Light Mix house

Background The Light Mix house is a space, located in the area near West Lake Villa community and a golf course, Hangzhou, China. The site is rich in natural landscape resources. Based on it, the design philosophy follows the concept of naturalness, honesty and sublimity. Thus, the elements of the site itself, sunshine, wind, water, time, and nature are taken into consideration. The character of the space is directly revealed through the use of natural materials, encouraging visitors to co-live with nature and unwind here. The space also inspires a new life attitude and creativity for the future. The designer (also owner) of the space hopes that his own understanding of the building and personal emotions can be expressed in the process of design. In a word, he tries his best to hide the design in order to respect the spirit of the space, and at the same time to let art be a way of life. Both the interior and exterior of Light Mix include traces of the designer’s own life: a huge collection of artworks and objects more than twenty years, showcasing his understanding towards art, design, life, and sense of nostalgia. So there are numerous ways to use the space: as an art gallery, a dedicated venue for events, a workshop, a designer’s salon, or a private museum, etc. Interior design The designer studied the site for three years. For one year, most of his investigation and experiments of the interior space are idiosyncratic in order to explore methods of combining design with art. The main elements of the interior design rely on simple materials that retain their original texture. For example, there are many ways in which concrete can be used: with its natural texture, with polished surface, or with construction marks, etc. By using all these textures, the designer can provide more characteristic backgrounds to showcase his different kinds of collected pieces. The entryway counter is cast-in-place concrete. A fish tank is placed inside and will be revealed through a system of reflections when the counter is opened up, introducing contrast into the space and welcoming guests with a way of a real life. The stair railings are made from old train tracks while the steps are pre-fabricated concrete. The ensemble retains its natural form and is decorated with inlaid pieces of metal of a childish nature. The balcony on the second floor is separated from the interior by a plane of glass. a glass door that leads to the roof of the second floor, opening up to a full view of the courtyard. It allows any visitor to slow down and relax for a while. Courtyard The designer then used two years to study the exterior of the space and meticulously investigated the nature of plants, insects, wind direction, and water and further sought to grasp their relationship with architecture. Within the courtyard are trees, grass, pieces of bygone furniture, and a collection of traditional stone sculptures, introducing a sense of wilderness to the yard.