Article source: Zeller & Moye

The ‘Flower Terraces’ sit in the heart of the circular city of Ruichang, China. Referring to traditional Chinese housing motifs, the Flower Terraces arrange living areas as individual volumes around green outdoor spaces. The individually shaped apartments let the residents sense that they live in a unique ‘house’, rather than a numbered unit along a corridor. The seasonal warm temperatures of Ruichang allow for private and communal life to happen not only inside but also outside. The generous terraces become integral living spaces and an essential and characteristic element of the buildings. Similar to overhanging roofs in historic Chinese houses, a series of cantilever slabs create protected outdoor areas in front of the apartments. Foldable wooden shutter elements clad all apartments not only to provide privacy to the interiors but also to protect from direct sun and to allow natural ventilation across the apartments. The path through the building is a lively route with open spaces that enhance social encounters. Communal spaces are placed around the lifts and the open stairs with paths of increasing privacy towards the apartments. Residents of the ‘Flower Terraces’ live surrounded by flowers on each level. Open areas allow good air flow and a pleasant microclimate around the apartments where residents can plant on their individual private terraces and winter gardens, creating their own private retreats amongst greenery.

Image Courtesy © Zeller & Moye

• Architects: Zeller & Moye
• Project: Flower Terraces
• Location: City of Ruichang, Jiangxi Province, China
• Team: Christoph Zeller (partner) Ingrid Moye (partner), Omar G. Muñoz, Emma Woodward
• Engineering Consultants: ARUP London, team: Stuart Smith (director), Marc Easton, Tara Clinton, Philip Turner
• Competition: MOLEWA (Mount Lu Estate of World Architecture)
• Award: Second Prize (no first prize given by Jury)
• Area:
  • Buildings: 18,000 m²
  • Park: 4000 m²
• Status: Winner of MOLEWA international competition, construction scheduled for 2016

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