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The Water House from Li Xiaodong Atelier

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The soothing qualities of water are seldom so well incorporated into home design as in this home from Li Xiaodong, in Lijiang.

Built as a series of inward-looking courtyards, the structure makes use of walls of operable screens veiling the light, that open out towards the courtyard views of water.

A series of internal courtyards are filled with water.

The sense of repose and peace inside comes as the reflections of water pervade the interiors.

Throughout, the lightweight, slatted walls open up fully onto the water views.

Although the house departs little from traditional building techniques, it shores up 21st century waterproofing on tough steel and concrete structural foundations.

The house is sited in Lijiang’s ancient trading settlement, at the foot of snow mountain Yulong.

Here, with its centuries-old network of waterways and canals, water here is as much a part of the fabric of the community as it is in Venice.

Via Arch Daily