like peak, an innovative solution that met with structural challenges. The towers use a central core with perimeter support columns, allowing clutter-free spaces in the interior layouts and expansive windows with extensive use of glass in the curtain wall design.
Sustainability: Living the Landscape
The building orientation followed the natural terrain and landscape, incorporating passive design strategies such as balconies providing natural daylight, natural ventilation, and thermal shading, reducing the need for artificial systems, and reinforcing ecological continuity.
To foster a sense of community, shared social spaces are strategically placed throughout the residential complex, creating generous moments for collective living. Organic forms of pathways mimic natural trails to discover and explore hidden vistas, wandering around nature to reconnect and promote a sense of harmony with the environment.
The Design Narrative: Mountains, Mist, and Modernism
In a world of competition, global challenges, and climate crises, Huangshan Mountain Village offers a compelling vision for futuristic residential architecture. It illustrates how nature can guide the design decisions and thoughtfully building around it fosters a sense of belonging and community, transforming it into an emotional, resonating, and sustainable space. It silently asks to listen to nature and build, as nature came first and architecture later, and so as designers, we should listen to our context to design ecologically.
Huangshan Mountain Village Project Details
Firm Name: MAD Architects
Area: 613200 m²
Year: 2017
Landscape Design: Broadacre Source Landscape
Lighting Design: Shanghai Mofo Lighting
Interior Design: Suzhou Gold Mantis
Category: Housing, Residential
Principals In Charge: Ma Yansong, Qun Dang, Yosuke Hayano
Team: Philippe Brysse, Tiffany Masako Dahlen, Luke Lu, WANG Deyuan, Jakob Beer, ZHAO Wei, LI Guangchong, Kayla Lee, Geraldine Lo, Alejandra Obregon, Zeng Lingdong, Achille Tortini, Matthew Rosen, Gustavo Maya, ZHENG Fang, Sarita Tejasmit, Augustus Chan, Jeong-Eun Lee
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