Silence Is Also Important: Acoustics as Cultural Infrastructure

In 1952, American composer John Cage presented his groundbreaking piece "4'33''" for the first time. In it, the orchestra produces no intentional sound for four minutes and thirty-three seconds. What can be heard instead are breaths, movements, and subtle noises that would normally go unnoticed, but here become part of the composition itself. With this work, Cage revealed that absolute silence does not exist. There is always sound, even when unplanned.

Site Context: Lush Mountains and Clear Waters - Anji is a city embraced by verdant hills and meandering clear streams, renowned as China's "Bamboo Hometown" and the birthplace of the "Two Mountains" philosophy. The site is located in the core area of Anji's Liangshan Future Sci-Tech City, built on a former industrial zone at the edge of the existing urban area. This former factory district is being progressively regenerated into the heart of the Liangshan Future Sci-Tech City.

A request came in for a house on a high piece of land, deep in a forest. The location was a place called Sudaewool in Munho-ri, SeoJong-myeon, consisting of two plots designated as a residential development complex. The clients were a couple who run a mid-sized company, and the house was intended to be a retreat for the couple and their employees. For the couple, it would serve as a weekend home; for the employees, it would function as a "stay"—a place to stop by and rest for a while.

The Program
The buildings house a residential complex made up of 125 apartments, garages, and storage rooms, which during the project and commissioning process have allowed the development of 22 different types of apartments, both on a single floor and in duplex format. The complex is exclusively dedicated to residential use. In addition to the apartments, there is a free space for public use and three covered community spaces: a children's playroom, a gym, and a dining room.