Best of Residential Buildings
The Fragrant Hills Opus
Designer / Agency
- VAAS（VAAS Architects Co., Ltd.）
Category
- Residential Buildings
Award
- 2024 Innovation
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PROJECT
DESCRIPTION
The Fragrant Hills Opus is located in the core area of Beijing's Haidian District, within the Siqingshan area. This area is part of the "Three Hills and Five Gardens" region, just 300 meters in a straight line from the West Fifth Ring Road and 2 kilometers south of the eastern gate of the Xishan National Forest Park, offering excellent transportation accessibility.
The western suburbs of Beijing are known for their scenic beauty and cultural significance. Famous landmarks such as Longevity Hill, Fragrant Hills, Yuquan Hill, Jingming Garden, Jingyi Garden, the Summer Palace, Changchun Garden, and Yuanmingyuan together form the "Three Hills and Five Gardens." Situated between historic cultural heritage sites and picturesque attractions at the foot of Xishan, the project boasts unparalleled landscape resources.
Covering nearly 80,000 square meters, The Fragrant Hills Opus is the largest single land parcel in Haidian in recent years. With an ultra-low floor area ratio of 1.05, it is also one of the district's least dense developments. The project offers three housing types of 184㎡, 220㎡, and 270㎡, surrounded by the scenic beauty of the Xiangshan Nature Reserve. Encircled by lush greenery and fresh air, it feels like an urban oasis, a natural "oxygen bar." By maximizing the area's unique natural resources and employing thoughtful planning, each residence enjoys stunning views of Xiangshan's seasonal landscapes, achieving a harmonious coexistence of humans and nature.
The project's overall architectural style reflects the grandeur of Song Dynasty mansions, with a height limit of 12 meters, consisting entirely of 4-story low-rise residential buildings. The design blends Oriental Zen aesthetics with modern minimalism, emphasizing a dialogue between architecture and its environment to create the artistic ambiance of a "mountain-water garden residence."
The façade seamlessly merges traditional and modern aesthetics, drawing inspiration from Song Dynasty artistry. Ornamental details like hanging fish motifs on the roof and cloud-shaped ridges evoke a subtle, luxurious ancient charm, integrating the architecture into the mountainous scenery.
A standout feature is the use of celadon-colored Ru Kiln ceramic panels on the exterior. These are set against a façade designed with the rhythm and balance akin to Chinese poetry. Rich champagne gold metal panels and trims outline the intricate details of the façade. Key elements of the curtain wall system, including blue-eye dry-hung stone, system sliding doors, system windows, and oversized glass, not only enhance the understated luxury but also ensure durability and practicality.
Agency: VAAS（VAAS Architects Co., Ltd.）
At the core of VAAS is an unwavering pursuit of architectural excellence that has fueled our growth since day one. From the nascent stages of China's architectural industry, we've been driven by a market-oriented, international design perspective focused on putting people first through our professionalism. Creating greater value for clients through thoughtful design is our raison d'etre. Under the guidance of our leadership team, we've assembled a full-service powerhouse of design experts with robust expertise and outstanding service delivery. Year after year, we deliver standout works for clients by maintaining strict oversight across the entire project lifecycle, never compromising on our lofty standards for architectural design. Through this disciplined, sustainable approach, VAAS has emerged as one of the most formidable and influential private architectural firms in the industry.
With over 300 projects under our belt spanning diverse styles, sectors, and scales nationwide, we blend design philosophy with specialized knowledge and cutting-edge technologies to create valuable assets. Our work aims to catalyze urban transformation, blaze new trails that elevate industry standards, and ultimately design a better future through the power of creative vision.
At VAAS, our partners work hand-in-hand to lead a full-service team singularly focused on addressing the unique local nuances and requirements of each project. While maintaining a globalized viewpoint, we strike a balance between honoring tradition and pushing innovative boundaries. We keep a finger on the pulse of urban and societal issues, continuously expanding our practice through pioneering technologies—all in pursuit of creating a cohesive workflow throughout every phase of the project.
Our firm is a multidisciplinary venture, bringing together elite talent that forms an integrated ecosystem spanning urban planning, architectural design, construction engineering, and strategic consulting. We've assembled a comprehensive brain trust with expertise across urban design, architecture, structural engineering, MEP, landscape, interiors, specialized consulting, and turnkey services. Throughout the design journey, we maintain a focus on quality control at every phase, fostering seamless collaboration between disciplines to deliver holistic solutions that ensure architectural excellence.
