Meow House is a vacation rental nestled in a forested location in Anji, Zhejiang, China, that seamlessly blends into its surroundings while maximizing the outdoor views. Designed by JumpingHouseLab, this guest house features a unique wood-shingled exterior and shape, making it look like part of the surrounding landscape. To achieve privacy without walls, the architects elevated the entire structure, framing expansive views and making it look like a cat, symbolizing its name.
The builders took inspiration from the fluid body of a cat that adapts to different settings and created a dwelling that helps you dwell with nature. The client wanted to upgrade its eco-camping site from traditional tent accommodations, but with enough privacy and great outside views. JumpingHouseLab achieved this by lifting the structure slightly off the ground and orienting the “head” of the structure toward the water and mountains.
The team split the Meow House into three segments and prefabricated about 80 percent offsite. Then all the parts were assembled on the site with precision. They have also come up with the idea of adding a slide in the tail portion of the structure, making it fun, especially for the children.
This forest house is located in a bamboo-producing region, and that’s why architects have chosen to clad the exterior in bamboo tiles. They have also reused discarded tiles from a local factory to lower the overall cost. At first, they used deep-carbonized bamboo in a dark charcoal gray, making the house look like a black cat. After realizing this material was not enough to cover the entire structure, they mixed in leftover tiles of different colors for a patchwork exterior, which eventually turned the black cat into a spotted cat.
Also Read: 20 Modern Houses in the Forest You’ll Want to Own
The Meow House is divided into different zones: the entry, the bedroom-living area, and the view bathroom. The entry connects to the slide and houses functional spaces like the washroom and toilet. The most private middle section is dedicated to the bedroom and living area, while the bathroom lies at the highest point, where children can enjoy water and scenery.
Via: designboom
