As one meanders through the winding streets and alleys of Suzhou’s historic centre, encountering a waterscape marked by white walls, black-tiled roofs, small bridges and plenty of canals, it is likely that one comes across Qi Yuan. The live-work courtyard conceived by Chinese designer Sun Yuanliang gracefully peeks out from a sea of traditional pitched slatted roofs. Yuanliang, who relocated his studio here in December 2023, envisioned a space that could house his workspace and also shapeshift as a vacation home—a place where work and life coexist in harmony against the backdrop of Suzhou’s timeless heritage. “I have come to realise that the subtle charm embedded in Eastern people is something inherited; even though there have been cultural disruptions throughout history, we are still unconsciously influenced by those traditional elements,” Yuanliang tells STIR. “This is especially true in Suzhou, where such heritage becomes an integral part of everyday life,” he adds.

The name Qi Yuan is derived from the Ming Dynasty’s Compendium of Materia Medica (1596). In the literary classic, the character ‘䒻’ refers to a type of herbal medicine, while the word ‘屺’ originally described a barren mountain. ‘Qi’in the name, hence, represents Yuanliang’s desire to construct a symbolic mountain forest within an urban landscape. A short walk away from Suzhou’s renowned Jiangnan-style gardens, including the Lion Grove and Humble Administrator’s Garden, Qi Yuan work-live space appears as a contemporary reinterpretation of the historic landscapes it draws inspiration from. “The greatest influence Jiangnan has had on me is a heightened sense of awareness. I believe my design process is guided by this state of mindfulness—a way of thinking driven by perception,” relays the designer who operates under the name Yuan Liang Design for his architectural and residential projects.

The immediate neighbourhood of the project site is far removed from the bustle of Suzhou. Its soft rhythms unfold amid the banal sounds of cars, animals and neighbourly chatter while the pitched rooftops that reference the city's history can be seen from the second floor. The foundation of Qi Yuan's design is this (knowledge of) the tension between the past and present, the private and the collective.

From the street, the courtyard design evokes the essence of Jiangnan gardens. A Moon Cave Gate frames a cluster of plants, creating the first scene in a sequence of carefully orchestrated views. Suzhou’s classical gardens are famed for their art of framing, where every doorway or window becomes a picture plane for nature. This principle is used sparingly by Yuanliang, who brought vegetation within the retreat to grow unhindered. As one continues further into the property, one comes across a hidden courtyard with subtle level shifts and a pond reflecting the sunlight. The space is anchored by a sturdy pine standing against the wall amidst the surrounding rocks.

An existing corner pavilion has been transformed by Yuanliang into a contemporary steel structure, with an open platform overlooking the site's vegetation and water features. This deliberate contrast between the classical and the modern is a continuing conversation woven through the design. The designer added lattice grilles to soften the impact of the nearby taller structure that could otherwise dominate the courtyard. “These [interventions] not only enrich the spatial layering, soften the natural light and enhance privacy, but also visually block out the neighbouring structure. When people sit and chat beneath the lattices, their gaze is naturally drawn to the scenery right in front of them,” Yuanliang shares.

The interiors flow seamlessly into the courtyard, with large openings ensuring light and air move freely. Materials progress gently from one space to the next, reinforcing a sense of calm continuity. The consistent use of materials, according to the designer, creates a “space where movement feels fluid and life unfolds at ease”. Inside, simplicity and refinement are prioritised in design interventions, particularly evident in the choice of furnishing defining the spaces. There is little emphasis on overt symbolism or ornamentation. Instead, the architecture seeks to dissolve boundaries—between old and new, human and nature, oneself and community. “The experience of being in a Suzhou garden is boundless, like the undulating ground of a garden, where a step is placed or how height is defined can entirely transform one’s experience,” Yuanliang observes, adding, “The designer’s role is to be a capable translator, allowing awareness to guide the dialogue between design and place.”

Construction in Suzhou’s old city comes with its challenges, with limited access and strict preservation rules shaping every intervention. Much of the design, Yuanliang recalls, had to be resolved on-site—through walking, observing and listening to the space. “A significant portion of our creative thinking happens at the construction site. We walk through the space repeatedly, sensing the shifts in light and shadow; the space speaks,” he says. The legacy of Suzhou gardens, created as dynamic conversations between people and their environment rather than as static compositions, is echoed by this embodied approach.

Serving as a home, a studio, a retreat and a gathering place, Qi Yuan work-live space is an exploration of how historic wisdom can infuse contemporary living. While the white walls, lattice grilles, water bodies and a fluid landscape design are rooted in Jiangnan’s culture, the open spaces respond to a more modern vision of life. Qi Yuan, in its restraint and richness, is realised as a reminder that the essence of design lies not in spectacle, but in how spaces silently guide our encounters with awareness, intimacy and belonging.