© Zeng Zhe

曾哲

架构师提供的文本描述。民国时期，广州东山区是贵族和特权阶层的聚居地，以名人聚会、别墅群、西式民居和华丽服饰为标志的奢华生活方式已成为这一代人的民俗。今天的东山区见证了国家的起起落落，随着时间的流逝，滋润而温柔的净化，正变得更加迷人，岭南普通家庭的朴素景象，也是悠闲的休闲之地。

Text description provided by the architects. During the Republic of China era, Dongshan District of Guangzhou was inhabited by members of the dignitaries and the privileged class, whose luxurious lifestyle that was marked by the celebrity parties, villa clusters, blocks of Western houses and splendid attires have become the folklore of the generation. Having witnessed the country’s ups and downs, today’s Dongshan District, moistly and gently cleansed by the flow of time, is becoming more charming with the modest scene of the common families in Lingnan, which is also where EASE Leisure & Art (abbr. EASE) is located.

Text description provided by the architects. During the Republic of China era, Dongshan District of Guangzhou was inhabited by members of the dignitaries and the privileged class, whose luxurious lifestyle that was marked by the celebrity parties, villa clusters, blocks of Western houses and splendid attires have become the folklore of the generation. Having witnessed the country’s ups and downs, today’s Dongshan District, moistly and gently cleansed by the flow of time, is becoming more charming with the modest scene of the common families in Lingnan, which is also where EASE Leisure & Art (abbr. EASE) is located.

 © Zeng Zhe

曾哲

 Arched Windows

拱形窗

 © Zeng Zhe

曾哲

EASE是由PMT合作伙伴从一个微型旧城改造而来的，它充分参与了投资、设计、运营等不同的项目。面积小于300平方米的别墅有各种功能，如展览、住宿、工作室、酒吧等等。我们希望它能成为重建东山记忆的组成部分。这座四层楼的建筑以前被用作桑拿屋，有小拱形窗户，每一层都有一个铁刻楼梯。建筑物的三面墙离周围的建筑物非常近-最近的距离不到一米，这本身就赢得了一个绰号：“握手之家”。

EASE was renovated from a miniature old city by PMT Partners who has full participation of different projects such as investment, design, operation, and so on. The less-than-300-square villa has a variety of functions such as exhibitions, lodging, studios, bars, and more. We create EASE with a hope that it can be an integral part of the reconstruction of Dongshan's memory. The four-floor building was formerly used as a Sauna House with small arched windows and a carved iron staircase connecting each floor. The three-sided walls of the building stand extremely close to the surrounding buildings -- the nearest distance is less than a meter, which wins itself a nickname: the "Handshaking House".

EASE was renovated from a miniature old city by PMT Partners who has full participation of different projects such as investment, design, operation, and so on. The less-than-300-square villa has a variety of functions such as exhibitions, lodging, studios, bars, and more. We create EASE with a hope that it can be an integral part of the reconstruction of Dongshan's memory. The four-floor building was formerly used as a Sauna House with small arched windows and a carved iron staircase connecting each floor. The three-sided walls of the building stand extremely close to the surrounding buildings -- the nearest distance is less than a meter, which wins itself a nickname: the "Handshaking House".

 © Zeng Zhe

曾哲

人们可能不再有时间去体验城市中发生的快速转变所带来的时刻。原有建筑物的小拱形窗户作为连接过去和现在的一种元素，在设计中得到了很大程度的保留。通过保留的拱形窗户借用视图的概念，该建筑以马赛克的方式融合了来自不同时代的其他建筑的景观。

People may no longer have time to experience the moments brought by the fast transformation occurring in the city. The small arched windows of the original buildings, as an element linking the past and the present, are substantially preserved in the designs. With the view-borrowing concept via the preserved arched windows, the building incorporates views of other buildings from different ages in a mosaic way.

People may no longer have time to experience the moments brought by the fast transformation occurring in the city. The small arched windows of the original buildings, as an element linking the past and the present, are substantially preserved in the designs. With the view-borrowing concept via the preserved arched windows, the building incorporates views of other buildings from different ages in a mosaic way.

 © Zeng Zhe

曾哲

虽然从拱形窗户往外看只能捕捉到一些切片和信息，但正是这种设计利用了中华民国时期的红砖，新中国初期的瓷砖屋顶，改革开放时期的防盗窃网，实现了完美的“框架”，石墙是从房屋改革时期开始的，等等。在这些拱形窗户捕捉到的切片中，一些是建筑材料，另一些是建筑物的轮廓。它们都代表了特定时代的特征和记忆。站在安逸的楼梯廊上，我们能够把自己拉出来，一个地观察时间和生命存在的展品。

Although only some slices and information can be captured while looking out from the arched windows, it is the design that takes the advantage of the short distance to perfectly “frame” the red bricks from the Republic of China era, tile roofs from the early days of new China, anti-burglar wire-meshes from the period of Reform and Opening-up, stone walls from the period of Housing Reform, and so on. Amongst the slices captured by these arched windows, some are architectural materials while the others are profiles of the buildings. All of them represent the characteristics and memories of specific era. Standing at the stairway gallery of EASE, we are able to pull ourselves out to observe the exhibits of time and living existences one by one.

Although only some slices and information can be captured while looking out from the arched windows, it is the design that takes the advantage of the short distance to perfectly “frame” the red bricks from the Republic of China era, tile roofs from the early days of new China, anti-burglar wire-meshes from the period of Reform and Opening-up, stone walls from the period of Housing Reform, and so on. Amongst the slices captured by these arched windows, some are architectural materials while the others are profiles of the buildings. All of them represent the characteristics and memories of specific era. Standing at the stairway gallery of EASE, we are able to pull ourselves out to observe the exhibits of time and living existences one by one.

 © Zeng Zhe

曾哲

安逸的设计继承了原来房子的弧形元素，希望能创造出一种空间仪式的感觉。为了表示对私人空间的尊重，拱形建筑被放大为一个可旋转的拱门，作为从公共区域向住宅区的过渡。轻轻推拱门的仪式将这些弧形，从看似静态的元素，转化为与人类互动的建筑构件。当拱门后面的神秘灯光被破译时，你会发现宿舍藏在这条看似很深的走廊里。

The design of EASE inherits the arcuation element from the original house, hoping to create a sense of spatial ritual. To show respect for the private space, the arcuation is magnified into a rotatable arched door as a transition from the public area to the residential area. The ritual of gently nudging the arched doors converts these arcuation, from what looked like static elements, to an architectural component that interacts with humans. When the mysterious light behind the arched door is deciphered, you will find lodging rooms hid in this seemingly deep hallway.

The design of EASE inherits the arcuation element from the original house, hoping to create a sense of spatial ritual. To show respect for the private space, the arcuation is magnified into a rotatable arched door as a transition from the public area to the residential area. The ritual of gently nudging the arched doors converts these arcuation, from what looked like static elements, to an architectural component that interacts with humans. When the mysterious light behind the arched door is deciphered, you will find lodging rooms hid in this seemingly deep hallway.

 Section Diagram

剖面图

EASE也有许多未定义的空间等待对商业需求的变化作出反应。在舒适的四楼，大面积的天窗和从地板到天花板的玻璃模糊了室内和室外的界限。折叠门和移动家具的免费结合通过创造不同的生活场景来探索未来社区生活的可能性。在这里，不同的文化团体前来组织了许多小型音乐会、讲座、展览和脱口秀。由于这些事件，安逸已真正成为社会声音的“扩音器”，它是一个城市片的中坚力量，它的多样性受到人们的赞赏，它的想法也得到了交流。

EASE also has many undefined spaces awaiting for responses to changes in commercial needs. On the fourth floor of EASE, large-area skylights and floor-to-ceiling glass blur the boundary between the indoor and the outdoor. The free combination of folding doors and mobile furniture explores the possibilities of future community life by creating different life scenarios. Here at EASE, different cultural groups have come and organized many mini-concerts, lectures, exhibitions, and talk shows. Thanks to these events, EASE has genuinely become the “amplifier” for the voice of the community, a sounder of urban slices, whose diversity is appreciated and its ideas exchanged.

EASE also has many undefined spaces awaiting for responses to changes in commercial needs. On the fourth floor of EASE, large-area skylights and floor-to-ceiling glass blur the boundary between the indoor and the outdoor. The free combination of folding doors and mobile furniture explores the possibilities of future community life by creating different life scenarios. Here at EASE, different cultural groups have come and organized many mini-concerts, lectures, exhibitions, and talk shows. Thanks to these events, EASE has genuinely become the “amplifier” for the voice of the community, a sounder of urban slices, whose diversity is appreciated and its ideas exchanged.

 © Zeng Zhe

曾哲

Architects PMT Partners

Location Guangzhou, China

Lead Architects Yan Hu, Zhaohui Shi, Weihao Zhao, Zhe Zeng, Shuting He

Area 300.0 m2

Project Year 2017

Photographs Zeng Zhe

Category Houses Interiors