Mogan Academy is not only a slope, but also a new plate. We hope to challenge the language of landscape by means of art and respond to the rustic countryside from a modern perspective. The design makes the maximum use of the ecological value endowed by the surrounding natural environment, builds a new channel of communication between human and nature, and reflects the characteristics of the site itself.
In the context of China’s land restrictions that no hard ground is allowed, our focus is to explore how to solve the wasteland. Read the height differences of the site, and adopt the geometric language to communicate the natural slope, with multi-level and multi-sequence stepped space to provide multi-functional experiences. Mogan Academy is interpreted as a terrace from the southeast to the northwest along the hillside.
All materials are handmade locally to retain the unique texture and temperature of the countryside. The stepped structure changes the original slope of the hillside, and a multiple stepped retaining wall is set up to stabilize the mountain body to reduce the damage to the farmland at the foot of the mountain caused by soil erosion and rain erosion during construction. A drainage channel is set at the root of the retaining wall to guide the surface runoff. The stepped structure also increases the infiltration time of rainwater, which is conducive to rainwater collection. Through rainwater collection, water conservation, water storage, water purification, and water use is achieved, and combined with landscape views, the environmental and ecological protection is realized together with ornamental value.
During the construction process, the designer participated in the stone laying in person, and built a unique grid structure integrated with modern aesthetics. In terms of the green plants, exotic perennial herbaceous plants are introduced, and the species are strictly selected to be suitable for local soil and water. A modern rural atmosphere is built by combining various types of plants and flower beds to present a variety of colors and textures.
Protecting and using rural memories, promotes the two-way flow of urban and rural resources, and the coexistence and development of urban and rural economies, transfers urban behavior to the countryside, and makes people enjoy the fun of “cultural replacement” by participating related activities of rural resources. The relationships between man and countryside, man and man, man and nature are reconnected.
Mogan Academy Landscape Design
Location: Mogan Valley, Deqing Country, Huzhou, Zhejiang, China
Project Credits
Design Firm: gad · line+ studio
Design Team
Chief Architect: Fanhao Meng
Lead Designer: Shangyang Li
Landscape Designer: Jianbo Jin, Xiaomei Chi, Chenjuan Su, Xiaorong Chen
Client: SUNAC
Photography credits: Jianzhi-Arch Photography, Lei Sun
