Located in Deqing, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, Moganshan is part of the Tianmu Mountain range. Since late Qing Dynasty and early Republican period, the area has gradually developed a diverse collection of villas built by people from various countries including Britain, the United States, France, Germany, Russia, the Netherlands, and China itself, earning the reputation of “World Architecture Museum.” More than 250 villas remain today, some become protected heritage sites, while others have been renovated into boutique hotels and “yang jiale” (hill station) guesthouses. With its distinctive natural environment and strategic location at the core of Shanghai–Nanjing–Hangzhou triangle, Moganshan has evolved from a summer retreat and birthplace of China’s homestay culture into a lifestyle destination that merges the essence of rural living with an urban sensibility.
At 380 East Huangfu Road, Mogan Yu Street, the idea of “home” sets inside the 70 square meters space. Here, the scale of an ordinary two-bedroom apartment becomes the framework for imagining how people might live and gather. Faced with the raw condition of 3.9-meter-high commercial unit, the design aspires to soften the space: to bring warmth into a setting built for commerce, and to embrace the presence of daily life. Moments of wandering, pausing, resting, get-together and communicating are gently woven into the spatial experience, shaping a subtle yet tangible homelike vision.
Inspired by this vision, the space unfolds in two chapters as “Daytime” and “Nighttime.” Echoing the two bedrooms and living room of a home, the contrast between “white” and “black” cues atmosphere transition. Two worlds coexist here, one for galleries, the other for gathering, creating a place where ideas and people connect.
The arrangement of light is a crucial step beyond the spatial division. Although the site is a transparent glass "box" open on all sides, the design begins by conceptually restoring it to an enclosed state. A residential scale of 2.7 meters in height is established, along with a 1.2-meter free light zone between the top of the partition walls and the ceiling. In the "daytime" part that requires ample light, natural light is allowed to enter easily through the glass curtain walls, enabling the space to function normally during the day without artificial lighting. Simultaneously, a portion of the natural light flows into the "nighttime" spaces through this open zone at the top, creating a living room experience that aligns with daily rhythms. Most of the original windows in the "nighttime" spaces are sealed, while an array of lighting fixtures installed on the ceiling provides illumination at night. Intelligent controls enable scene switching to meet the needs for varying atmospheres for different scenarios, such as exhibition, entertaining, and salons.
The "daytime" space is divided into two galleries, adopting a flexible gallery layout to facilitate a series of themes or art and installation shows curated in collaboration with brands and architects. This area is relatively more fluid that displays could be updated regularly. For the opening of Roca × 米(mi) salon Space, ATAH and MONOARCHI were invited to create works especially for the space. The former condenses the spatial syntax of the firm's West Bund project into a miniature stage as a connector between design outcomes and reinterpretation; the latter transforms several small houses originally built for a wildlife park into tree hollow–like spaces, shaping a human perspective by approximating animals’ view.
The "nighttime" part is relatively fixed, much like the living room of a "home." It welcomes everyone as both a casual spot for friends to gather, chat, and enjoy tea. It’s also a lovely venue for events such as salons, discussions, and small lectures accommodating 10 to 30 people. It offers a set of sofa and some lightweight, flexible chairs so that the number of seats might be adjusted according to functional needs. The display area includes video about Roca Gallery's seven global gallery spaces, past event posters of 米(mi) salon, and Roca product showcases and introductions. Three TV screens are arranged side by side for daily scrolling.
The design approach implemented in the project follows an inside-out logic. The prototype of the transparent box is reconfigured especially the light being "sculpted" by the division into "daytime" and "nighttime" zones. Meanwhile, the open section between the 2.7-meter height and the 3.9-meter ceiling subtly emphasizes the continuity of time. The entrance is positioned on the southwest side of the site, allowing ample natural light to flow into the two galleries located there. Under the interplay of light and shadow, the artworks offer visitors quite rich sensory experience. The large door on the north side of the event space remains closed under normal circumstances to keep tranquil and stable atmosphere which is distinctive from the "daytime" zone. During events, this door can be opened as an independent entrance and exit. Within the 2.7-meter-high space, people can orient themselves toward different directions to experience varying environments: facing south offers a view of the building's inner courtyard, west looks onto the garden path, and north opens toward a small plaza between the building and the city street. The shifting paths within the space thus create diversified experiential sequences.
On November 16th, 2025, 米(mi) salon was successfully hold after the project establishment. Bringing the salon out of Shanghai to Moganshan was a shared aspiration among the five organizers which are atelier mearc, ATAH, Roca Gallery, MONOARCHI, and ARCHIPELAGO. The ongoing progress of the Moganshan Yu Village renovation provided the opportunity to realize the vision. This space is set to become a hub connecting architects with both rural and urban contexts, fostering the idea exchanges, new technologies communications, and reflections on tradition.
