Fisherman's Hideaway Garden

About the Project

The designated site resides within the historical conservation zone encompassing Nanjing's Confucius Temple and Qinhuai Riverside Scenic Belt, situated to the southwest of the city. With its lone entrance at the East Gate, closely aligned with the dual-lane Mingyang Street, the area exudes an air of seclusion. The primary objective of this design endeavor is to replicate the serene ambiance characteristic of Suzhou-style gardens in the Yuyuan vicinity of Nanjing.

Rooted in the inspiration drawn from the Yuan dynasty poet Wang Mian's masterwork 'Jiangshan Yuyin Painting,' the overarching concept seeks to fashion a serene and distinctive four-season landscape within the confines of a petite waterside courtyard. This is ingeniously achieved through the meticulous orchestration of a skillfully crafted rockery and surrounding architectural elements, resulting in an expansive visual panorama and an amplified sense of spatial depth. The crowning jewel is the hexagonal pavilion nestled at the central curve of the water feature, which assumes the role of the spatial nucleus. The ensemble of architectural features, including halls, waterside pavilions, covered walkways, and corner pavilions, serves as not only scenic observatories but also platforms for mutual admiration, collectively enriching the landscape's tapestry.

The sculpted rockery, thoughtfully integrated into the natural topography, contributes a playful dimension to the garden's essence. It beckons visitors to navigate through mountain caverns, ascend summits, and embark on a voyage of unceasing exploration and delight.

Starting the Project

The ambiance of Nanjing's Yuyuan and that of Suzhou's classical gardens indeed possess distinctive qualities. Suzhou gardens, owing to their spatial constraints, intricately interweave architecture and landscaping, rendering them as though the two are harmoniously merged. Conversely, Yuyuan, owing to its more expansive size, showcases a relatively less intimate interplay between architectural structures and garden elements, imparting a sense that these components function with a certain degree of independence. The essence of the design task at hand was to meticulously recreate the enchanting aura synonymous with a Suzhou-style garden.

In the midst of a week-long model-making endeavor, our team dedicated three days to fervent deliberations regarding layout and conceptualization, even as other groups commenced construction on their respective models. It was during the course of designing this project that we truly gained a profound appreciation for the subtleties encapsulated within Wangshi Garden (Master of the Nets Garden), nuances that we, as visitors, hadn't discerned previously.

Results Presentation

Summary

This group collaboration has been an immensely gratifying teamwork experience within the span of my university years.

The male members of the team undertook the responsibility of crafting the architectural aspects, whereas the female counterparts were entrusted with shaping the artificial landscape. I can still vividly recall the determination of the two girls as they procured a substantial amount of clay, intent on fashioning intricate rock formations. At the close of each day, they would meticulously rid themselves of a heap of clay fragments clinging to their attire. To guarantee the structural soundness of the foundation, they even immersed the elaborately carved clay in plaster, allowing it to set before applying a final coat of paint. The male participants adhered diligently to the provided blueprints, navigating a multitude of adjustments and refinements en route. Their hands remained perennially tainted with adhesive. Remarkably, the entire project was brought to fruition just in the nick of time, aligning with the imminent judging deadline.

Admittedly, it was an exhausting endeavor. We devoted an additional thirty minutes post-completion to restore the classroom to its pristine state. Yet, despite the weariness, the overall experience remained exceedingly satisfying. Rarely does one encounter such a seamless and harmonious group dynamic in collaborative efforts, yet we managed to achieve precisely that through this undertaking.