Nanjing, China

First functioning as a sales office for a new development, the Blue Dragon will transition to become a club for the residents once sales within the development are complete. The building, carefully inserted into the earthen slope falling to the shore of picturesque Qinglong (Blue Dragon) Lake, was shaped by the client’s strong desire for a specific marketing sequence as visitors circulate through the building.  This sequence is reinforced with a special arrival experience and surprise discoveries at stops along the journey while opening to the beautiful natural setting.

Walls are constructed from large bricks salvaged from portions of the old Nanjing city wall that were removed for urban modernization. The organic quality of the multi-colored hand-made historic brick blend harmoniously with the surrounding landscape and relate the building to place, culture, and region.

Within the club is a museum with a 500-year old Qing Dynasty building as its centerpiece.  Visitors approach this historic building on a suspended path that weaves through its structure, providing a rare perspective of elaborate carvings on the elevated wood beams. Rainwater harvested from the roof is celebrated in a water feature designed as a metaphor for rain falling into inner courtyards in ancient Chinese buildings. Resource conservation is maximized with natural ventilation, daylighting, photovoltaics, use of high efficiency LED lighting, and the insulating properties of earth integration.