Sanya Forest Island

Returning to an authentic approach to life

Located in Yazhou Bay, Sanya, Forest Island enjoys the island’s tropical climate and rich natural resources at 18°N latitude. As an exploration into the concept of a “second home,” the project responds to contemporary desires for nature-connected, relaxed, and reclusive lifestyles. The landscape design integrates tropical resort ambience with the rhythms of urban living, embracing the core idea of “landscape as architecture” to create a fluid, porous, and immersive spatial experience.

Informed by local climate and ecology, the design dissolves rigid boundaries between built form and nature, reconstructing a spatial narrative that transitions from urban arrival to resort retreat.The arrival zone foregrounds “quieting” and “threshold” experiences through a composed layering of tropical trees, xerophytic planting, and marine reef–inspired landscapes.The central courtyard integrates water features, corridors, and subtle elevation changes to define a layered, semi-outdoor living environment. Toward the rear, the design introduces a “social life beneath the trees” concept—creating intimate, soft-edged communal spaces that support neighborly interactions in a lush, shaded setting.

A network of pergolas, water features, and tropical vegetation weaves together a breathable and continuous landscape texture. The interlacing of the poolside club with forest gardens enables both active social spaces and moments of quiet retreat, enriching the experience of everyday leisure. In the interplay of dappled light and the gentle murmur of water, life slows down—allowing the landscape to serve as both a medium for emotion and an extension of the home.

Sanya Forest Island offers more than just a second residence—it proposes a lifestyle where nature and community intertwine, allowing for both the serenity of escape and the comfort of permanence.