Smoking Pines
Purple Jade, Zhi Resort, Rime Island Villas & 390 Exhibition Hall
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Changbai, China | 11 Villas
visitors to nature.
The resort plan was designed to be flexible, allowing the developer the option to add amenities in the future.
Steam from a reservoir delicately frosts pine boughs along the northern slope of China’s Changbai Mountains, creating the “smoking pines” that are part of an exceptional wilderness experience. To help our client launch a multi-year development strategy in the area, we designed a small boutique hotel that immerses visitors in the beauty of this remote and tranquil setting.
Villas were designed to connect guests to the changing seasons of the landscape.
Use of the site was maximized through the number of villas while maintaining a sense of privacy.
Using materials that reflect the surroundings and a simple geometric shape, each of the 11 villas in this series contains spectacular interiors that frame exceptional scenery. The VIP villa is an equilateral triangle that has a private roof-top and an edgeless, heated spa and swimming pool; the pool’s glass bottom can be viewed from the bedroom below.
Nestled into the landscape, guest villas also provide distinctive amenities, like overhead lap pools.
The site also features a sculptural centerpiece we call “390”—a dramatic, cantilevered spiral. The minimalism of the buildings’ form is distinctive, but does not compete with the landscape’s natural splendor.
Located in a region famous for producing rice, the resort's distinctive 390 building is located in the middle of rice paddies. It's shape means each guest room will have a unique view of the landscape.