Qing House: A Poetic Tribute to Landscape Architecture

Peilun Li's Design Blends Concrete and Nature in a Residential Masterpiece

The design of Qing House is characterized by five concrete walls that overlap each other and are placed unparalleled by Comphor trees. These walls serve multiple functions - some can plant flowers on the top, some undertake rainwater and transfer it into the river, some have openings at the bottom to extend the sight while swimming, and some serve as the base of a platform around the tree. These walls create transitional spaces for wandering and planting between the public field, serving as a canvas for shadows and light for people both inside and outside.

Qing House is located at the intersection of two rivers in a residential community in Shanghai. The original building was a two-story villa with a closed fence that blocked the beautiful scenery. The project, which started in April 2015 and was completed in August 2017, involved a comprehensive refurbishment of the landscape, architecture, and interior to meet the needs of the new households.

One of the challenges faced in the design process was how to balance visual penetration and security. Another challenge was how to preserve the four old Comphor trees on the site. The solution was to use a strategy of hierarchizing the boundaries. The concrete walls were overlapped and placed unparalleled by the trees, creating transitional spaces between the public field.

The design of Qing House is a testament to Peilun Li's pursuit of poetry in architecture. Using the least and simplest structure combined with the organic changes in nature, the design connects the universe with the human scale. As Peilun Li puts it, "Site is always limited, less is more."

Qing House is a unique residential design that demonstrates the power of simplicity and the beauty of nature. It is a fitting tribute to Luis Barragan, whose works combined simple mass and natural plants to create poetic spaces. With its innovative use of concrete and natural elements, Qing House is a worthy winner of the Silver A' Landscape Planning and Garden Design Award.