dodesign sculpts rhythmic stone path and reflective pavilion in secluded chinese valley

dodesign sculpts pavilion and staircase in China’s mountains

DoDesign unveils Drifting Stones: The Stacks & The Hut, a sculptural intervention nestled within the secluded mountain valleys of Chongqing, China. A stacked stone staircase and a stone pavilion compose this project, conceived as a meditative retreat within a private residence. These two architectural elements engage in poetic dialogue with the surrounding cliffs, streams, and boulders. Visitors can ascend the layered rock formations of The Stacks to take in sweeping views of the landscape or step into The Hut, where mirrored surfaces unite built space and nature. The project fuses raw materiality with contemporary elements like glass and steel, creating an immersive spatial experience.

all images by Arch-Exist Photography, unless stated otherwise

veined granite boulder inspires Drifting Stones project

The Drifting Stones project was not initially planned but emerged from a serendipitous encounter with a massive, naturally positioned rock during a site visit. This horizontally veined granite boulder, resting in the center of the valley, evoked the aura of a lost artifact, inspiring the architects at DoDesign to turn it into a contemplative resting space. The team aims to create an architectural presence that blends and contrasts with nature at the same time, embodying the concept of ‘extraordinary nature.’

Due to the site’s constraints, the project employed an artificial stone construction method, using a steel framework coated with a cement surface mixed with local stone powder. Skilled artisans meticulously chiseled textures into the material, echoing the patterns of the surrounding rock formations. The interplay of raw, weighty stone and reflective, ephemeral mirrors creates a striking contrast that accentuates the dialogue between nature and the built environment.

DoDesign unveils Drifting Stones: The Stacks & The Hut

The Stacks & The Hut disappear into the landscape

The Stacks consists of ten stacked stone slabs, arranged to create a walkable path with a rhythmic ascent from the stream’s edge to the mountain wall, with the final slabs projecting outward in a delicate cantilever. Beneath the stone staircase, a concealed reception space enclosed by frameless glass offers panoramic views of the valley. Mirrored cladding on selected structural elements creates the illusion of weightlessness, making parts of the architecture visually dissolve into their surroundings.

Set apart from the staircase, The Hut completes DoDesign’s Drifting Stones project. Accessible via a cobblestone pathway and functioning as a secluded restroom pavilion, its fully mirrored surfaces reflect the dense foliage, rendering it almost invisible within the forest. A massive six-meter-long boulder seems to float above the structure, forming the roof. Below, a semi-outdoor washbasin is illuminated by a skylight, a subtle reference to the natural erosion of stone by water over time.

this sculptural intervention is nestled within the secluded mountain valleys of Chongqing, China

a stacked stone staircase and a stone pavilion compose this project

conceived as a meditative retreat within a private residence

these two architectural elements engage in poetic dialogue with the surrounding cliffs, streams, and boulders

mirrored surfaces unite built space and nature

the project fuses raw materiality with contemporary element

Drifting Stones emerged from a serendipitous encounter with a massive rock

the team aims to create an architectural presence that blends and contrasts with nature

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the stone inspired the architects to turn it into a contemplative resting space | image by DoDesign 

embodying the concept of ‘extraordinary nature'

due to the site’s constraints, the project employed an artificial stone construction method | image by DoDesign 

fully mirrored surfaces reflect the dense foliage | image by DoDesign 

a steel framework was coated with a cement surface mixed with local stone powder | image by DoDesign 

arranged to create a walkable path with a rhythmic ascent from the stream’s edge to the mountain wall

skilled artisans meticulously chiseled textures into the material | image by DoDesign 

echoing the patterns of the surrounding rock formations

raw, weighty stone and reflective, ephemeral mirrors create a striking contrast

The Stacks consists of ten stacked stone slabs

accentuating the dialogue between nature and the built environment

a concealed reception space enclosed by frameless glass offers panoramic views of the valley

a massive six-meter-long boulder seems to float above the structure

a semi-outdoor washbasin is illuminated by a skylight

a semi-outdoor washbasin is illuminated by a skylight

accessible via a cobblestone pathway and functioning as a secluded restroom pavilion

elevation by DoDesign

plan by DoDesign

project info:

name: Drifting Stones: The Stacks & The Hut

architect: DoDesign | @dodesign_works

location: Chongqing, China
building area: 125 square meters

design team: Shiyang Chen, Ruoyun Xu, Zhengmeng Dong, Zhiheng Wu, Xinchun Xu, Xingbo Liu
photographers: Arch-Exist Photography | @archexist, DoDesign