Xanadu Chongchongshan

The project is situated in Banan, just 60 kilometers from downtown Chongqing, where endless mountain ranges meet dense forests. Urban life and nature here exist not as distant opposites but as deeply intertwined realities. Perched atop a steep mountain peak with dramatic elevation changes, the site features a gentle path winding through towering fir forests that deliberately disorient spatial perception. The main building's concave spherical façade mirrors the circular plaza before it, transforming the architecture into a theatrical backdrop that frames three-dimensional activity spaces. This central structure mediates between interior and exterior realms. Visitors progress from a dimly lit cave entrance into a lofty dining hall enveloped by trees, then ascend via external suspended staircases to a treetop-level rooftop offering mountain panoramas. An alternative route through a spiral tower and skybridge creates dual circulation paths that weave through both built and natural environments, crafting layered spatial experiences. Four white structures trace the mountain's contours while six treehouses nestle among pines, collectively forming a primal constellation around the central plaza. Primitive geometric volumes with strategically placed apertures become environmental canvases, their blank walls capturing dancing tree shadows. Architecture here transcends mere construction. Through deliberate spatial orchestration that modulates emotional tension and release, it achieves poetic material transcendence. Nature remains paramount, with light and air permeating every designed space.