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DH House floor plan

Behind the sliding door is the master bath with a glazed shower with views of the valley below.

Eager to leave Taipei behind for a quieter life in the mountains, a retired Taiwanese couple took the recommendation of their son-in-law and hired Spanish architect Urdaneta Zeberio to realize their vision of an affordable retirement home in rural Nanzhuang, two hours north of Taichung.

Taiwan's central mountains are framed in the east-facing windows in the dining room.

Eager to leave Taipei behind for a quieter life in the mountains, a retired Taiwanese couple took the recommendation of their son-in-law and hired Spanish architect Urdaneta Zeberio to realize their vision of an affordable retirement home in rural Nanzhuang, two hours north of Taichung. The open-plan living areas and outdoor terrace are located on the south side of the home.

Mr. Zhan, a retired Singapore Airlines worker, proudly stands beneath his new home.

The design of the house and the search for a suitable builder took Zeberio a year and a half. Construction was completed in five months.

"The whole volume has a double-pitched roof without a drainage channel, which is very helpful during the typhoon season, and also gives the volume a more solid appearance," notes Zeberio.

The DH House is wrapped in a layer of 10-centimeter insulation and standing-seam metal cladding.

"Taking advantage of the astonishing views of the valleys, maintaining privacy from the public road, and strategically orientating the building in the hot and humid Taiwan climate became the major site factors for this project," explains Zeberio.

Built on a tight budget of $120,000, a retirement home in the mountains delivers unexpected contemporary design to a rural township.