London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Oct 07, 2025

These Eclectic Pods Nestled in a Chinese Pine Forest Imitate Their Natural Surroundings

These Eclectic Pods Nestled in a Chinese Pine Forest Imitate Their Natural Surroundings

Designed by ZJJZ Atelier, the shingle-clad pods-known as The Seeds-provide an off-grid retreat in a lush area in Jiangxi, China.

In southeastern China’s Jiangxi province, the woodland Tree Wow hotel added four unique offerings to its portfolio of short-term holiday rentals. Designed by Shanghai–based firm ZJJZ Atelier, the cluster of ellipsoidal cabins are swathed in wooden shingles and mirrored aluminum tiles as a way to echo their natural setting.



The Seeds are a cluster of four cabins designed by Shanghai-based firm ZJJZ Atelier. The pod-like units are part of the Tree Wow hotel complex, which is known for its whimsical retreats in southeastern China’s rural Jiangxi province.

While the hotel specifically requested for The Seeds to be inspired by nature, they allowed the firm to have creative freedom while designing the shape of the structures. "Instead of creating merely imitative forms, we focused on developing the spatial experience by establishing the relationship between the structures and their environment," explains ZJJZ Atelier.



"Like the roots of a plant, the reflective cladding anchors each cabin to the earth, while the pine shingles allow the structures to blend into the surrounding nature," explains ZJJZ Atelier.

The resulting design of the pod-like cabins differed dramatically from the architects' initial vision. "The structures seemed to rise from another dimension, looking nothing like we had originally planned," says the team at ZJJZ Atelier.



An external staircase provides access to the cabin’s interior, which boasts a similar wood-clad aesthetic.

Each pod is wrapped in pine shingles and features circular openings-windows and doors-that punctuate the wooden facade. Mirrored tiles are also dispersed throughout the rounded exterior and cover the entire underside of each unit. "The aluminum cladding reflects the changing weather and seasons," explains the firm. "The metal surface takes on the luster of red soil in winter and lush greenery in spring and summer. The shiny tiles also reflect mist and sunlight."



The lofted attic space highlights the structure's sweeping curves and various wooden tones.

The Seeds, which are raised above the ground on stilts, are accessible via a wooden staircase on the exterior. Inside each pod, an undulating, wood-lined interior features a bedroom, bathroom, and a cozy attic lounge. Each cabin opens up to a spacious outdoor terrace that overlooks the verdant landscape. Meanwhile, strategically placed oculus windows usher in ample natural light.



A large, circular opening with sliding glass doors leads to the curved terrace on the front of each structure. For one of the terraces, the architects designed a cutout to accommodate a mature tree that continues to grow through the platform.

"Each pod is designed with several circular openings to create sight lines in various directions," says the firm. "For instance, the circular hole on the front of the structure leads to the terrace. A round window on the side of the building faces sparse woods, and a larger window in the attic reveals the sky and the branches of tall trees."



A narrow staircase connects the main floor with the pod’s upper level and intersects the entryway to form another captivating, carved-out space.

This marks the second project designed by ZJJZ Atelier for the Tree Wow hotel-the first of which was The Mushroom guesthouse, completed in 2020. Scroll through to see more images of The Seeds at the Tree Wow hotel in Jiangxi, China.



The upper-level lounge features an oculus window that overlooks the forested landscape.



"The stripes formed by the natural color differentiation of the wood further emphasize the ellipsoidal shape of each structure," notes the firm.



The wooden terraces are supported by pillars that allow the spaces to appear as if they’re "floating on independent foundations," explains ZJJZ Atelier.



A large, circular window in the attic lounge area offers views of the treetops and the sky.



A drawing of the cross section one of The Seeds at the Tree Wow hotel.



The floor plan for one of The Seeds at the Tree Wow hotel in Jiangxi, China.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Three Scientists Awarded Nobel Prize in Medicine for Discovery of Immune Self-Tolerance Mechanism
OpenAI and AMD Forge Landmark AI-Chip Alliance with Equity Option
Munich Airport Reopens After Second Drone Shutdown
France Names New Government Amid Political Crisis
Trump Stands Firm in Shutdown Showdown and Declares War on Drug Cartels — Turning Crisis into Opportunity
Surge of U.S. Billionaires Transforms London’s Peninsula Apartments into Ultra-Luxury Stronghold
Pro Europe and Anti-War Babiš Poised to Return to Power After Czech Parliamentary Vote
Jeff Bezos Calls AI Surge a ‘Good’ Bubble, Urges Focus on Lasting Innovation
Japan’s Ruling Party Chooses Sanae Takaichi, Clearing Path to First Female Prime Minister
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction
Taylor Swift’s ‘Showgirl’ Launch Extends Billion-Dollar Empire
Trump Administration Launches “TrumpRx” Plan to Enable Direct Drug Sales at Deep Discounts
Trump Announces Intention to Impose 100 Percent Tariff on Foreign-Made Films
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Singapore and Hong Kong Vie to Dominate Asia’s Rising Gold Trade
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Manhattan Sees Surge in Office-to-Housing Conversions, Highest Since 2008
Switzerland and U.S. Issue Joint Assurance Against Currency Manipulation
Electronic Arts to Be Taken Private in Historic $55 Billion Buyout
Thomas Jacob Sanford Named as Suspect in Deadly Michigan Church Shooting and Arson
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
New York Man Arrested After On-Air Confession to 2017 Parents’ Murders
U.S. Defense Chief Orders Sudden Summit of Hundreds of Generals and Admirals
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
Trump Claims FBI Planted 274 Agents at Capitol Riot, Citing Unverified Reports
India: Internet Suspended in Bareilly Amid Communal Clashes Between Muslims and Hindus
Supreme Court Extends Freeze on Nearly $5 Billion in U.S. Foreign Aid at Trump’s Request
Archaeologists Recover Statues and Temples from 2,000-Year-Old Sunken City off Alexandria
China Deploys 2,000 Workers to Spain to Build Major EV Battery Factory, Raising European Dependence
Speed Takes Over: How Drive-Through Coffee Chains Are Rewriting U.S. Coffee Culture
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Ringo Starr Champions Enduring Beatles Legacy While Debuting Las Vegas Art Show
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
FBI Removes Agents Who Kneeled at 2020 Protest, Citing Breach of Professional Conduct
Trump Alleges ‘Triple Sabotage’ at United Nations After Escalator and Teleprompter Failures
Shock in France: 5 Years in Prison for Former President Nicolas Sarkozy
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
BNP Paribas Abandons Ban on 'Controversial Weapons' Financing Amid Europe’s Defence Push
Typhoon Ragasa Leaves Trail of Destruction Across East Asia Before Making Landfall in China
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Big Banks Rebuild in Hong Kong as Deal Volume Surges
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Arnault Denounces Proposed Wealth Tax as Threat to French Economy
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Denmark Investigates Drone Incursion, Does Not Rule Out Russian Involvement
Lilly CEO Warns UK Is ‘Worst Country in Europe’ for Drug Prices, Pulls Back Investment
Nigel Farage Emerges as Central Force in British Politics with Reform UK Surge
×