Small Zen Garden: The Focal Point Of The "Boundary House"

Today, Deavita.fr invites you on a short trip through China to make you discover a superb family home specially designed to offer unequivocal serenity. Occupying an area of ^180m² and located in Henan Province, Boundary House is one of the masterpieces of IN company. ARCHITECTS. Thanks to its white facade, the house benefits from a refined and minimalist appearance, which blends perfectly with the small Zen garden in the interior courtyard. So don't delay and get inspired by the other key details that reign in this refined home.

The small zen garden creates a soothing atmosphere and invites you to relax

Seen from the outside, the Boundary House is nothing spectacular. But once the threshold is crossed, we discover a serene landscape sheltering a minimalist courtyard with a small Zen garden inviting relaxation. Surrounded by concrete flooring, this well-groomed sandy space is the focal point of the Chinese home that smacks of serenity.

What's more, the inner courtyard is easily accessible from the living room as well as from the bedroom. This is made possible by the large sliding bay-type windows, which the architects cleverly used as a way to connect the interior with the exterior. Thus, the designers have achieved an open and well ventilated space where life is good.

But the small zen garden is far from being the only space offering moments of rest. As the example above shows, an elegantly designed steel staircase finds its place in the inner courtyard to give access to the pavilion, an independent structure next to the garden. Although the area is small, an endless view of the surrounding landscape is offered to the owners.

What is the history of the “Boundary House” exactly?

For information, the client asked the architect in charge of the project, Wenxi Li, to build a house for his parents, located in his native village. At first it was the 30-year-old family home that occupied the space. But the son wanted to design a practical home that would provide a better quality of life for his aging parents. And here it is, the Boundary House whose small Zen garden and views of the surroundings promise unparalleled relaxation.

In the center of the courtyard of the old house, there was an osmanthus with a pleasant fragrant bloom and a magnolia tree reminding parents of their children's youth. Despite its poor growth, osmanthus still continues to bloom. Unfortunately, the magnolia tree died a few decades ago. The owner has therefore asked to replant another there which will become the star of the inner courtyard when it blooms in the spring.

Uprooted with shrouded branches, the tree had been taken from a distant field in the Changchun Mountains. The magnolia has become acclimatized over the past three years and no signs of flowering were present. However, last year the branches suddenly started to bloom showing pretty white flowers.

Perimeter wall surrounding the house with the white facade

Following local requirements and rules, the architect built a perimeter wall that encloses the house. But to give it a fresh boost, Wenxi Li ay incorporated windows of different shapes, also bringing dynamism to the facade. Some of them expose the field of sunflowers in the inner courtyard, others longer show the birch forest as well as the distant mountains.

The house itself also has several windows of different shapes so that the interior can make the most of natural light. What's more, modern lighting not only highlights the inner courtyard, but also brightens up the spacious rooms of the Boundary House!

Project designed by IN. ARCHITECTS

Architect in charge: Wenxi Li