-By Celia Ying, Photography by Chai Zhi Cheng , and Bao Shi Wang

Golf is all about beautiful courses and challenging play. This is why golfers like traveling to different places to experience the distinctive setting of each individual course. And for most players, a soothing and relaxing club resort environment has almost the same significance as the course itself. It prepares and rejuvenates our body and mind before and after a day of exciting play. Therefore, when Joey Ho Design was commissioned by Hangzhou Qiandaohu Shunfa Tourism Capital Stock Company to design the China Qiandaohu Country Club, his firm made a clear statement that good design is more than just the icing on the cake.

Located in the Chun'an County of Hangzhou, the 46,650-sq.-ft. China Qiandaohu Country Club, newly opened last summer, is a five-story structure surrounded by the beautiful scenery of the Thousand Islands Lake, one of the finest scenic spots in China. Given the spectacular view of clear water, lush forestation, and exotic islands, the club adopts a design strategy that is wholly driven by its context.

"The club is located in a beautiful environment. When I first saw it, I was stunned by the significant views all around," recalls Joey Ho, design director at Joey Ho Design. "My design emphasizes the relationship between the clubhouse and its surroundings. It reflects two major qualities of the site, namely the lake and the islands. The islands symbolize the golf greens, whereas the water features conjure up a sense of calm, peace, and beauty."

The interior design of this golf country club hinges upon the concept of golf greens. This idea is translated into a series of floating island spaces, which are juxtaposed upon one another to create an intriguing layering effect. Entering the lobby, the gleaming white interiors and the geometric reception counter provide a succinct backdrop for the lake and mountains beyond, like a floating island in a vertical expression. Flanking the reception counter are two water features with pockets of fish ponds. By introducing water into the interior, Ho deliberately blurs the boundary between inside and out.

To the right of the entryway, a double volume lounge area, furnished by interlinking benches and square pattern carpet, mirrors the islands and the lake beyond. Recessed lighting hidden under the benches adds a sense of lightness to the space. Above the lounge and the reception hall, a series of bridges stretch across the voids, connecting the Chinese restaurant and the bar on the upper floor. Here the square motif is transformed from the 3-D bench seating arrangements to a more decorative manner, like the recessed lighting on the bridge ceiling and an array of mirrored murals on the walls. All these design elements make up a spatial composition that stresses graphical layering, a notion that the designer explores consistently throughout the project.

"Throughout the process, we have made a number of architectural changes to the structure. We opened certain voids and built a connecting bridge between the bar and the restaurants, creating interesting dialogues among different volumes of spaces," Ho notes. "The interplay between solid and void orchestrates an intriguing pathway, and the experience of wandering amidst man-made ponds and the natural lake is heightened to prepare one for the upcoming luxurious enjoyment."

To the left of the reception hall, a spiral staircase leads to the Chinese restaurant on the first floor, where the square motif enjoys an even more dramatic expression. A cast-iron screen constructed of square metal plates extends from the entrance to the dining area, which echoes the custom carpet and the undulating light boxes popping up from the ceiling, also in an interesting rectangular motif. The 3-D composition of overlapping square geometries in various materials like wood, metal, and fabrics constitutes a rich and warm environment in the restaurant.

Across the bridge on the opposite end of the building, a bar is designed to present a calm and peaceful atmosphere for relaxation purposes. Resembling the floating islands concept in the lounge, Ho laid out interlinking white Corian benches with recessed lights in the open bar area, setting contrasts to the black aluminum ceiling above and the burgundy plush sofas in the indoor bar. Different levels of platforms that divide the seating hubs reinforce the island concept and remind people of the undulating terrain of the golf course.

Set against the beautiful environment of the Thousand Islands Lake, the China Qiandaohu Country Club challenges the traditional impression of extravagance and splendor. It makes a strong statement that luxury can be achieved not in lavish furnishings, but in terms of spatial quality. "The dignified and peaceful design brings the Qiandaohu Country Club into harmony with the surrounding environment, we are very pleased with the outcome," says Xiao Jian Hong, manager of Shunfa Hengye Co. By setting a tranquil and subtle backdrop for the stunning view beyond, the designer succeeds in pulling the whole scene into the clubhouse—the best wallpaper to which nothing can compare.