A remarkable architectural project nestled at the foot of Nankun Mountain in Huizhou, Guangdong Province, has emerged as a stunning example of how contemporary design can harmoniously blend with natural landscapes. The Half-Mountain Cloud Station, designed by Qing Studio in collaboration with artist Li Nu, serves as a pivotal component of the "Two-Mountain Architectural Art Program" and represents a profound dialogue between urban development and natural preservation.
Spanning 200 square meters and completed in 2025, this innovative project draws its conceptual foundation from Su Dongpo's celebrated work "Sixteen Joys of Life in Huizhou," particularly the evocative verse about "viewing mountains after rain from a tower." The design team, led by Hu Xing, Liu Changming, Yan Chunyang, Luo Tingkai, Tang Ziji, Xu Yanjun, Ren Shiyang, and Jin Xin, has created a poetic response to the delicate tensions that exist between city and nature, memory and future aspirations.
The architectural intervention consists of three distinct lightweight constructions strategically positioned within the mountainous forest environment. Rather than dominating the landscape through central placement or imposing height, these structures thoughtfully integrate themselves within natural fault lines, crevices, and along shifting pathways. This sensitive approach transforms the site's topographical undulations into a carefully orchestrated rhythm of spatial experiences.
The three primary components – Mountain Post, Hometown Pavilion, and Cloud Pavilion – function as gentle temporal markers that initiate a dialogue spanning millennia while offering visitors a journey cradled by the natural environment. Each structure poses quiet questions to the landscape, creating contemplative spaces that encourage reflection and connection with the surrounding ecosystem.
Mountain Post occupies the lowest southeastern point of the site, where it serves as the initial checkpoint for visitors beginning their ascent. The structure ingeniously addresses the challenging topography, where a sharp elevation difference exists between the mountain's base and the adjacent local road. Exposed soil and natural fault lines mark the terrain's edge, creating a dramatic landscape that the architects have skillfully repaired through their volumetric intervention.
The building's design employs a sophisticated two-level approach that responds to the site's complex topography. The upper level aligns precisely with the northern slope while cantilevering southward to create an interior space that houses both a café and public restroom facilities. This strategic positioning allows the structure to serve practical functions while maintaining visual harmony with the landscape. The lower level aligns with the southern road elevation and follows the mountain's natural contour through a series of carefully designed steps, allowing the building to subtly merge into the hillside.
This thoughtful integration creates a crucial intersection point where the structure meets the mountain path at an optimal height, marking the first significant turning point in the visitor route. The design successfully guides people away from the speed and linearity of modern travel into a more contemplative spatial experience characterized by natural elements such as wind, rain, and shifting textures.
The Hometown Pavilion, designed by renowned sculptor Li Nu, stands at the site's geographical and cultural heart, serving as the most culturally resonant node within the complex. This structure functions as a semantic construct of "local identity," drawing inspiration from the broad sleeves characteristic of Northern Song Dynasty robes. The pavilion's architectural language reinterprets the geometric logic found in Su Dongpo's traditional headscarf, transforming historical references into contemporary spatial form while honoring the celebrated poet and welcoming modern wanderers.
The pavilion's sophisticated composition consists of four distinct modules, eight walls, and sixteen carefully positioned steel plates. This intricate system creates a structure that exists at the fascinating intersection between sculpture and architecture, defining permeable spaces and fluid circulation patterns. The design facilitates multiple types of engagement: intimate conversations within enclosed areas, circumambulatory viewing experiences around the exterior, and strategic fissures that allow passage between the four pavilion units.
The interplay of natural light and material surfaces creates a dynamic visual experience throughout the day. Sunlight casting reflections off the steel surfaces creates patterns that dance in harmony with distant clouds, while raindrops striking the pavilion's surfaces produce acoustic effects that echo like fragments of ancient poetry left by traditional ink-splashing techniques.
Cloud Pavilion represents the culmination of the architectural journey, suspended on an open slope midway up the mountain where it marks both the end of the designated path and the opening of expansive views across the landscape. The structure echoes the geometric language established by the Hometown Pavilion while employing a lightweight steel construction system that minimizes environmental impact.
The pavilion's most distinctive feature is its roof, formed by two interlaced V-shaped folded steel plates that are oriented toward both the mountain path and the ridge line. This innovative design serves both aesthetic and functional purposes. During heavy rainfall, the V-shaped configuration acts as natural gutters, channeling water downward via steel cables in a process that literally sketches Huizhou's characteristic rain patterns into visible, architectural form.
The dynamic nature of the Cloud Pavilion's design becomes apparent as visitors move through the space. As one ascends and descends the mountain path, the folded roof appears in dramatically different profiles, creating an ever-changing architectural experience that responds to the viewer's position and movement. When standing on the pavilion's terrace, visitors can observe clouds rising beneath their feet when mountain winds stir the atmosphere.
The pavilion is equipped with reclining chairs that invite contemplation and rest. Visitors can gaze at the blue sky during calm weather or lie back among the clouds when seeking respite from their journey. This carefully considered furniture placement transforms the architectural space into a true refuge that facilitates both active observation and passive relaxation.
The project's construction was managed by Wuhan Dongtong Decoration Design and Engineering Co., Ltd., with implementation overseen by Shanghai Fengyuzhu Culture & Technology Co., Ltd. The construction team, led by Jiao Jingjia, Hu Tianchen, Lin Yuxuan, and Huang Jianjian, worked under the supervision of resident architect Tang Ziji and supervisor Lü Ningjue. Engineering management was provided by Yan Jiarun and Zou Kefei, while implementation management was handled by Zhang Jingwei.
The architectural photography by Yumeng Zhu captures the project's subtle integration with the natural environment, documenting how the three structures create a coherent narrative while respecting the mountain's inherent character. The images reveal how each building responds to specific site conditions while contributing to an overall architectural symphony that celebrates both human creativity and natural beauty.
This project represents a significant contribution to contemporary landscape architecture and cultural architecture, demonstrating how thoughtful design can create meaningful connections between historical memory, present experience, and future aspirations. The Half-Mountain Cloud Station stands as a testament to the possibility of creating architecture that enhances rather than diminishes the natural environment, offering visitors a profound experience that connects them to both place and cultural heritage.
