London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

A Volcanic-Rock Courtyard Energizes a Dramatic Home in Shanghai

A Volcanic-Rock Courtyard Energizes a Dramatic Home in Shanghai

From the ground up, Hiding House combines natural forms, textures, and materials to theatrical effect.

Hiding House by Shanghai-based architecture firm Wutopia Lab is as dynamic as it is artful. The 1,496-square-foot home features repeating archways, a Chinese garden, scattered Tai Hu stones, wisteria and bauhinia trees, and an expansive courtyard paved with black volcanic rock. "Black was the perfect color to emphasize the green trees and the white house," says chief architect Yu Ting. "Nature is part of the architecture."



The garden and courtyard area-rich with a variety of forms and sublime textures-connect the house’s two volumes. The main volume is comprised of a living room that doubles as an exhibition space, a library, a dining room, a master bedroom, and a canteen and tearoom with a roof terrace. The secondary volume holds the kitchen, the bathroom, a children’s bedroom, a second living room, and a mezzanine.



After being inspired by one of Wutopia Lab’s restaurant designs and Sir John Soane’s Museum in London, the client requested a home that would be more than just a house. He wanted a designed that would be progressive, multifaceted, and ever-changing-a design that, like life, would feel theatrical and energetic. "Hiding House is a complex context with possibility, hypothesis, and fantasy," Ting says. "It offers the dramatic experience of life."



On the ground floor, the courtyard’s volcanic rock paving abuts wood decking that is slightly raised to mimic a stage. A translucent drapery-like screen separates the decking from the rock, reinforcing the idea of theater. Near the facade, the decking wraps around the base of a gnarled tree trunk that grows through a cutout in a perforated metal awning; the perforated quality allows for the play of light and shadow on the walls, which were constructed with diatomaceous earth. "It’s environmentally friendly and provides delicate texture, and reflects light that’s particularly soft," says Ting.



Inside the home, the children’s room appears as "a silvery blue galaxy," Ting says. The hanging acrylic globes represent stars, and each is a display case with a shelf inside. The concept for the room is a miniature version of the bubble installation found in Aryana Kid’s restaurant-the same restaurant that inspired elements of the home’s design. The tearoom features glass walls that connect the space to the wondrous courtyard area, and a vertical screen can close when privacy is desired.



"Hiding House has a personal identity that can feel real, fictitious, or both," Ting remarks. "It inspires strong physiological and emotional reactions and awakens body consciousness. It’s a place with symbolic and material value."


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
Horror in the Skies: Plane Engine Exploded, Passengers Sent Farewell Messages
MSNBC Rebrands as MS NOW Amid Comcast’s Cable Spin-Off
AI in Policing: Draft One Helps Speed Up Reports but Raises Legal and Ethical Concerns
Shame in Norway: Crown Princess’s Son Accused of Four Rapes
Apple Begins Simultaneous iPhone 17 Production in India and China
A Robot to Give Birth: The Chinese Announcement That Shakes the World
Finnish MP Dies by Suicide in Parliament Building
Outrage in the Tennis World After Jannik Sinner’s Withdrawal Storm
William and Kate Are Moving House – and the New Neighbors Were Evicted
Class Action Lawsuit Against Volkswagen: Steering Wheel Switches Cause Accidents
Taylor Swift on the Way to the Super Bowl? All the Clues Stirring Up Fans
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Apple Expands Social Media Presence in China With RedNote Account Ahead of iPhone 17 Launch
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Cambridge Dictionary Adds 'Skibidi,' 'Delulu,' and 'Tradwife' Amid Surge of Online Slang
Bill Barr Testifies No Evidence Implicated Trump in Epstein Case; DOJ Set to Release Records
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
The CEO Who Replaced 80% of Employees for the AI Revolution: "I Would Do It Again"
Emails Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Character.ai Bets on Future of AI Companionship
China Ramps Up Tax Crackdown on Overseas Investments
Japanese Office Furniture Maker Expands into Bomb Shelter Market
Intel Shares Surge on Possible U.S. Government Investment
Hurricane Erin Threatens U.S. East Coast with Dangerous Surf
EU Blocks Trade Statement Over Digital Rule Dispute
EU Sends Record Aid as Spain Battles Wildfires
JPMorgan Plans New Canary Wharf Tower
Zelenskyy and his allies say they will press Trump on security guarantees
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Escalating Clashes in Serbia as Anti-Government Protests Spread Nationwide
The Drought in Britain and the Strange Request from the Government to Delete Old Emails
Category 5 Hurricane in the Caribbean: 'Catastrophic Storm' with Winds of 255 km/h
"No, Thanks": The Mathematical Genius Who Turned Down 1.5 Billion Dollars from Zuckerberg
The surprising hero, the ugly incident, and the criticism despite victory: "Liverpool’s defense exposed in full"
Digital Humans Move Beyond Sci-Fi: From Virtual DJs to AI Customer Agents
YouTube will start using AI to guess your age. If it’s wrong, you’ll have to prove it
×