Looking back on the process of setting up their home, Xie Ke and Zhi Hongxin were never anxious and comfort was always their primary goal. During a three year process of observing and digesting each space, they designed and transformed this 4-storey building nestled between the Cangshan mountain range and Erhai lake in Yunnan province. All places where the building needs to interact with nature have undergone the most careful scrutiny: where should the sunlight enter? How does the air flow? Can the atmosphere match the dance of light and shadow?

"We usually follow the sun. We cook some coffee on the first floor and eat bread in the morning. At noon, we go to the garden. The place where there is sunshine there is warmth. In the afternoon, we move to the study room on the fourth floor facing south. The sun is just right. It will shine in. We will also be in the study room at night, and the residual temperature during the day is still contained there," says Xie Ke.