What Surrounds You

Tea House and library is a project envisioned by studio Archi-Union Architect and located in the backyard of Archi-Union Architects’ office in Shanghai, China. Its uncommon appearance obeys the rules of modern design, while adding a little extra.

According to the architects, the building “reacts to the site’s environment; the plan layout is a logically obscure quadrilateral, thus maximizing the amount of space. It is divided into three parts. A covered public area is formed towards the open space with the pool, with an enclosed tea house at ground level and library on the first floor where a small triangular balcony extends around the existing tree. Other more private spaces exist such as a lounge, reading room and service room which are arranged towards the rear of the building; a delightful transitional space was created to connect the public space and the private spaces”.

This 3070 sq ft single family residence with detached garage is located on a 42 ft wide lot in Vancouver. The Dunbar Residence explores the potential for diversity of spatial experience in a home with a flexible plan that accommodates changes in everyday family life. In response to the owners‘ love of nature, interior-exterior relationships are established with outdoor patios and gardens at all levels. Spatially, light is used to define scale and intimacy within the home.

Designed and oriented for passive solar, the project also employs ultra high efficiency windows, solar hot water heating and a high performance heating / cooling system, including heat recovery that allow the home to operate with low energy consumption. The careful selection of appliances, plumbing fixtures, and lighting also reduce energy and water consumption. Interior elements, such as flooring and millwork, include recycled materials and low/no emission finishes. Planters on the roof reduce heat reflectance and rainwater runoff. Landscape design makes use of native, drought tolerant plant species and reclaimed stone.

The home was built by Natural Balance Home Builders Inc., a construction company that specializes in green building.