In the heart of Hangzhou’s newest commercial center, Mountain Soil Studio has designed a retail and exhibition space for JIA Garden, a brand celebrated for its hand-crafted objects.
Inspired by the brand’s name, the designers approached the project with a dual perspective, blending interior design and landscaping principles. The result, however, is far from a lush garden. Instead, a rugged, minimalist landscape emerges, swathed in soft, muted tones of cream, beige, and grey, interspersed with bold interventions of stone and concrete.
Split across two floors, the spatial experience begins with an expansive entrance area, the Pending Garden. Here, an asymmetrical arrangement of limestone floor tiles, punctuated by boulders, forms a serene rockscape. Suspended above it, a leaf-shaped display table appears to float, its lightness amplified by streams of natural light that pour in from large windows, offering glimpses of surrounding greenery. This subtle connection to nature sets the tone for the ascetic elegance that defines the interior.
Ascending to the upper floor via a textured staircase, visitors encounter three distinct zones that unfold in sequence. The Meeting Garden—a circular area that cantilevers over the ground floor—features a kidney-shaped counter at its core, while the Wandering Garden increases in complexity with layered, organic-shaped surfaces of varying heights. Finally, the Lingering Garden serves as the largest and most versatile space, designed to host installations and gatherings. A sculptural bar counter takes center stage, complemented by irregular stone pavers and textured concrete beams that extend the space’s tactile richness.
Throughout, the design embraces a tension between natural and industrial elements. Curved shapes and rounded volumes soften the exposed concrete skeleton of the building, blurring the boundaries between artifice and nature. This duality imbues the interior with a sense of calm while inviting exploration and discovery. The deliberate textural interplay mirrors the craftsmanship behind JIA Garden’s stone and clay objects, elevating the mundane into the extraordinary.
