KINCANG Egrets Waves Residence is located in Keqiao, Shaoxing, with master planning and architectural design by LYCS Architecture. The overall architectural language adopts fluid, streamlined forms, creating structures that are graceful, lightweight, and transparent. The project aims to set a new benchmark for high-end, modern living in the region.
The project is situated between Shaoxing's renowned Jianhu Lake and Kuaiji Mountain, with the site pided into two parcels: northern and southern. Surrounded by water on three sides, the land lies like a serene peninsula nestled in nature. Amid the pandemic, when the longing for nature was especially profound, the design team was moved to exclaim, "This is a truly ideal place for living in harmony with the natural world."
The master plan centers on maximizing the site's natural resources. Four-story low-density residences are arranged along the waterfront in a staggered layout, forming a series of riverside clusters. Surrounding these are seven- to eight-story buildings organized in L-shaped bands along the urban roads. Together, the two typologies create a layered spatial composition that shares and amplifies the value of the waterfront views.
The surrounding river, embraced on three sides, is artfully drawn into the community, transforming into meandering water lanes and gentle streams. Through a soft and seamless approach, the design integrates the external natural water system with the internal living environment. Water and greenery weave through every layer—from the central landscape axis to the cluster gardens, from courtyard spaces between buildings to shared green areas—creating a rhythmic progression of dynamic and tranquil spaces that culminate in a rich, multidimensional landscape experience.
The project boldly adopts an uncommon four-story duplex typology as the primary product in the low-density zone. This strategic move responds to the relatively high floor area ratio of 1.4 and a building coverage of 25%, effectively breaking away from the conventional low-rise apartment model typically found on similar plots.
During the planning phase, guided by the positioning of the project as an “upgraded large-unit residence,” the design team explored and compared multiple configurations—ranging from all low-rise apartments to a mix of apartments with a small number of three-story townhouses to a composition dominated by four-story duplexes paired with a few stacked units. The decisive factor that shaped the final choice was the desire to provide as many residents as possible with private, independent entrances—creating their own “piece of the world” within the community. Based on this vision, the configuration of “four-story duplexes + a small number of stacked townhouses” ultimately stood out and became the foundation of the project's spatial structure.
The four-story duplexes adopt a side-by-side entry configuration, ensuring a high degree of residential privacy. In response to both the growing desire for a nature-oriented lifestyle and the evolving family structure, the ground floor is designed as a fully open communal living space that seamlessly connects to the private courtyard—creating a fluid indoor-outdoor living experience. Bedrooms are arranged across the second to fourth floors, providing ample separation and privacy to accommodate multi-generational households. The inclusion of an in-unit elevator further reflects a thoughtful, age-inclusive design, offering convenience for elderly residents and reinforcing the project's commitment to human-centered living.
Compared to typical low-rise apartments, the duplex residences offer significantly greater building spacing, allowing each household to enjoy larger private gardens and more expansive views. This spatial generosity enables a seamless integration between indoor living areas and the surrounding natural environment. One can easily envision scenes of everyday leisure: a backyard campsite coming to life, someone tending to flowers, children running freely, pets playfully darting through the garden—no need to travel far, as a relaxed and fulfilling vacation-like lifestyle can unfold right at home.
The building facade continues the widely praised lightweight and transparent design language of “Egrets Waves,” using full-height glazing paired with minimalist silver-white aluminum panels to establish a modern and refined architectural character. Each floor features spacious, through-depth balconies that enable a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces. Compared to the heavy, solid walls of traditional residential buildings, this open and transparent approach breaks down the barriers between people and nature within the urban context, fostering a lifestyle that feels closer to and more immersed in the natural environment.
Due to adjustments in product typology, the massing of Egrets Waves Residence is more compact compared to its predecessor, Egrets Waves. In response, the design team refined the façade system by reducing the size of the aluminum panel modules. This optimization yields a more refined, elegant, and rounded visual expression for the overall architecture.
The building facade features continuous white aluminum panels that outline the architectural volumes and extend seamlessly across different clusters and buildings, creating a unified and fluid visual language. The aluminum's smoothness and purity enhance the linear rhythm of the architecture while visually stitching together a cohesive residential identity. This approach ensures that, despite the persity of product types within the community, the overall development maintains a strong sense of design consistency and recognizable character.
At the rooftop of the stacked townhouses, the design team boldly introduced the concept of a sky pool, creating a striking visual centerpiece that also elevates the residential experience. The infinity-edge pool seamlessly blends with the city skyline, its shimmering surface reflecting the pure white facade. This dramatic gesture takes the idea of “immersed in nature” to its fullest expression, offering a light, relaxed, and ritualistic resort-like lifestyle suspended above the city.
Confronted with significant structural challenges, the design team went through multiple rounds of rigorous iteration before ultimately selecting a cantilevered structure paired with acrylic glazing to achieve maximum visual transparency. The result is a mirror-like water surface that appears to float in midair—offering an experience akin to drifting through the clouds. As one of the few elevated villa landmarks in Shaoxing, the striking presence of the Skypool redefines the boundaries of high-end residential living and establishes a bold new visual identity for the city’s urban dwelling aesthetics.
As one of China's most dynamic private economies, Shaoxing is undergoing rapid urban transformation. In this new era of openness and persity, Luxury living is no longer defined by resource abundance alone, but by nuanced spatial design that resonates with inpidual lifestyles and refined aesthetics. KINCANG Egrets Waves Residence is LYCS Architecture's refined response to this evolution—a tangible experiment in architecture as a lifestyle.