Pine House

Southeast University (SEU), School of Architecture, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province

Project idea

The nature is not that friendly as you imagine.
The life of inhabitants in this mountain village is often disrupted by slight landslide. Small rocks and soil roll down from the mountain. Therefore, retaining walls have been inserted into the body of mountain. But can these infrastructures serve a new purpose? A house grows from it, searching a new kind of dialogue with the nature.

Project description

The house accommodates a three-person family, offering two entrances. One on the side and the other from the roof down the stairs. Rooms of different functions are at different levels but share a common flat roof. From living room to bedroom, the sequence provides a transition from extroversion to introversion.

Technical information

The structure system combines two materials, concrete and steel. The concrete wall serves as a deeply embedded retaining wall within the slope, while the steel framework emerges from the ground, supporting the entire roof. The representation of materials corresponds their roles in structure. Furthermore, the drainage recess is integrated with the handrail, allowing rainwater to flow into the soil on both sides.