Shanghai century which this green garden

Qingsiyuan is an 80-square-meter private garden at Century Long Villa in Shanghai, designed by Cheng Ying with lead designer Zhu Weiguo, Mark. The site includes a roughly 20-square-meter lightwell, leaving about 60 square meters of usable garden; the style is modern minimalism, a contemporary mainstream choice that suits current clients and maximizes usable area. Because it is a garden, planting is not reduced: on the plan, every plant is arranged around the perimeter of the plot. There is a single main entry path; the neighbor's gardens lie on the left and opposite sides, and a tall building wall on the right, so the design's key challenge is managing relationships with the surroundings. A sunken pool was impossible on site, so a raised above-ground pool was built; from the side it reads as a low wall with little visual interest. The designer therefore made the pool visually transparent, so that viewed from indoors or other vantage points the water appears larger and more lively. Because of the large open area, acrylic was chosen over glass: it is easier to fabricate, withstands far greater pressure and offers a wider range of thicknesses, making it both convenient and safe. Curved forms soften the visual relationship between the garden and the building; looking out from inside, the curves visibly alter the perceived space. Within a square site, curved seating enlivens the layout and, paired with taller seasonal flowers, produces a richer color relationship. A small platform in the leisure zone defines an area and provides a practical, easy-to-maintain counter; behind it lies the lightwell, which is softened by planting drought-tolerant species that respect light and waterproofing, so that greenery encloses rather than exposes the opening. The result is a quiet, elegant, usable modern garden.