curvaceous concrete partitions compose XRANGE architects’ distant retreat in taiwan
XRANGE architects designs a retreat where walls ‘wander’
located in a remote location in taiwan‘s pingtung county, the ‘wandering walls’ retreat by XRANGE architects blurs the boundaries between architecture and landscape. its rugged, curvaceous walls ‘wander throughout like flowing ribbons’, defining public and private spaces. the eight-room B&B hugs the edge of a native crop of acacia trees, gently curving out towards the ocean. built from cast in place concrete, the building’s bearing walls are misaligned vertically, moving in and out of the three floors independently to form room layouts and capture views of the surroundings.
‘the remote location is susceptible to gale-force winter winds, sea salt in the atmosphere, and had no access road prior to construction,’ explains the taipei-based architecture studio. ‘furthermore, the lack of skilled construction labor and the shoestring project budget drove the decision to use cast in place concrete early on at the concept phase for its climatic endurance, ease of transport and storage on site.’
images by kuo-min lee and lorenzo pierucci studio
single architectural element and minimal material palette
seeking to create a sense of quietude and permanence, XRANGE architects developed the ‘wandering walls’ retreat with a single architectural element and a minimal palette of materials. the three-story building has no windows on the windward side, but opens up towards the hill top grasslands and ocean through floor-to-ceiling windows on the opposite side. its curved concrete walls serve as both structure and form, inside and outside, exterior and interior all at once. at the stairs, the walls hover over each other to reveal the horizon at the juncture of the sky, forest and ocean. meanwhile, on the ground floor, they cantilever off the floor slab to form courtyards.
along their entire lengths, the materiality of the walls transitions from rough concrete to wood, metal and tiles. for the construction, XRANGE used local formwork made of recycled or rough low grade wood, 30cm wide panels for bigger curves, 20cm for tighter curves and 4cm batons for sharp curves. ‘the highly tolerant formwork system allows for misalignments and mistakes made by the local workers, which created the signature “lo-res” curves throughout,’ says the studio. the retreat is complete with a 360 degree infinity pool on the roof, which offers weeping panoramic views of the ocean and the surrounding mountains.
floor-to-ceiling windows open up towards the hill top grasslands and ocean
on the windward side, the roughen cast texture of the walls has gradually smoothen out due to the seasonal winds
the conservation of the acacia and surrounding grasslands are primary aspects in the landscape design
the three-story building has no windows on the windward side
