Hangzhou Xixi Villas

The project is located in an exclusive upscale residential community in Xihu (West Lake) district, one of the most desired living quarters in Hangzhou. The well known XiXi Wetlands National Park is located opposite. 

The brief for this masterplan and residential development called for a representation of the ‘New Zealand Lifestyle’, interpreted as environments which have a strong relationship to the landscape, - both at the scale of the city, and at that of the individual dwelling. 

The project consists of 205 luxury apartments with landscaped gardens and waterways. The masterplan has been designed to allow all of the villas to have both a water and a garden outlook, ensuring that each of the villas have strong visual connections to the surrounding landscape.  

New Zealand living environments typically aim to blur the boundaries between inside and outside with devices such as decks, pergolas, and verandahs that provide filtered light and shelter. At XiXi the threshold between indoor and outdoor is minimized, and the degree of openness is maximized – bringing the garden into the home, while creating spaces for relaxation, entertaining and play. 

By creating layers of private and public space, the development seeks to achieve a balance between the need for privacy and the desire to create an open and engaged community. 

Sustainability is at the heart of this project. The water and garden elements of the masterplan act as environmental ‘filters’ to store, harness, and cleanse collected rainwater from the wider site and sustainably sourced and low maintenance materials are specified for the villas.