Unfolding the mechanics of domestic (p)leisure

Suitcase House Hotel is originated from the experimental development The Commune By the Great Wall in Beijing. The developers of the project invited altogether 12 younger generation of Asian architects, from South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Mainland China and Hong Kong, to design independently 11 houses and a club in the valley at the foot of the Great Wall. The development compiles of 2 phases. The first phase of the Commune is a Guesthouse-Hotel community while the second phase will be the weekend Villa-Homes.

Casting a question mark on the proverbial image of the house, Suitcase House Hotel attempts to rethink the nature of intimacy, privacy, spontaneity and flexibility. It is a simple demonstration of the desire for ultimate adaptability, in pursuit of a proscenium for infinite scenarios, a plane of sensual (p)leisure.

The dwelling represents a stacking of strata. The middle stratum embodies a reincarnated piano nobile par excellence for habitation, activity and flow. Adapting a non-hierarchical layout with the help of mobile elements provided by the envelope, it transforms itself readily according to the nature of the activities, number of inhabitants, and personal preferences for degrees of enclosure and privacy. A metamorphic volume, it slides effortlessly from an open space to a sequence of rooms, depending on the inhabitants' specific requirements. Each room is then differentiated by the provision of a unique amenity.

The bottom stratum acts as a container for dedicated spaces. Compartments are concealed by a landscape of pneumatically assisted floor panels. At any point in time only the essential elements required will have a spatial presence. Apart from the basic chambers of Bedroom, Bathroom, Kitchen and Storeage, there're a series of chambers for specific use and mode: Meditation Chamber (with glazed floor looking down the valley below), Music Chamber, Library, Study, Lounge, as well as a fully-equipped Sauna.

Imagine. In the daytime, a couple stays in the Suitcase. They could open up all the sliding partitions and enjoy a totally indoor open space with a dimension of 44 by 5 meter. Later in the day, they may open up a series of chamber according to their mood. Listen to the music in the Music chamber, read a book in the Library, meditate on the glazed floor. In the evening, when more guests arrive, the entire space turns into a lounge for party, celebration and other events. Rooms could then be gradually formulated when the night falls. A maximum of 7 guest rooms would be formed, which may accommodate up to 14 guests if the party goes late and they stay overnight.

For The envelope, it is a stratification of vertical layers. The outer skin is a wrap of full height double-glazed folding doors while the inner layer is comprised of a series of screens forming a matrix of openings. The abstract façade pattern is thereby rooted in its user-oriented operational logic. The dwelling is provided with multiple entrances, each with equal status and again the choice of each totally lead to a re-reading of the spatial organization.

To blur the boundaries between House, Interior and Furniture, the entire structure and elements are monotonically cladded in timber inside and outside of the steel structure supported by and cantilevered out from the concrete base which house facilities including a pantry, maid's quarter, boiler room and the sauna.

The dwelling is located at the head of the Nangou Valley. To maximize views to the prominent Great Wall and solar exposure in the continental temperate climate, a north-south orientation is adopted. It will be possible to see the Great Wall from all major spaces within the dwelling, not to forget the totally free and unobstructed roof terrace accessible by the pull-down staircase from below.
Gary Chang

Chang web gallery

website www.edge.hk.com

Photo Credits
Photographer: Asakawa Satoshi / Howard Chang / Gary Chang

©copyright archphoto 2002-Gary Chang