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 located between Shaoxing’s Jianhu Lake and Kuaiji Mountain, embraced by water on three sides like a peninsula in nature. The master plan maximizes natural resources: four-story residences line the waterfront in clusters, while seven- to eight-story bands extend along the urban edge, together forming a layered spatial composition that enhances waterfront views. Central to the design, the surrounding river is drawn into the site as winding lanes and streams interwoven with gardens, courtyards, and green spaces. Water and greenery flow through every layer, creating a rhythm of dynamic and tranquil spaces where nature becomes inseparable from daily life, shaping a multidimensional residential environment.
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 building facade continues the lightweight and transparent design language of “Egrets Waves,” featuring full-height glazing paired with silver-white aluminum panels and through-depth balconies that create seamless indoor–outdoor transitions. In contrast to the heavy walls of traditional residences, this open strategy dissolves boundaries with nature. With a more compact massing than its predecessor, the design team refined the façade system by reducing aluminum panel module sizes, resulting in a more delicate and rounded architectural expression. Continuous white aluminum panels outline the volumes and extend across clusters, establishing a unified and fluid visual identity that ensures design consistency and strong recognizability despite diverse residential typologies.
At the rooftop of the stacked townhouses, the design team introduced a sky pool as a bold centerpiece, blending seamlessly with the skyline to create both visual impact and elevated living quality. The infinity pool’s shimmering surface reflects against the pure white facade, pushing the concept of “immersion in nature” to its peak and offering a light, relaxed, and ritual-like resort experience. Confronted with structural challenges, the team adopted a cantilevered system with acrylic glazing to achieve maximum transparency, resulting in a mirror-like surface floating in midair, where residents feel as if drifting through the clouds. As a rare elevated villa landmark in Shaoxing, the Skypool not only expands the boundaries of luxury living but also establishes a striking new visual identity for urban residential aesthetics.
