The House of Windows – A Wonderful Homestay Surrounded By Bamboo

The House of Windows is a very special project, one which focuses a lot on one of the most common and most essential elements of any building: the windows. It does that in a very distinctive way. Although it may seem linear, the building has an L-shaped floor plan. Its ground floor is mostly encased on sliding glass doors which, when open, create the wonderful feeling of being outdoors and expose the space to nature and its immense beauty. The two upper floors are quite different in this sense. They feature bay windows which are also designed to connect the interior spaces to the outdoors but in a less overwhelming manner.

The House of Windows is a homestay which means it's both a private home and a hotel
The House of Windows is a homestay which means it’s both a private home and a hotel

Completed in 2019, the House of Windows is located in Huzhou, China. It was designed and built by architecture studio PROJECT and is a very interesting and unusual homestay in the sense that it’s neither a home nor a hotel but it definitely has a lot of elements which allows it to be both. The site is is surrounded by a rocky terrain and in order to reach the entrance one has to go through a long walkway framed by bamboo on both sides. The bamboo completely hides the building allowing it to only be revealed at the end of the walkway.

The building is cantilevered on two sides, featuring three floors and a roof terrace
The building is cantilevered on two sides, featuring three floors and a roof terrace
The roof terrace offers 360 degree views and is the best place to admire the surroundings from
The roof terrace offers 360 degree views and is the best place to admire the surroundings from
The two upper floors consist of seven rooms of different sizes, all with bay windows
The two upper floors consist of seven rooms of different sizes, all with bay windows
The ground floor contains the reception area as well a few social spaces
The ground floor contains the reception area as well a few social spaces
In order to enter this house/ hotel one has to go through a long walkway framed by tall bamboo
In order to enter this house/ hotel one has to go through a long walkway framed by tall bamboo
The bay windows wrap around the corners, offering amazing views without exposing the interior
The bay windows wrap around the corners, offering amazing views without exposing the interior
The cantilevered volumes form covered deck areas on the ground floor
The cantilevered volumes form covered deck areas on the ground floor
There are six sliding glass doors on the ground floor which can be fully open
There are six sliding glass doors on the ground floor which can be fully open
The interior design of the rooms is simple but homely
The interior design of the rooms is simple but homely
The reception area can be opened towards the exterior, making the transition quite seamless
The reception area can be opened towards the exterior, making the transition quite seamless
The bay windows expose the suited towards the beautiful surroundings but don't really diminish their privacy
The bay windows expose the suited towards the beautiful surroundings but don’t really diminish their privacy
In total, the building has more than 30 windows of different types and sizes
In total, the building has more than 30 windows of different types and sizes