One of two “villas” we designed for the art district of Song Zhuang north of Beijing, the Split House is organized around a masonry wall that both bisects and envelops the main forms of the house. “The Wall” creates two separately glazed forms: the street-side façade of the translucent box constructed of fritted glass contains the private spaces (bedrooms); the transparent box with a clear glass façade projecting over the enclosed garden contains the public elements.

The Wall is perforated with windows to light the bedrooms and allow views out while also serving as a screen. Larger window openings in The Wall allow views into vertical circulation spaces. The garden, a continuation of the public spaces, is tied into the main form of the house by engaging The Wall as a growing wall that extends the garden vertically.