Blue Lake House: A Sanctuary Amidst the Urban Jungle

Yi Chen and Muchen Zhang's Award-Winning Design Harmonizes Architecture with Nature

Yi Chen and Muchen Zhang were inspired by the need for a relaxing living environment that could truly harmonize with nature. The project is located in a park surrounded by high-rise buildings, which provided the initial spark for their design. The designers aimed to create a space where people could appreciate the preciousness of nature and enjoy the surrounding environment.

The unique properties of the Blue Lake House lie in its respect for nature and the environment. The design approach was mainly one of "retreating", reducing human intervention and accentuating nature. The designers eliminated human pride, allowing the environment to embrace the inhabitants. The space above was opened up, allowing sunlight to fall in, reviving the lifelessness inside, adding dynamic elements, and creating an atmosphere of tranquillity.

The realization of this design involved embedding a metal framework, much like a branch shape, in the main space. This not only supports the roof and major structure of the architecture but also enables the whole roof to "float away" from structural walls. This design technique allows sunlight to enter the whole inner space straightaway from all directions. The light around the building changes its shape, forming a space where illumination changes and seasonal shifts can be experienced.

Both the interior and the exterior of the Blue Lake House are decorated using solid wood, giving the space a fully natural ambiance. When the wind blows through the trees, the sunlight changes its form, creating an enlivened space that can feel changes of sunlight and seasons. This design allows everyone to have the full experience of the warmth of being at home.

The greatest challenge in designing the Blue Lake House was to communicate the concept to the client and convince them during design planning. The designers had to create a unique building that blends in with the surrounding natural world, reducing human intervention, and accentuating nature. The result is a design that is not only a physical structure but also a supreme spiritual realm that reminds people to pay attention to their environment and focus on their innermost demands.