The villa is located in Chongming, a picturesque island at the mouth of Yangtze River, in eastern China and part of Shanghai municipality. Traditionally a farm and fishing island, Chongming is now undergoing a massive renovation process.  Just one hour driving from the Shanghai downtown, Chongming is becoming the prefect refuge from the city life for the wealthy Shanghainese families, that are choosing it for their second house.

The interior design of the villa consists of two primary elements: the clear delineation of natural materials and volumes as a programmatic signifier. Wood and ceramic are two recurring elements in the project that emphasize the rustic inspiration. The villa is composed by 4 floors and is functionally divided into two parts: basement and first floor for daily activities, second and third floors for bedrooms. Connection between these areas is carried out through a minimal wooden stair and a small elevator.

Basement and first floor contain communal functions such as living, dining, studio, cinema and Mahjong room. The material palette of these spaces builds upon the basis of the rustic white oak, complimenting it with Sant’Agostino grey tiles for the floor and a compelling blue navy wall for the cinema room.

Situated at the far end of the kitchen and dining area is the foyer, the space owners use to access their garden. Rustic and charming, the entry room is set with a concreate bench and furniture from Banlan.

The life in the house is concentrated around the big living room, which is connect to the dining area and the staircase by a double-sided fireplace. The living area is a two-story room. It interacts with the outside garden by having floor-to-ceiling windows that run along the side wall, allowing the air to circulate and the sun to enter. The space becomes one mix all the environments.

The living is rich with natural light which makes it a perfect spot for a relaxing afternoons or evenings with friends. The owner requested to keep the connection between the second-floor mezzanine and the living area, but at the same time we wanted to conceal the guests flow along the mezzanine corridor. Our solution was to encase the mezzanine in a semi-transparent/see-through wooden box which works as storage/relax corner and visual divider between 1st and 2nd floor.

In contrast with the lower portion, the upper level houses the private functions including master suite, walk-in closet that is also tea room, kid’s bedroom and two additional guest rooms. The space maintains a light palette of white paint, warm colors, fabrics, light grey terrazzo, white oak and grey ceramic.

The character of the house is contemporary and has been tailored for its future settlers, a couple, sometimes visited by their friends, their children and, in the future, their grandchildren too.