Part 1 – The Modern Inheritance of Scenic Mountain and River Terrain

The project is located in Zhufang, Haidian District, Beijing, a site endowed with superior geomantic omens in the city. It radiates southward to Zhongguancun, the cradle of China’s Silicon Valley; adjoins Shangdi and Software Park to the north; neighbors the renowned Three Hills and Five Gardens; and sits on the extended line of the western Beijing cultural vein. Meanwhile, within a 5-kilometer radius of the location, a cluster of prestigious institutions including Zhongguancun Software Park, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tsinghua University, and Peking University gather here, converging the nation’s strategic scientific and technological strength as well as academic pioneers.

Based on this, the design is rooted in the ecological wisdom of the Three Hills and Five Gardens — “Though man-made, it appears as if created by nature”. With plants and trees as brushes and life as the scroll, it connects with the royal gardens to create a brand-new Oriental mansion-style living experience for the nation’s highly-educated groups.

Part 2 – A Magnificent Tapestry of Humanistic Living Inspired by the Summer Palace

Drawing on in-depth studies of the spatial layouts of iconic imperial gardens like the Summer Palace, the design distills their timeless essence to forge Haiyan’s one-of-a-kind Oriental humanistic community paradigm — “garden as the heart, experience as the bond”. Anchored in the design spirit of Hanxu Yanyou at the East Palace Gate of the Summer Palace, the entire community space embraces two core attributes: the serene and secluded charm of the surroundings, and the exquisite and dignified character of the space itself. It is dedicated to crafting a refined, upscale living experience that harmonizes perfectly with the natural landscape.

The community takes three gardens as its spatial core, unfolding like a grand scroll and presenting a magnificent aesthetic as a whole. The 7–15-story buildings adopt a rich and dynamic combination with staggered heights, rising and falling along the surrounding urban roads.

Yanxiu – Exquisitely Crafted Architecture

Unlike other projects, the architectural form of Haiyan is conceived from the creation of the overall interface.

Top Section · The Majestic Eaves Crown

Taking inspiration from the Summer Palace’s Jingming Tower, the design reinterprets traditional wooden hanging columns with gilded metal composite pillars, adorned with carved vermilion-style dougong bracket motifs. Champagne-gold aluminum panels are precision-stamped to mirror the rafter and eave profiles defined in The Rules of Construction. The metal-framed eaves arc gracefully at a calculated angle, embodying the ancient official architecture tenet of “eaves projecting three spans, thrusting three times and curving four degrees” and bringing to life the timeless grace of “a structure soaring like a phoenix in flight”.

Middle Section · The Dignified Portico

Premium Century Diamond stone is chosen for the facade framework, shaping a three-bay or five-bay structure characterized by “symmetrical axial alignment and three-five modular division”. This layout complies with the traditional ceremonial norms where the number of bays represents positive yang force. A horizontal band of champagne-gold aluminum panels is added every two floors, perfectly echoing the Oriental elegance of upturned eaves. The metal frame serves as a boundary that frames the natural scenery like a living painting. The aluminum window surrounds are designed with an outward overhang and inlaid with imperial red metal plates, achieving both the sleek flatness of modern curtain walls and the subtle light-filtering effect that plays with shifting shadows.

Entrance Lobby · The Grandeur of Ritual Form

Inspired by the elegant structure of the Summer Palace’s Yaoyue Gate, the lobby blends exquisite modern material details with classic Chinese charm, creating an unparalleled sense of Beijing-style humanistic splendor.

Part 3 – Oriental Heritage as the Foundation, Summer Palace Vibe as the Essence: A Distinguished Beijing-Style Homecoming Experience

The design distills the perfect blend of regal elegance and natural serenity embodied by the Summer Palace. It pairs ritualistic courtyards with scenic landscape gardens, forging a sophisticated homecoming setting that exudes the profound cultural essence of Beijing.

Forecourt Space

With the forecourt at the front and the backyard at the rear, the layout faces east with its back to the west. Drawing on the east-west layout feature of the East Gate of the Summer Palace, the east symbolizes vitality and progress in feng shui. Greeting the morning sun, it embodies the cultural imagery of “purple qi coming from the east”, creating a vibrant and dynamic community atmosphere. The overall space also adopts the ritual layout of forecourt – palace gate – central courtyard, replicating the ceremonial spatial experience of the imperial garden and endowing the homecoming journey with a strong sense of ritual and dignity.

Five-Bay Three-Gate · A Space Shaped by Imperial Rituals

A former imperial garden and royal retreat, the Summer Palace boasts iconic landmarks like the East Palace Gate and Renshou Hall, each constructed in a grand five-bay format. “Three-gate” refers to the three-tiered gate system at the palace entrance. Rooted in a strictly axisymmetric layout, the entire space adheres to time-honored ritual norms, exuding an air of imperial solemnity and refined grace.

Hundred-Meter Scroll-Style Mansion Gate

The main gate, together with the scenic walls on both sides, forms a nearly 100-meter-long scroll-like facade. With an extended and stretched elevation, it boasts extremely strong visibility. The scale of the central mansion gate draws on the width dimension of the East Palace Gate, which is reshaped in modern Oriental architectural language to create an extraordinary spatial quality that is agile, elegant, grand and profound.

The integration of the mansion gate and the screen wall space reflects a high-level interpretation of Oriental living philosophy. Based on architectural rituals, the project creates an introverted and noble quality of living in seclusion amidst the city, and reshapes the aesthetic value of contemporary human settlements with a more comfortable spatial experience.

Central Courtyard: Elegant Leisure of a Spring Dawn in the Ancient Capital

The entire central courtyard space consists of two parts: the Four-Season Flower Garden and the Spring Harmony Four Halls. Modeled after the Yishou Hall of the Summer Palace, the space is given an entirely new experiential interpretation. The Four-Season Flower Garden serves as the prelude to the backyard space; the overall design pursues a tranquil beauty, with the courtyard space integrating the winding corridor and the space of the second entrance gate building. As the transitional and connecting space of the whole area, the Spring Harmony Four Halls takes its inspiration from the Oriental aesthetic artistic conception depicted in Emperor Qianlong’s poem: “Rocks and valleys hold marvelous delights; clouds and mist contain endless treasures”.

Backyard Space: Reconstructing the Summer Palace Garden Experience with Modern Living Values

The overall design of the backyard space deeply absorbs the gardening essence of the Garden of Harmonious Interests in the Summer Palace, taking “a miniature landscape where movement and stillness coexist” as the core concept, and realizing the modern interpretation of traditional gardening wisdom through innovative methods.

High Pavilion with a View · Listening to the Flowing Water

Standing in the pavilion, one can experience the dynamic sequence of scenes where “the view changes with each step”. Dusk and mountain mists blend into a poetic picture framed by the pavilion eaves, allowing visitors to feel the unique pleasure of wandering in an imperial garden. The design of the qin-playing space is inspired by the scene where Emperor Qianlong often went to Qingqin Gorge in the Summer Palace to listen to the rain during his stay.

Part 4 – Embracing Boundless Life Potential Through Tailor-Made Luxury

A generous south-facing width allows residents to fully enjoy sunshine and nature; the LDK-integrated square space accommodates diverse living scenarios and creates a free gathering experience; the south-facing master bedroom suite serves as a comfortable private retreat; the two independent secondary bedrooms ensure mutual undisturbance; the separate entry foyer and housekeeping area come with comprehensive functions, providing ample storage space for daily life.

Part 5 – Summary: A New Paradigm of Beijing-Style Living

The entire design of Haiyan is rooted in the reinterpretation of the natural glory and beauty of imperial gardens, striving to present the inherent splendor and dignity that Beijing-style living deserves. Far from a simple replication of history, the design adheres to the philosophy of “taking gardens as the framework and humanistic spirit as the soul”. On the culturally rich land of Haidian with a thousand-year heritage, it reshapes an inheritable “spiritual elegant garden” for contemporary Beijing. It awakens this land from historical classics and transforms it into a living art that can be resided in, wandered through, and appreciated.