The intertwining of centuries-old traditions with rapid processes of development and innovation has transformed China into a vast and diverse laboratory of ideas and projects. In architecture and interior design, too, experimentation is continuous, producing solutions that often surprise us. One example is this villa in the heart of Kunshan, a city in southern China renowned for its lakes, canal-lined neighbourhoods and ancient cultural traditions. Although unmistakably contemporary, the building achieves a harmonious synthesis of forms and materials, expressing a serene, almost timeless aesthetic. Designed for a large family that frequently welcomes relatives and friends, the villa extends over three floors. The ground floor, conceived as the social heart of the home, features a double-height living room, an open-plan dining area and direct access to a spacious private garden. The second floor accommodates guest bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, while the third floor is entirely dedicated to the owners’ private suite, comprising the master bedroom and bathroom. “One of our priorities was to create generous communal spaces for family gatherings and entertaining, while ensuring that the private areas remained peaceful and comfortable,” explains Wu Haibao, who led the project. However, careful spatial planning was only one aspect of the design process. “Equally important was establishing a consistent material language throughout the house,” the designer adds. “The idea was to create uniform surfaces across floors, walls, staircases and outdoor areas, establishing a strong sense of continuity and reinforcing the villa’s architectural identity.”
Italian ceramics proved to be the ideal solution to this requirement. “The delicate textures of stone, rock and mineral surfaces became our starting point,” explains the designer. For the floors of the main living areas, Laminam’s Fokos collection was selected in the Bianco shade. The use of large-format slabs, which minimise the number of joints, made it possible to create uniform, continuous surfaces that enhance the sense of spaciousness and give the architecture a clean, understated appearance. Against this bright, light-coloured backdrop, the dark outlines of architectural elements such as doors and staircases stand out, creating a striking composition that recalls the elegance of traditional Oriental drawings. Ceramics also play an important role in other elements and spaces throughout the house. In the living room, for example, the television unit combines the light tones of Travertino Navona with the deep shades of Nero Greco Bocciardato, both from Laminam’s I Naturali collection. In the bathrooms, designed as elegant, distinctive spaces with a strong visual impact, the Diamond, I Naturali and Ossido collections have been used. For the clients, long-term durability was just as important as aesthetic appeal. The owners wanted materials that would retain their beauty over the years while remaining practical for the everyday needs of family life. Ceramic surfaces provided an effective response to these requirements. “Our ambition,” says Wu Haibao, “was to create a contemporary villa in which architecture, materials and landscape could coexist in harmony. Rather than defining luxury through size or decoration, we wanted to express it through the quality of the spaces, natural light, privacy and the relationship between the house and its surroundings. “We wanted to use clean lines and natural textures to create understated yet welcoming spaces. And, I would add, spaces that would age gracefully.”
