Project: Heron Island No. 1
Architects: BDSD Boundless Design
Location: Huizhou, China
Area: 19,375 sf
Year: 2023
Photographs by: Hanmo Vision Yi Gao
Heron Island No. 1 by BDSD Boundless Design
This is a villa area that is kept just at a distance from the city, with lakes, mountains, forests, and the natural scenery is breathtaking. The owner, Mr. Lin, hopes that this 1,800㎡ house will become a vacation place for the family, in this superior natural environment, the family can enjoy a beautiful courtyard life, immerse themselves in this world away from the chaos, walk into nature, truly feel them, and enjoy their own time and space. Therefore, BDSD hopes to make this place a space filled with mountains, lakes, plants, and light, so that the vacation life can be leisurely and relaxed. The renovation of the building fully considers the interaction between indoor and outdoor, in addition to the function of shelter, it is also a container for us to watch and enjoy nature.
Drive to the outskirts of the city, follow the vein of the lake and mountain, and in about half an hour you will reach the comfortable peninsula lake area. This is a villa area that is kept just at a distance from the city, with lakes, mountains, forests and the glow of the inner lake, and the natural scenery is breathtaking.
The poet William Wordsworth said that he spent most of his life in the lake district, spending half of his childhood running and playing in the mountains, and that the birds, streams, daffodils and sheep in nature were indispensable to heal the troubled minds of city dwellers.
The owner, Mr. Lin, hopes that this 1,800㎡ house will become a vacation place for the family, and whenever they feel stressed in city life, they can drive a temporary escape. In this privileged natural environment, families can enjoy a beautiful courtyard life, immerse themselves in this world away from distractions, walk into nature, truly feel them, and enjoy their own time and space.
BDSD hopes to make this place a space filled with mountains, lakes, plants, and light, so that the vacation life can be comfortable and relaxed.
Architectural Renovation, to Simplify the Complex
Mr. Lin’s house is surrounded by the road in the villa area on one side and faces the inner lake on the other side, which has excellent views and privacy. As a holiday villa, the building itself, the entrance, the courtyard, the living room, dining room, kitchen and bedrooms, all of which are closely related to the human experience, are the highlights of the design.
The renovation of the building fully considers the interaction between indoor and outdoor, in addition to the function of shelter, it is also a container for us to watch nature and enjoy nature. All the openings of the doors and windows are to guide people to better go to nature and communicate emotions in the natural environment.
The façade of the original building has been vacant for a long time, and the designer hopes to use a more modern approach to make the villa hidden in the grounds, so that people can feel relaxed the moment they enter. Simplify the lines and shapes, and use the restrained design to highlight the volume and temperament of the building itself. The material and color of the façade are made more rustic, and the material is unified with the wall of the villa, so that the entrance is more orderly and coordinated.
The windows of the original building have been redesigned and replaced, and the transparent foyer welcomes the return of the owner, and the large glass windows adjacent to the foyer bring in plenty of light and the view of the garden, while also making people look forward to the interior environment.
The side courtyard around the entrance of the building, with a half-wall made of rubble, is simple and natural, with a hint of wildness, separating the external environment from the inner courtyard life. The horizontal openings on the half-wall perfectly display the pool, which is hidden and exposed, inviting people to keep exploring.
Stepping into the courtyard near the inner lake, the building opens its arms in an extremely friendly manner, embracing the whole of nature, creating a rich courtyard space for the residence.
When the night deepens, the brightness of the day fades, and the warm light emanates from the building, the heart of the person will always become softer at that moment. The designer carried out a complete lighting design around the building, in addition to realizing the functional needs, but also to create a sense of atmosphere in place. Those lights fade away from the hustle, and with the hazy atmosphere of the water, people gradually calm down and welcome good dreams.
Enjoy Nature in the Courtyard
Sunlight shines over the walls of the building, shedding the brightest part into the courtyard, illuminating the rough floor and painting the interior with natural greenery. A fallen leaf should flutter up and down in the flowing air. Mr. Lin enjoyed this rare and peaceful holiday time, and time witnessed the happiness that this house brought to them, and the courtyard was the most beautiful part of this time.
The most precious thing about a holiday villa is that it has a wider land area than in the city, and it agrees with people in a harmonious way, following the trajectory of life. During the day, sitting in the courtyard and looking at the lake, it always reminds people of Gu Cheng’s poem: “The grass is bearing its seeds, the tree is shaking its leaves, we just stand without speaking, all those are very beautiful.”
At night, with the stars and the moon, when the bonfire is lit, the little sparks are fluttering in the wind, and the air is filled with the scent of wood, we see a purer beauty in our daily lives.
In this leisurely and cosy holiday villa, the form of architecture is designed to meet the needs of emotional experiences, and each place offers ample opportunities for the owner to rest, talk and interact. By setting up platforms of different heights, the spatial functions of the courtyard are divided into outdoor dining area, campfire area, swimming area, and leisure area.
There is an L-shaped swimming pool in the courtyard, and the designer has connected this infinity pool to the lake to create a more open feeling visually. When children, family and friends gather here, the pool also becomes a highly interactive place. Through the design of the pedestrian walkway, it is possible to walk around the entire courtyard and connect the various functional areas.
An Interior Space Shaped Like a Sculpture
BDSD’s design creates an indoor space that contrasts with the natural environment, with extreme simplicity, deep tones and sculpture-like shapes. The designer hopes that after entering the interior from the bright natural environment, people will have a sense of security shrouded in tranquility.
In this space with black as the background color, a large number of windows change the cold atmosphere. From the moment you enter the house, windows are opened in various areas to bring good natural light and outdoor nature into the space. The vertical strip windows on the side stretch the proportion of the space, and a comfortable sofa and chair by the window allow people to stay for a short time between entering and exiting, enjoying a touch of sunshine and greenery in front of the window.
The curved staircase allows people’s gaze to be drawn up as soon as they enter the door, and the black staircase stands like a pure sculpture in the space. As you move upwards, the lights gradually turn on, like an elegant melody floating from the keys.
Descending the stairs into the living room, the floor and walls are in similar tones, forming a continuous space that keeps stretching until the view extends outward into the courtyard. The floor-to-ceiling glass doors in the dining room area establish a good interactive relationship with the side courtyard, and the open bar counter with the open scale can also serve the courtyard life well. When the weather goes well, open the sliding doors, the interior and exterior are completely integrated, and the building shows an extremely friendly side – allowing wind, natural light and people to move freely.
The Chinese kitchen has a luxurious space scale, with a large window overlooking the courtyard scenery and the blue swimming pool. The space is black and white to create a pure and clean atmosphere, and the red sink, a roadster-like streamlined design, becomes a highlight, injecting a sense of art into the atmosphere of kitchen.
Coco Chanel once said, “Black is the ultimate color of absolute beauty.” Artist Pierre Soulage, who specializes in “black painting”, said: “I love black, I love its power, its presence, its passion. Its powerful contrasting power gives any color a sense of presence. When it illuminates the darkest places, it gives greatness to the darkness. Black has an unexpected, overlooked possibility, and I’m going to discover it. ”
The whole living room space is dominated by black, expressing a strong order of the space, and the furniture from Nobilia, Germany, uses modernist aesthetics, simple and elegant lines, and comfortable functionality, so that the space is free and casual, as if it has a classic meaning that has not faded over time.
The elegant arc of a fishing lamp breaks the tranquility of the space, and the water-patterned rock slabs on the wall are spliced together, increasing the richness of the material. BDSD designed in an extremely restrained way in the completely dark space, enhancing the sense of agility.
The bedroom space creates a more relaxed, comfortable and soft atmosphere, with beige, light grey and coffee colors for a restrained and calm feel. In a large space scale, it perfectly realizes the functions of rest, clothes and hats, and bathing, so that the body can be completely relaxed.
The softness of the fabric and the touch of wood take care of the user’s feeling in the subtleties. A sofa in front of the bed creates a separate area for private moments in a lazy yet sophisticated room.
The spacious terrace that extends out of the bedroom overlooks the lake, allowing you to enjoy the garden below and the beautiful lake view. Pay attention to the capture of light, so that every moment when you open the window in the morning is a soul wash from nature.
Interacting with nature is actually teaching us how to get along with others. When people touch nature, slow down in nature, feel inner peace, and a sense of happiness is born from within, we deeply appreciate being nourished by everything around us. Home is a shelter, a place for us to recuperate, a place for us to leave and come back again and again.
-Project description and images provided by BDSD Boundless Design
