ATELIER LI

Pudong Villa

This holiday villa is located in the rural area of Pudong, Shanghai. The owner plans to demolish the old house and construct a new one to accommodate two families. When they return from urban life to the countryside, they can spend weekends and holidays with the grandparents. The extended family can gather together, enjoy the tranquility of rural life, and unwind in a natural setting.

Cross Section

Our main design strategies include the following elements. “Green” is placed first. Although the site overlooks an orchard and has a ground area in front of the building area that could serve as a garden, we aim to weave greenery throughout the house to dissolve the boundaries and isolation between interior and exterior spaces. This approach is also inspired by the concept of traditional oriental gardens. Secondly, as a residence for a large family, the importance of public space is an issue for considering. Open and comfortable areas foster opportunities for family members to gather, interact, and enjoy harmonious moments together. Lastly, we adhered to the principle of modernity throughout the project. Regardless of the surrounding environment, we believe constructing a modern white house in the countryside of Shanghai holds significant value.

1st Floor Plan

According to the construction regulations for country houses in Shanghai, the volume of the old house before demolition determines the shape of the new building. The outline of the first floor is fixed, while the height of the eastward volume is limited to two floors, and the remaining part is restricted to three floors. A sloped roof is mandatory, and the height of the cornice is also limited to 1.8 meters. Under these constraints, we still aim to implement our "Green" strategy by incorporating several courtyards across different floors. Vertical and inner gardens are designed to create a tranquil interior atmosphere. At the same time, the main volume features an extroverted gesture. The horizontal volume, extending 21 meters, prominently overhangs and faces the orchard. The 3.5-meter overhung volume on the west side reaches the site's boundary, compensating for the interior surface area lost due to the courtyards. Natural light enters the interior space through large curtains, creating a bright and soft ambiance. The structural and constructional details follow local techniques. We guided local construction workers, who had no prior experience with modern houses, to build the architectural volume using the most common method — a combination of reinforced concrete and bricks.

Longitudinal Section

2nd Floor Plan

3rd Floor Plan

After the villa was completed, its modern design significantly influenced the perception and acceptance of the local villagers. The client’s elderly parents maintain their traditional farming lifestyle, cultivating vegetables and raising poultry, while the owners introduce their urban way of life to the countryside, savoring coffee while viewing the courtyard. Here, diverse lifestyles coexist. For metropolitan areas like Shanghai, a country house serves as a retreat from the stress induced by urban environments. Compared to most commercial properties, local residents find self-built villas to be more organic and closely aligned with their living needs. Additionally, under Chinese land policy, for those who own rural lands, constructing their home is more economical than purchasing one. We hope this project can explore the typology of country houses that suit contemporary China, in aspects of aesthetics, practicality, and construction technology.