Private Residence, Nanjing, China

Private Residence, Nanjing

Location
Hong Kong
Client
Private

Suning Group commissioned Purcell's Hong Kong studio to develop a concept masterplan and design of 11 new buildings in a 20 hectare site just outside Nanjing, the former capital, in northern China. Within close access to Suning HQ, the accommodation comprises a new house for the company CEO, a senior management training and entertainment facility, together with five residential villas.

The response is a journey of gradual progression from formal to informal, artificial to natural landscape, public to private. The main house is first seen from the entrance at a distance as it floats above a newly formed lake. Other buildings are symmetrically organised either side of the entrance, following the natural water course.

The space planning of the main building follows traditional Chinese principles and organises functional zones along a central axis, connected by courtyards. All rooms either have a glimpse to the water, with the Zijing Mountain as a backdrop or an open view to the secluded landscape. The main building elevations are designed in classical proportions embedded in the Golden Section, with subtle references in details to the Suning Logo.

The function of the 10 villas are further divided into four different categories: residential, working, facility and training. The design of the villas follows the similar architectural language as the main house for the CEO but in a more moderate and contemporary approach.

The space planning of the villas encourages a high level of flexibility so that the interior can be easily transferred between residential and office usage. Each plot has a generous south facing garden and privacy is also carefully considered. Semi-underground garage is introduced in each plot to improve the efficiency of the spatial usage.