A Soaring Atrium With a Perforated Roof Fills This Chinese Home With Dappled Light

Patterned light falls into the open heart of this alluring Jinhua City residence.

A Soaring Atrium With a Perforated Roof Fills This Chinese Home With Dappled Light

Patterned light falls into the open heart of this alluring Jinhua City residence.

Looking back at the foyer on the right and the atrium on the left – sleek built-in storage lines the foyer.

When Mr. Chow, an entrepreneur, bought this four-level home in Jinhua City in China’s Zhejiang Province, there was much to appreciate. For one, at 5,381 square feet, the residence was spacious and ready to be optimized. 

"The house has a balcony for each room, with a large courtyard below and a large terrace above," he says. "The only drawback before the renovation was its [lack of] sunlight."

The renovation of Mr. Chow’s three-level, semi-detached home in Jinhua City was led by Liang Architecture Studio and completed in December 2019.

The renovation of Mr. Chow’s four-level, semi-detached home in Jinhua City was led by Liang Architecture Studio and completed in December 2019.

Wang Ting

Chow turned to Liang Architecture Studio, whose work started in the foyer. There, they removed the second- and third-level floor slabs to create a voluminous open core at the center of the building. One side of that central core is now occupied by an atrium.

In the soaring expanse above the foyer, structural beams were kept in place as a reminder of the building’s history, and footbridges on the second and third levels connect the two sides of the building. The entire interior volume was topped with a perforated aluminum panel under a glass roof, which creates a play of natural light and shadow throughout the day.

The capacious foyer of the home is now joined by an airy atrium that soars from the basement to the roof. Expansive interior openings lined with wood frame the view into the atrium.

The capacious foyer of the home is now joined by an airy atrium that soars from the basement to the roof. Expansive interior openings lined with wood frame the view into the atrium.

Wang Ting

The wood-wrapped catwalk above defined the entry into the living room.

The wood-wrapped footbridge on the floor above defines the passage into the living room.

Ye Song

See the full story on Dwell.com: A Soaring Atrium With a Perforated Roof Fills This Chinese Home With Dappled Light
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