Office: Chaoffice | ArchDaily

Chamber of Mountain Cave / Chaoffice

Valeria Silva — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 19:23:00 +0000

This apartment unit is located on the 17th floor of an 18-story residential building. This is also the highest floor accessible by the elevator. Neighbors of the 18th floor must use the staircase at the corner to reach their homes. So, although it is a penultimate floor, it feels as if it is at the very top. Looking out from the window, tucked away behind trees, the embassy compound stretches across two city blocks, its low structures crouching close to the ground and barely visible. The nearest high-rises retreat to Sanlitun Street, about 1.5 kilometers away. With no obstructions, the room is bathed in dazzling sunlight all year round, and it also enjoys breezes filtered through the dense canopy of trees in the embassy district.

House of Cross / Chaoffice

Pilar Caballero — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The three-year pandemic reshaped the way people live and work, and the owner of this house was no exception. In 2023, they decided to return to their parents' home in the village and rebuild a house that could accommodate three generations while also serving as a home office. In the years to come, they may settle here permanently, no longer needing to commute between the city and countryside for work. As always, the intent of this design is to address real-life challenges. It does not aim to embrace abstract notions of "tradition" or aesthetic conventions. Kenneth Frampton wrote that confronting a place's inherent issues can become an opportunity for the development of critical regionalism. This idea aligns with my own interests.

House of Bluff / Chaoffice

Pilar Caballero — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Sitting at the far end of a terraced landscape, estranged from most of its neighbors, this derelict house had been left vacant, nearly forgotten by its owner. Over the years, wild plants, collapsed structures and rubbish seem to have taken over the premises, making it a wasteland in the village. On our first visit, it was evident that stray animals, birds, bees, and palm-sized spiders had made this place their home. Near the edge of the site, two toon trees flourished despite the neglect, as if they were thriving to shield this desolate land and the wildlife within.

House on the Slope / Chaoffice

Valeria Silva — Sun, 12 Nov 2023 19:00:00 +0000

This architectural endeavor embodies a poetic symphony of change and diversity, a dwelling that hosts three generations, a family of nine. While the dwelling primarily cradles the two elders, it metamorphoses into a lively space during weekends, festivals, and the radiant embrace of summer, welcoming the laughter of children. This 400-square-meter place should serve old and young, every family member, and also a place that allows humans to find solace in the company of others. Rather than crafting a singular, imposing structure, our aim is to create a reminiscence of the intricate scenes portrayed in the paintings of Peter Bruegel, where every detail weaves its own unique story into the fabric of existence. In a world dominated by standardized living spaces, how do we provide a realm where diverse forms, scales, and the interplay of light and shadow bring forth a rich tapestry of life? Our exploration unfolds through staggered sequences, unveiling possibilities for a living narrative that thrives on variation.

House Under The Boat / Chaoffice

Valeria Silva — Mon, 14 Aug 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Another project which has an inherent relationship to the thinking of our practice, searching for solutions in combining a series of disparate spaces of various scales together, culminating in a flowing and diffusing entity that takes up the site, like dry land becoming a river or pond. The site is located within the range of the Chaobai River wetlands. The neighboring buildings are relatively scattered, nestled in lush vegetation. The existing buildings, enclosed inwards, occupy less than half of the site’s area, with a hard-surfaced courtyard in the center. The architecture had well-defined boundaries. However, within an environment surrounded by plants, it appears as a secluded island.

House over the wall / Chaoffice

Collin Chen — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 20:00:00 +0000

During the Second World War, this courtyard was destroyed and subsequently rebuilt by the Japanese invaders and played the role of a temporary wartime prison. The new building was quite special, as a single-sloping roof with lower eaves faced the outside. Although surrounded by natural beauty, the yard was enclosed by high walls and deep shadows, and as the only place which received any light, the circling houses were shrouded in darkness. After the war, the government returned the house to its original owners. The house became a prison, and the prison turned back into a home.

House without Walls / Chaoffice

Collin Chen — Mon, 10 Oct 2022 01:00:00 +0000

Escape from the metropolis
The clients are a young couple, both of whom are designers. They grew tired of the plethora of urban issues which plague Beijing, much like any other major metropolis around the world. They decided to move to Jinan, a secondary city in China, which offered more space and a lower cost of living. Our first meeting together occurred before the approaching era of the pandemic, and the husband told me that for them it was not important to be based in any particular city as their work required them to travel often both domestically and abroad. Their new house would become both their home and office.

House of Mountain Birds / Chaoffice

Collin Chen — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The site of this project is located in the western mountainous area near Beijing city, occupying a low-lying site within a mountain village, roughly 100 square meters in size. The original spatial condition was crowded and chaotic, and although people lived within the wilderness of the mountains, they could hardly feel the beauty of their surroundings.

House of Passages / Chaoffice

Collin Chen — Tue, 06 Oct 2020 01:00:00 +0000

The project site is located within the Taihang Mountains west of Beijing. Along with “House of Steps”, it is one of two projects we have recently undertaken in Junxiang Village. Relative to the location of “House of Steps”, the original site could be described as chaotic. The site, a yard, is nestled within a narrow hutong no more than 2 meters in width. The scale of the entire site is 9 meters x 20 meters. Several existing buildings and structures inhabited and filled the yard. A building to the west measured just 2.4 meters. The closest distance between buildings was less than 1 meter. When in the yard one could experience something like walking through several small “passages”; all buildings isolated from one another. The original conditions were far from what could be described as a comfortable place to live.

House of Steps / Chaoffice

罗靖琳 — Mon, 06 Jul 2020 02:00:00 +0000

The project site is located in a small village within the Taihang Mountains 70 kilometers from Beijing. The village is spread from the bottom of a valley to the slopes, and the yard located nearly at the highest point. According to local folklore, a castle once stood above the village, built during the Yuan Dynasty. This is how the village’s name, meaning “under fortress” came to be,and as you look back you find yourself gazing upon beautiful Da’an Mountain and the Zhaitang Valley. Both of which have been left unchanged for millions of years.

House of Cracks / Chaoffice

Collin Chen — Thu, 30 Apr 2020 02:00:00 +0000

After the passing of the clients’ father, she, along with her husband decided to move into her mother’s home along with their 5 year old son. Because of the increase in family members, the old house needed to be rebuilt to accommodate 5 people, namely the wife and husband, the grandmother, the son, and their dog, Chuanchuan.

The Renovation of a Hutong House / Chaoffice

罗靖琳 — Wed, 07 Feb 2018 21:50:00 +0000

The urban condition of Ciqikou street west area, the site of this project, is semi-chaotic or could be described as a slum, which is a typical urban form in Hutong areas today in Beijing city. The local people have coined the term “messy yard”.The spatial condition of the “messy yard” is completely different from its original form as a Siheyuan Yard. The way in which people have inhabited it has changed to a large degree over time.