Yangshan Cottage: A Handcrafted White Box in Beijing’s Mountains

Located in Yingtaogou Village, Mentougou District, Yangshan Cottage is a small-scale homestay project by Atelier d’More that explores how architecture can quietly coexist with the mountain landscape. Positioned at the highest point of the village, the project benefits from both physical elevation and symbolic distance, close enough to Beijing for a short escape, yet far removed from the city’s pace. From the beginning, the design approach focused on restraint, treating architecture as a handcrafted intervention rather than a dominant object.

Dialogue with the Mountain

The defining concept of the project is floating. Only the western portion of the second floor was converted into a homestay, requiring a clear visual and spatial separation from the owner’s private residence below. The new facade was deliberately detached from the original structure, allowing the guesthouse volume to read as an independent architectural presence against the steep mountain backdrop.

To minimize interference between daily life and guest activities, the second-floor terrace was transformed into a semi-enclosed zone. The south-facing bedrooms were integrated into this space, forming a cohesive volume that appears as a white box hovering lightly above the terrain.

Stone, Craft, and Construction

Material selection plays a central role in reinforcing the relationship between architecture and nature. The exterior is clad in stone using a dry-hung system rather than traditional mortared masonry. Each stone varies in thickness, tone, and proportion, arranged through close collaboration between the designers and local craftsmen.

Instead of hiding irregularities, the construction process embraces them. Subtle surface transitions emerge naturally from the material logic, resulting in a texture often compared to nougat-like stone. This tactile quality was not predefined but revealed itself during construction.

Framing Views and Light

The renovated south facade projects outward, allowing the second-floor windows to recede naturally. This shift adds depth to the elevation and turns each opening into a framed view of the surrounding mountains. Every window functions as a visual interface between interior life and the landscape beyond.

On the east side, the terrace was converted into a sunroom with a glass roof. Interior walls continue the exterior material language, blurring boundaries between inside and outside. At the southeast corner, vertical supports were removed to create a continuous opening that frames the greenery and rural atmosphere unique to the site.

Architecture as Handwork

Yangshan Cottage reflects Atelier d’More’s interest in slowing down architectural production. In contrast to standardized construction, the project relies on manual craftsmanship and accumulated local knowledge. Architecture here is not only designed but made, allowing material behavior and human intuition to shape the final result.

By approaching building as an act of handcraft, Atelier d’More extends architectural practice beyond drawings and into the physical act of making, producing a homestay that feels deeply embedded in its mountainous context.

Technical Sheet