Chinese adaptation

The state of the building before the renovation.

A copper entrance at the back of the house.

RSAA incorporated the old, damaged walls into the new residence.

The roof draws upon traditional Chinese aesthetics.

The bathroom on the second level.

The dining and living areas are separated by a suspended, copper-plated staircase.

A corridor on the second floor.

A window looks down to the courtyard.

“We used a sweeping curvature that rises to create an imaginary space detached from the original projection. Because of the limitation of the original height of the old house, and its badly damaged roof, we added two new floors to the original building,” says Zhuang.

The house sits well within its rocky, forested landscape.

The idea for a new 1,722-square-foot house was born when the home's owner spoke to Ziyu Zhuang of RSAA: "Look at the tallest tree that survived in our village. It’s beautiful. It should be seen in this house after it's been rebuilt." And so the design of the home, named Tongling Recluse, evolved around preserving the tree and elements from the old ruins.

Eaves create sheltered walkways around the house.

Tongling Recluse looks out upon pristine mountain vistas.

The middle section of an old wall creates a courtyard where the owner can stargaze at night.