Lost Villa • Valley Land Boutique Hotel in Yuyao, Zhejiang, China by DAS Lab.

The Ancient Village of Persimmon Forest has all the typical features of eastern Zhejiang canyon landform. Meanwhile, it has abundant sunshine and rainwater, diversified land vegetation and high coverage. Persimmon, sakura, bamboo shoots and tea are important economic crops in the ancient village. Surrounded by mountains, the unique geographical location makes this eight-hundred-years-old village all the more mysterious.

Hoping to drive the development of local tourism industry, the village has recently welcomed the Lost Villa · Valley Land Boutique Hotel designed by DAS Lab.

Located on a typical mountain platform, the hotel is surrounded by high mountains and valleys. Windows of the 22 guest rooms all face the surrounding landscape, bringing the arresting views directly to the interior.

“Dining room is the most complex space in this project,” explain the design team. Acting as more than just a dining room, the space also acts as a function/ party area, meeting space and hotel check-in. It is made up of three buildings with the middle section measuring 10 meters in height, with oversized French windows on either side facing the luxurious vegetation and a graphic natural landscape.

The space manages to integrate diversity, serendipity and randomness of the mountain and the forest while housing various activities that arouse visibility, liveliness, excitement and noise. The views of the mountain forest offer a quiet and tranquil scene – a balance of opposites in the one space.

[Images courtesy of DAS Lab. Photography by Schran Studio.]