The grilling hub
Location: Minhang, Shanghai, China | Interior |
2,400 sf
, 220 sm
Lead: Jiageng Guo
Design: Will Sun, Xinyi Xie, Rhyna Chen
CM: Chengcheng Zhu
Status: Under construction
A fragmented suburban fabric in the outskirts of Shanghai has expanded rapidly over the past two decades. In the wake of a post-pandemic real-estate collapse — and the constant churn of social-media-driven consumption — this three-story townhouse operates both as a sanctuary from economic volatility and as a collective space for a nuclear family that migrated from Xinjiang.
The project organizes itself through a looping millwork system that threads through the entire house to socialize domestic space.
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Ground Floor: the loop begins at the kitchen drop-off and dining spine, forming four counters with integrated sinks that anchor communal cooking and cleaning as the core of the home.
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Garden / Basement: the garden connects to an outdoor grill that ties back to the family tradition, while the basement becomes a 5-meter-high loft space drawing natural light from a skylight above.
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Second Floor: the loop becomes shelving, desks, and thresholds that weave private rooms into shared activity.
Through these calibrated connections, the project rethinks the typical suburban residence as a social infrastructure — using one continuous element to build relationships, strengthen rituals, and redefine how domestic space can promote collective life.