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Architects: TAO - Trace Architecture Office
- Area: 581 m²
- Year: 2022
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Photographs:Kejia Mei, Xiangzhou Sun
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Lead Architect: Li Hua
Text description provided by the architects. Jiming Island stands alone in the middle of the sea and is noted for the cliff, rocks, and sea horizon, which create a sense of distance from the city. The site is on the edge of a cliff, facing the vast sea in the north as if it is the land's end.
With craggy mountains and chilly sea, the concrete building is perched on the natural landscape like a giant rock. One end of the building is embedded into the rocky mountain, where the roof extends the landform, pointing to the sea horizon. In contrast, the other end protrudes from the cliff's edge as if it is about to break away from the mountain and extend into the sea, creating a tension between artificiality and nature.
Down the steps into the building, as into the mountain's interior. After experiencing the heavy concrete walls, one will meet the sea again at the edge of the cantilevered end, feeling floating on the sea. The opening on the ground of the cantilevered part of the building gives people a sense of the cliff’s height.
A space is designed to offer spectacular views of the sea at the rear of the building, which can only be reached by passing through a dim tunnel. Behind the door is a meditation space with a skylight, providing a haven of tranquility in the mountain.
The café is a horizontal plane pointing to the skyline, while the Tower House is a vertical volume pointing to the sky. With a plan of only 4.5m×4.5m, the Tower House appears as a tiny dot against the vastness of the sea, gaining energy.
Inside the Tower House, the living spaces, such as the living room, study room, bedroom, and bathroom, normally spread horizontally, are arranged vertically from bottom to top. Each level has a viewing window with a different height, angle, and proportion to experience the view, bringing people to various perspectives and dimensions of the sea.
With horizontality and verticality, ascending and descending, insertion and cantilever, the building connects with the earth and sky through the basic gestures of architecture, bringing people back to nature.
