We adore sunlight and verdant trees, freedom and vitality. We cherish the gentle glimmers and lush greens that greet our eyes as tree shadows sway, and the intoxicating fragrance and vivid radiance that embrace our senses when flowers bloom... This space, unbound by rigid stylistic labels, is both a testament to one’s unique character and a spirited celebration of life’s unscripted beauty.
This villa - style office space, boasting a 40 - year property right and a total construction area of around 550 square meters, occupies a nearly square - shaped site. However, the original layout was far from optimal: the interior felt cluttered, and the courtyard was excessively narrow, disrupting both functional flow and spatial harmony.
To rectify these flaws, the designer decided to demolish a section of the building, surrendering some space to expand the courtyard. Meanwhile, the circulation, visual connections, and scale proportions between the interior and exterior were carefully reorganized, and functional zones were rearranged. The end goal is to create a seamless, open, nature - embracing, and vibrant human - centered office environment — one that breathes life and fluidity into the workplace.
In terms of spatial composition, the design zeroes in on the site’s boundaries and the dynamic interplay between public and private realms. Overhanging eaves and weathering steel plates — which cut across indoor - outdoor divides — extend the original floor and ceiling outward, blurring the line between built form and the natural surroundings. Boundary walls and lush greenery act as a buffer, screening out road noise and external distractions while enclosing an internal landscaped water feature and courtyard. Simultaneously, windows and terraces forge seamless visual connections, allowing the interior spaces and the courtyard to frame each other as reciprocal, ever - evolving vistas.
Limestone, as the primary material, takes center stage at the space’s entrance. Within the double-height foyer, floor-to-ceiling windows, ebony-hued flooring, light-toned walls, weathered metal steps, and the geometric lines of the staircase converge to craft a rich spatial narrative—each element speaking to the room’s character.
At the staircase landing, Gubi’s floor lamp and a Chinese antique cabinet coexist harmoniously. A Buddha head, floral arrangement, and the play of lamp light and shadows interweave the tangible and intangible, evoking a mood where "scenery" nurtures "ambiance." Together, they imbue the space with a serene, tender atmosphere.
The reception area lies to the right of the main hall, connected to the courtyard through expansive floor-to-ceiling windows. The courtyard’s vistas are easily within sight—step into this space, and you’ll almost sense the quiet rhythms of nature: spring’s awakening, summer’s flourishing, autumn’s gentle fall, and winter’s still repose.
The living room’s gaze lingers on the "shadows" and "greens" before it. Minimalist white, paired with natural light and shadow, interprets the lightness and transparency of modern life. A floor lamp, a weathered candelabra, and a Ming-style replica armchair blend seamlessly—all set against the backdrop of white courtyard walls and soft drapes. Morning sunlight floods the space, endowing it with a warm, mellow texture.
From spatial interfaces to the character of objects, this multi-functional social space harbors far more than aesthetics and charm—it holds memories and emotions, too.
A road bike bears the scenery of rides past; a skateboard is etched with the passion of snow-capped lands; a camping crate hides the stillness of the wilderness. Rough earthen jars and weathered wooden pieces carry discoveries from journeys near and far...
By the corner sits a small boat—a gift the designer brought back from the banks of the Mekong. Its surface bears a groove: a mark of time, left by the river itself.
The communal water bar perches along the circular corridor—everyday casual gatherings find their rhythm here, yet it doubles as a lively showcase. Pour-over coffee rituals and floral art exchanges unfold endlessly, one after another. This, it seems, is life as it was always meant to be: unhurried, connected, and full of simple joy.
Stepping out of the reception room, the outdoor passage takes shape as a lightweight slab bridge—delicate, almost floating.
Imagine daily crossings here: the murmur of a stream weaving through your steps, while you tend the garden—pruning, planting, feeding fish, watering blooms. It’s a world unshackled from trivialities, a doorway into your own heart. Here, you might just meet a version of yourself you’ve never known.
By the water basin stands a standalone tea house, where the building’s foundation is boldly bared—exposed, unadorned, as if sharing its oldest secrets. Layers of diverse cultures interweave here, forging a spatial relationship that feels fluid, open, yet quietly conversant with time itself: rustic, natural, steeped in vintage warmth.
Weathered old elm doors, their surfaces worn and weathered, are fastened with wooden bolts like those from childhood. Reclaimed poplar-pine floors, once part of Huaihai Road’s past, ground the space in history. Vessels by He Ye Qisi rest alongside Chen Jiuluo’s Shino ware—each piece, a fragment of time, filling the room with the weight and warmth of human story.
Lin Yutang once wrote, “With just a teapot, a Chinese person can find joy anywhere.” Here, a single shaft of sunlight slants in, as if breathing life into the space, making it feel not just built, but born—timeless, and perfectly itself.
There has always been a subtle interplay between humans and their surroundings. If the sunlight-drenched first floor fosters a bodily awareness of the external world, then the lighting installation in the hallway of the second-floor office lobby acts as an "instrument" that stirs internal sensations and memories.
Crafted from light-transmitting alabaster and brass tubes, this installation sits along the space’s central axis—a vital threshold for employees entering and exiting the workspace. Its warm, healing glow eases the mind and invites pause. People gather around it to share memories and musings, as if momentarily lifted from reality into another realm.
Perhaps this is the purpose of crafting such elements within a space.
Stepping into the curator’s space on the second floor, deep black takes center stage—shrouded in a mood of mysterious darkness, yet wrapped in a quiet, secure embrace.
Here, though, stories of passion spill forth. Action figures, vintage furniture, ski gear, cycling memorabilia, vinyl records—each piece hums softly of hobbies and devotion, whispering tales without a sound. Beneath the dark tones, a vivid, unbridled vitality pulses: a testament to the fire of what one loves.
The union of design and nature is life’s bounty: tree shadows, spring breezes, rippling waters, lingering scents. They carry a quiet magic, drawing you to wait with time itself for rebirth and renewal.
Project Name | Zhongran Architectural Design Office
Project Location | Ningbo, Zhejiang
Project area | 550 m2
Design Company | Zhongran Architectural Design Office
Lighting Design | Good Lighting
Lighting brand | | ALPHALUCE
