area 135 | grafts

architect: Hua Li / TAO (Trace Architecture Office)

location: Weihai, China

year: 2013

Sitting on a slope ascending from north to south, the site of the ‘Office in Woods‘ is used to be part of a zoo and full of trees. The design takes advantage of the flat areas with less trees, follows the form with the terrain. By doing that, the final shape is offices zigzagging in the woods.

It has always been the pursuit of this design to utilizing the best of natural resource while minimizing the impact to the site. The main volume of the building sits on 3 platforms at different height, with less trees and being almost flat. By making set-back design with the height difference, limiting the offices in one story high and zigzagging the boundary of the building with nature, the offices dissolve into the woods. Green roof, at the same time, connects the architecture with the environment and continues the overall landscape on the fifth facade. Internal courtyards are also designed to accommodate the sporadic trees in site and introduce the natural light.