Yu HouseZhongkai Sheshan Villas, Shanghai, China The Yu Villa is inspired by Yonghe Gong, a Tibetan Buddhist temple in the heart of Beijing. Yu, a Chinese character with a connotation of "jewel" or "treasure," is the Chinese equivalent of jade in English. Jade is considered to be "the essence of heaven and earth." The house is entered through a courtyard after circling around a large water garden and through a forest of diagonal columns, which screen the villa's interior. The entry is a two-story main hall. From there, a compressed corridor empties into a light-filled living/dining pavilion, which serves as the central gathering place for family and guests. The heart of the house is flanked on each side by two bedroom wings. The thick main walls of the house are faced with stone and extend beyond the interior into the landscape, giving a sense of continuity and movement throughout the space. 
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