Kuliang Hill: A Zen-Inspired Architectural Marvel

Arch-Age Design's Award-Winning Project Merges Minimalism with Nature

The inspiration for Kuliang Hill came from the site itself. The design team, led by Chief Designer Hu ZhiYing, realized that the primeval forest, valleys, rocks, and bamboos were the true hosts of the land. They decided that the least intrusion would be the best design for the land. The layout of the architecture follows the shape of the natural mountain, achieving a balance between inter-connection and independence, thereby enhancing the sense of space. The result is a soothing and unique Zen-style building group that merges into the natural landscape.

What sets Kuliang Hill apart is its commitment to minimalism and its pursuit to merge into nature. The design follows the shapes of the natural mountainous terrain and blends in perfectly with the mountain. Materials like travertine, which resembles mountain rocks, were specially selected and combined with champagne color aluminum plates and a glass curtain wall. The building appears as if it's floating between two rocks. A large area of mirror water serves as a foil to the building, and a white ribbon bridge simply outlines the visual experience, attracting visitors.

The realization of Kuliang Hill was made possible through the use of glass curtain wall, stone dry hanging, and aluminum plate dry hanging techniques. The main materials used were low-e glass, champagne color aluminum plates, aluminum profiles, and dark gray travertine. The project is located in the Gui Lake District, Huanxi Town, Jin'an District, Fuzhou City, with a land area of 4730 sqm, a building area of 2542 sqm, and a landscape area of 3811 sqm.

The project faced challenges due to the big altitude difference of the site. The goal of "least intrusion" was achieved through careful site selection, handling of altitude difference, landscape integration, and material selection. The final result of "floating between two rocks" was achieved, and the buildings conform to the mountain shape and blend into nature. The sense of Oriental Zen and nature creates an ideal vacation land within a city.

Arch-Age Design's Kuliang Hill project is a testament to the power of minimalistic design and its ability to harmoniously blend with nature. The project is a perfect example of how design can enhance and respect the natural environment. The facade details and the "water-mirror" at the entrance together present a fairy space deep in the mountains when night falls. This design was awarded Silver in A' Architecture, Building and Structure Design Award in 2019, a testament to its outstanding expertise and innovation.