DHB design’s minimalist vacation home in china infuses light and glimpses of nature

Dhb design redefines the concept of home for urbanites

In the ancient Chinese town of Chongzhou, DHB Design’s family villa redefines the concept of home for the modern urbanite. In a world that is becoming more complex and contradictory, the concept of the home has evolved beyond just a living space, and people are increasingly turning to their second residences for relaxation and strengthening relationships. Against this context, DHB has designed a second home for a family, embodying Japanese architect Yoshihumi Nakamura’s notion of ‘igokochi’ which centers on fostering a comfortable feeling in one’s living space.

This project simplifies traditional requirements and focuses solely on creating a serene space for family vacations, with a design approach that seeks to create spaciousness, transporting inhabitants from the mundane every day to a vacation state of mind. Intertwining with nature, the house fully incorporates sunlight scenic views, offering glimpses of greenery and fresh air from every room.

all images by sy-studio

A sculptural staircase marks the luminous villa

The team at DHB Design generates a bold structure with a flexible, ambiguous layout that balances functionality and aesthetics, blurring boundaries and shifting positions to offer various possibilities in different situations. The space accommodates for both public and private aspects of family life, fostering an atmosphere where the sounds of wind, water, and birds replace the continuous noise of the television. The children can find pleasure in playing in an independent ‘secret’ base, fostering curiosity and exploration, while elders can enjoy undisturbed quality time together.

In its design, the villa avoids excessive ornamentation and hard materials, creating a timeless and personalised space that reflects the homeowner’s personality with interior design elements complement the relaxed atmosphere. A large area of warm white with natural textured paint creates a minimalistic and luminous space, while lemon-yellow arflex Marenco sofa adds playfulness and a polka dot side table injects a cheerful vacation vibe. Enlivening the space is a dynamic spiral staircase lends a sculptural quality and connects the upper and lower spaces.

project info:

name: A comfortable living space for urbanites

location: Jiezi Ancient Town, Chengdu, China

designer: DHB Design

area: 220 square meters

chief designers: Mark Sun, Yihan Wong

participating designer: Tingting Peng

photography: sy-studio

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edited by: ravail khan | designboom