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Undulating Apartments in a Poetic Land Immortalized by Chinese Watercolors

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“The impression we have of Taiping Lake in Huangshan is vague. Each visit to this place yields different views, different impressions,” MAD founder Ma Yansong told Dezeen.

“A bit mysterious, like ancient landscape paintings, never based on realism but rather, the imagination. This vague feeling is always poetic; it is obscure and indistinct.”

MAD says that competition and efficiency has made it hard for modern people to understand why characters portrayed in Chinese paintings would brave torturous mountain paths to reach the top simply to enjoy a tea in a pavilion.

To counter this, they set out to create an immersive, natural space in the poetic and obscure landscape.

Generous undulating balconies provide unique meditative spaces with a seamless balance between private and public spaces.

All offer varying views across the Taiping Lake and the Huangshan Mountains in a picturesque region of eastern China.

Softly curved walking paths encourage residents to wander among the buildings.

A serene design sensibility blends the interiors and exteriors in the mild climate.

Because China’s terraced farmlands have for centuries duplicated the random hillside curves of nature – in these apartment buildings, the repetitive and varying curves don’t seem precious or forced, but feel as natural as breathing.

But efficiency wins on the construction schedule.

MAD estimates that its towering yet poetic dwellings will be complete by 2014.