Studio On the Cliff, The new location of our design studio is in the pavilion on the second floor of the Houbao Promenade. After the renovation of the promenade, some shops have been added, sharing the community landscape with consumer tourists. As one of the shops, while meeting the needs of office and reception, we hope to reserve an open riverside space for the public. Therefore, the following operations were carried out during the design process:
© Hongming Liu
One corner of the original pavilion was close to the railing, and a glass box protruded from the other corner, enclosing the cliff – side walkway into a private area. First, we cut off one corner of the building to make the walkway circular; and cut off another corner to leave an observation deck at the best position of the walkway.
© Hongming Liu
In order for the studio and the walkway to share the river view without interfering with each other, we raised the indoor space by 1 meter. Coupled with the 1 – meter – high wall below the window, a 2 – meter – high exhibition wall is formed. It will be a nice experience to introduce the company to clients while overlooking the river.
© Hongming Liu
A passage was cut in the middle of the building. It serves as both a staircase from the outdoors to the indoors and a window for the courtyard to view the river. On one side of the passage is an office area with six workstations. The desks integrate functions such as trophy display, printer, refrigerator, and microwave oven. The top of the cut – off corner is combined with the water bar countertop. On the other side is the reception area, where sofas and a TV are arranged along the cut – off corner. The top of the cut – off corner is equipped with a lazy sofa for rest.
© Hongming Liu
The final state of the design organically combines indoor office work and public sightseeing in the same space, allowing both to share the river view while remaining independent of each other.
Project Info
Architects: AKINTECTS
Country: China, Chongqing
Area: 39 m²
Year: 2024
Photographs: Hongming Liu
Design Team: Lew Joeson, Li Xinyu, Wei Jie
Consults: Lew Joeson, Ye Junliang
Consulting Company: Refactoring
Madeline Brooks is a Projects Editor at Arch2O, where she has been shaping and refining architectural content since March 2024. With over a decade of experience in editorial work, she has curated, revised, and published an array of projects covering architecture, urbanism, and public space design. A graduate of the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Madeline brings a strong academic foundation and a discerning editorial eye to each piece she oversees. Since joining Arch2O, she has played a pivotal role in shaping the platform’s editorial direction, with a focus on sustainability, social relevance, and cutting-edge design. Madeline excels at translating complex architectural ideas into clear, engaging stories that resonate with both industry professionals and general readers. She works closely with architects, designers, and global contributors to ensure every project is presented with clarity, depth, and compelling visual narrative. Her editorial leadership continues to elevate Arch2O’s role in global architectural dialogue.