T.K. Chu projects a note of duality and his thinking of traditional Chinese philosophies into this modern oasis. Suzhou is the cradle of Coupling Garden, whom preserves the legacy of the dual qualities of Suzhou: modernity and tradition. Embedded on a secluded retreat, enclosed by tranquil nature, equipped with a verdant backyard, the residence is a classic microcosm of Suzhou Gardens. The residence is in the proximity of a courtyard named ??u Yuán (??)? (Couple’s Retreat Garden; ?u Yuán) which is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. Photography courtesy of Wang Ting.

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T. K. Chu nestled a serenely elegant home built around a courtyard. There is a weighty dose of contagious serenity spreading from the courtyard to the interior through the sliding glass doors, which open to a limpid pool and a Zen garden where bamboos and grasses send off refreshing aroma to the interior after a short spell of rain. Coming closer to the doors is like coming onto a threshold of a private Zen world. Outwardly, it is the presence of naturalistic artistry; inwardly, simplistic modernity. The subtle duality is what T.K. Chu would love to explore and invest.
The propensity for duality in China may elude Westerners, simply to put, duality is the dual juxtaposition in a pair. Different from the notion of trinity, duality is starred in the design with a singular focus: spreading the gospel of harmonies in a very...