Mountain Dwelling

Born out of the masculine Karst landscape of northern China, the project transforms a run-down farmyard into a modern home stay. The objective is two-fold: to internalize natural landscape, and to be a part of landscape. The core intervention¬, to lower and push out the outer wall, opens up the central courtyard, drawing the mountains in. Pushing and pulling outer boundaries, the design knits man-made structures into the natural landscape. The project explores a nuanced approach toward the old, enhancing the original structure, through an innovative building method between “dry stone construction” and “dressing”, using locally sourced stones. 1. A geo-cultural experiment; 2. A fresh attempt at old and new; 3. An innovative application of local craftsmanship.