Amanyangyun International Community came into being when, in 2012, the Aman hotel established itself and transformed the area into a quiet and peaceful village in the forest. The ancient trees and houses have been well preserved.
The Maqiao Sports Park covers an area of 1,800 acres adjacent to the community. Within the community, it has winding rivers and ancient trees; the external ecological island, river valley wetland, water garden, lotus pond and other landscapes are accompanied, forming a hermit pattern in which architecture, nature and people are interdependent.
We did not want to impose an imported Western suburban model, so we began with the more indegenous concept of walled gardens which we first explored with Amanyangyun. Gardens are not left-over spaces, they are positively composed at various scales, starting with the generous-gardens at the heart of each villa cluster. We then melded this with notions of contemporary living to create a quite surprising new typology that we feel is appropriate to 21st Century Shanghai.
Yangyun Aman Courtyard is composed of 12 restored ancient houses and 18 modern courtyards; no comparison was sought between "new" and "ancient", but a delicate balance was found, which was felt more in line with the different needs of modern people.
After considering the comfort levels, the design of the ancient courtyard was kept to its original state as much as possible. This lead to a modern courtyard with a garden and open space.
The whole project presents the contemporary aesthetic pattern, which is transparent and open, with the rhythm and the art of light and shadow. People can enjoy the four seasons and leisure time in the peaceful and quiet room.