Home is a place to rest after a long day of work. For AD Architecture’s client, Gold Coast Villa is their cozy home full of love. While everyone’s asleep, the owners of the villa are bustling at the local fruits and vegetable market from 1 AM and 5 AM, living a life upside down, day and night. The house was intended to create a healing “harbor” for the family, to slow down their fast-paced life, and to be a container of cheers and laughter.

The architect explains that the villa’s original facades were formed by sandstone masonry and lacked maintenance for a long time which caused major challenges in later upkeep. The design team transformed the decorative lines and colors of the architectural facades despite various limitations. Opportunities, however, sprouted through these limitations. The design intervention helped create new landscapes and open up the space. The facade renovation makes the villa appear simple and bright. 

The project is located in the coastal city of Shantou, Guangdong. From downtown, the owners drive about thirty minutes to their healing home. AD Architecture’s main concept for this project is to create a comfortable home tailored for the residents, a place with restrained comfort and unique “mediocrity.”

The house features French windows facing the garden to introduce natural light into the interior and guide residents’ sight lines to the outdoors. Meanwhile, the open living and dining area integrates into nature, evoking infinite imagination. It also strengthens the connection between the occupants and the space. 

Moreover, the design team incorporated simple sintered stone floorings, natural stone wall panels, leather sofas, and wood veneers with soft edges into the interior to echo the outdoor natural landscape. It sets a soft tone for the home, as well, where the occupants can feel a sense of security. 

The architect adds that the living and dining area emphasizes a sense of enclosure of the home and intimacy among family members. They added revolving doors at the entrance of the dining space. The team also replaced the villa’s original windows with large-scale glass to introduce outdoor greenery into the indoor space. Having large areas of glazing enhances visual transparency while at the same time bringing a unique spatial experience. 

The design also focuses on daylight and ventilation in the basement. The daylighting area and ventilation were enlarged when the skylight was transformed. The convection of air, meanwhile, effectively solved the humidity problems in the basement. “Staircases connecting each floor of the space are the “core” of the project. In the stairwell space, sunlight falls on clean gray sintered stone flooring, unadorned natural stone boards, and wooden veneers, revealing a harmonious and natural ambiance emphasized throughout the design,” AD Architecture explains.

The team aims to slow down time in this home and to let the residents feel comfort, purity, and tranquility. They have effectively arranged the lighting in different directions. Varied openings are present in the house to allow light at different seasons and periods to penetrate the interior. 

The villa has a tea room that combines delicate textures with landscapes, encouraging communication through simple design expressions. Residents and guests can enjoy a sweeping view of the outdoor scenery while drinking tea through the large French window. This element also enables the harmonious fusion of indoor and outdoor landscapes. 

Lastly, the bedrooms are characterized by a balance of openness and privacy, light, and shadows. Creating a concise and orderly space provides a peaceful atmosphere for occupants. The architect explains that the living area and undisturbed resting areas provide a restraining and comfortable environment. Once the owners come home, the busyness, bustle, and noise are all blocked out of the door.

Photos by Ouyang Yun