Dezeen Magazine

Ninetree Village by David Chipperfield Architects

Here's a second project in China by David Chipperfield Architects: Ninetree Village is a recently completed residential development in Hangzhou.

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The project is situated next to a bamboo forest and consists of twelve residential buildings, each containing five apartments.

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Each building is clad in a wooden grid, which varies in density according to the level of privacy required in different areas of the home.

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See our earlier story on Chipperfield's Liangzhu Culture Museum in China.

The following is from the architects:

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Ninetree Village
Hangzhou, China
2004 – 2008

A small valley, bordered by a dense bamboo forest, forms the site for this luxury housing development, situated near the Qiang Tang River in Hangzhou, south-eastern China.

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The particular charm and beauty of the place are the determining factors.

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Twelve individual volumes are arranged in a chessboard pattern to create the maximum amount of open space for each building.

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Through planting new vegetation, each apartment building is set in its own clearing in the forest.

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The buildings adapt to the topography, creating a flowing landscape through a slight turning of the blocks.

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The grounds will be accessed from the southern entrance via a network of lanes.

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All buildings are linked to an underground car park, enabling the site to be free from vehicles above ground.

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Within the development there are six types of building differing in size and floor plan depending on the location, view and light conditions.

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The individual apartment buildings contain five generously proportioned apartments, each accommodating a full floor of approximately 400 sqm.

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The floor plan concept creates a flowing interior space defined by solid elements which accommodate auxiliary functions.

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The selection of materials for the living and sleeping areas provides an elegant, calm atmosphere, whilst the enclosed elements are envisaged as cabinets using precious traditional materials.

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The loggia zone, which runs around the whole building, provides a transition area between the interior living space and the surrounding nature.

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Based on a traditional principle of Chinese housing, an exterior skin using wooden elements protects the privacy of the residents.

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This skin differs in density, depending on the interior functions, sunlight and the conditions of the site.

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Moveable elements allow the resident to further decide on the degree of privacy desired.

All images above by Christian Richters. All images below by Shu He.

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A clubhouse with an outdoor pool is located at the northern tip of the site.

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This small building follows the irregular shape of the steep slope of the hill, forming a kind of a retaining wall that continues to define the border of the property.

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The interior is shaped like a cave carved into the hill.

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Skylights let natural light deep into the rooms.

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In front of the clubhouse lies a raised platform with an irregular shape following the natural borders of the site.

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The building is made out of coloured concrete and Chinese volcanic stone.

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Location: Hangzhou, China
Project Date: 2004
Completion Date: 2008
Gross Floor Area: 23,500 m2
Client: Joyon Real Estate Investment Co., Ltd
Architect: David Chipperfield Architects
Principal: David Chipperfield
Director: Mark Randel
Project Architect: Hans Krause

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Project Team: Christoph Bartscherer, Libin Chen, Ulrich Hannen, Christian Helfrich, Lijun Shen, Natalia Vinuela
Structural/Services Engineer: ZSADI, Zhejiang South Architectural Design and Survey Ltd.
Landscape Architect: Levin Monsigny Landschaftsarchitekten
Photographs: Christian Richters; Shu He

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