Ruins Cave Garden | ArCONNECT

The ancient villages in Dali, nestled on the west coast of Erhai Lake beneath the majestic Cangshan Mountain, provide a beautiful setting for a unique studio project. Traditional houses in this region, facing east to capture the morning sun and shielded from winter winds, create a lifestyle deeply connected to the natural surroundings. The studio, situated in the southwest corner of a village at the base of Cangshan, underwent a transformative renovation that harmonizes with the ruins on-site, resulting in a space that seamlessly blends with the mountainous landscape.
The initial challenge was to establish a new connection between the inward-looking courtyard and the vast mountains and fields. With an eight-month deadline to move to a new studio, the team adopted an on-site approach, commuting daily to the construction site. This method integrated design with demolition and renovation, allowing continuous refinement of ideas as the project unfolded.
The stone house, a central element of the studio, underwent a strategic transformation to establish a strong connection with Cangshan Mountain. By creating openings in the stone walls, the design achieved a harmonious balance between interior comfort, natural lighting, and breathtaking mountain views. Horizontal windows bring the rolling Cangshan mountain range into the room, and vertical windows make one realize how high the Cangshan Mountain is, and the geographic dissecting line from the top of the mountain to the room and the. The addition of concrete window frames and steel window glass created a visual and tactile interplay between the rough stone walls and smooth glass, reducing the perceived weight of the traditional structure.
The north building, initially inward-focused, underwent a sectional transformation to transition from a garden cave on the first floor to a loft with panoramic views on the third floor. The careful demolition of interior brick walls and the addition of diagonal bracing columns addressed structural challenges, resulting in a contemporary and translucent upper volume that contrasts with the old stone sloped roof context.
The second phase of the design focused on transforming the site into a cohesive and inviting environment. The ruins on-site played a crucial role in creating two distinct courtyard spaces: an inward-looking courtyard beneath the ruins and an outward-looking platform above them. Utilizing the height difference, the ruins were extended northward, forming a layered "rocky hill" with plants that relieved pressure from neighboring buildings and directed attention to the mountains and plants.
Connecting elements, such as the "corridor bridge," strategically guided visitors through the garden, creating a seamless transition between the stone house and the north building. The bridge, with its transparent appearance and metal tensile nets, provided a sense of floating on water and added an element of danger to the journey. At the end of the bridge, a Ruin Garden Café with a single-slope roof offered a unique perspective, connecting the courtyard with distant mountain views.
The café pavilion, designed as a lightweight structure emerging from the ruins, featured concrete plinths resembling furniture and a thin, counter-ribbed steel roof supported by channel steel. The upper section's delicate construction added an element of wonder, challenging visitors to question the support of such a thin and light roof.
The garden tour, guided by the interconnected elements, finally ended in the Ruins Garden Café, where the architectural experience was rewoven into a holistic experience. The studio's formal name, "Ruins Cave Garden," encapsulates its essence – reflecting the site's history, the cave-like interior experience, and the spatial strategy merging interior and exterior experiences.
In conclusion, the "Ruins Cave Garden" studio project in Dali exemplifies a harmonious integration of architecture with its natural surroundings. From the strategic renovation of traditional structures to the thoughtful transformation of ruins into inviting spaces, the design reflects a deep connection to the landscape and a commitment to creating a nurturing and immersive environment.

[CHI]

大理的古村落坐落在洱海西岸雄伟的苍山之下，为一个独特的工作室项目提供了优美的环境。这里的传统民居坐东朝西，既能沐浴晨光，又能遮挡冬风，形成了一种与自然环境紧密相连的生活方式。工作室位于苍山脚下一个村庄的西南角，经过改造后与现场的废墟相协调，形成了一个与山地景观完美融合的空间。
最初的挑战是在内向的庭院与广袤的山野之间建立新的联系。由于要在八个月内搬到新的工作室，每天往返于施工现场。这种方法将设计与拆除和翻新融为一体，随着项目的展开不断完善设计理念。
石屋是工作室的核心元素，经过战略性改造后与苍山建立了紧密联系。通过在石墙上开洞，设计实现了室内舒适度、自然采光和壮丽山景之间的和谐平衡。水平方向的窗户将连绵起伏的苍山山脉引入室内，而垂直方向的窗户则让人意识到苍山有多高，以及从山顶到室内的地理分割线。混凝土窗框和钢窗玻璃的加入，使粗糙的石墙和光滑的玻璃之间产生了视觉和触觉上的相互作用，减轻了传统结构的重量感。通过在石墙上开洞，设计实现了室内舒适度、自然采光和壮丽山景之间的和谐平衡。水平方向的窗户将连绵起伏的苍山山脉引入室内，而垂直方向的窗户则让人意识到苍山有多高，以及从山顶到室内的地理分割线。混凝土窗框和钢窗玻璃的加入，在粗糙的石墙和光滑的玻璃之间形成了视觉和触觉上的互动，减轻了传统结构的重量感。
北楼最初是内向型建筑，经过分段改造后，从一楼的花园洞穴过渡到三楼的阁楼，可欣赏到全景。建筑内部的砖墙经过仔细拆除，并增加了斜撑柱，从而解决了结构上的难题，使建筑上部成为一个现代的半透明体量，与旧有的石材坡屋顶形成鲜明对比。对内部砖墙进行了仔细的拆除，并增加了对角支撑柱，从而解决了结构上的难题，形成了一个现代感十足的半透明上部空间，与旧有的石材坡屋顶形成鲜明对比。
第二阶段的设计重点是将遗址改造成一个具有凝聚力和吸引力的环境。现场的废墟在创造两个不同的庭院空间方面发挥了至关重要的作用：废墟下方是一个内向的庭院，废墟上方是一个外向的平台。利用高度差，废墟向北延伸，形成了一个有层次的 "岩石山丘"，山丘上种植了植物，缓解了周边建筑的压力，并将人们的视线引向山峦和植物。现场的废墟在创造两个不同的庭院空间中发挥了至关重要的作用：废墟下方是一个内向的庭院，废墟上方是一个外向的平台。利用高度差，废墟向北延伸，形成了一个有层次的 "岩石山丘"，山丘上种植的植物缓解了邻近建筑的压力，并将人们的视线引向山峦和植物。
廊桥 "等连接元素战略性地引导游客穿过花园，在石屋和北面建筑之间形成无缝过渡。廊桥采用透明外观和金属张力网，给人一种漂浮在水面上的感觉，为旅程增添了危险元素。廊桥 "等连接元素巧妙地引导游客穿过花园，在石屋和北楼之间形成无缝过渡。廊桥采用透明外观和金属拉伸网，给人一种漂浮在水面上的感觉，为旅程增添了危险元素。在桥的尽头，一个带有单坡屋顶的遗址花园咖啡厅提供了一个独特的视角，将庭院与远处的山景连接起来。
咖啡馆是从废墟中脱颖而出的轻型建筑，其特点是混凝土基座与家具相似，薄薄的对肋钢屋顶由槽钢支撑。上部精致的结构增添了一种奇妙的元素，让参观者对如此轻薄的屋顶的支撑力产生质疑。咖啡馆的设计是一种从废墟中脱颖而出的轻型结构，其特点是混凝土基座类似于家具，薄薄的对肋钢屋顶由槽钢支撑。上部的精巧结构增添了惊奇的元素，让参观者对如此轻薄的屋顶的支撑力提出质疑。
在这些相互关联的元素的引导下，花园之旅最终在遗址花园咖啡厅结束，在这里，建筑体验被重新编织成一种整体体验。工作室的正式名称 "遗址洞穴花园 "概括了其精髓--反映了遗址的历史、洞穴般的内部体验以及融合内部和外部体验的空间策略。工作室的正式名称 "遗址洞穴花园 "概括了其精髓--反映了遗址的历史、洞穴般的内部体验以及融合内部和外部体验的空间策略。
总之，大理 "废墟洞穴花园 "工作室项目体现了建筑与自然环境的和谐统一。从对传统结构的战略性改造，到将废墟改造成诱人空间的深思熟虑，该设计反映了与景观的深刻联系，以及对创造一个滋养身心、身临其境的环境的承诺。从对传统结构的战略性改造，到将废墟改造成诱人空间的深思熟虑，该设计反映了与景观的深刻联系，以及对创造一个滋养身心、身临其境的环境。

Lead Architects: WU Zhou

Photography: Hao Chen

Photography: Pengfei Wang