21. Entre rêve et réalité
Inspired by the film Inception, the complex experience of dreaming takes the form of a physical journey through plants, pathways and light. The garden’s designers play the role of ‘architects’ in Christopher Nolan’s fantasy, creating a landscape intended to encourage reflection on reality and perception.
At the centre of the garden is a circular path, drawing on the impossible Penrose staircase, a series of steps that makes four 90° turns to fold back upon itself, creating the impression that it cannot be climbed nor descended. There are three levels of dreaming inside this loop.
After passing by a row of cypresses, we find a clearly structured world unfolding before us. The trees all in a line, coupled with the regularly spaced plants, create a calming and orderly rhythm. As if in an elusive fantasy, the dreamer continues on to the end of the path, where steps seemingly leading upwards actually lead nowhere at all. This marks the end of the first dream.
Order then gives way to chaos. Drought-resistant plants grow in loose, vibrant arrangements, forming a thick carpet. A black frame floats above another staircase, like an unopening door. It is in this unmet expectation that the second dream dissolves.
Yet another turn and the garden becomes wild. Tall grass sways, softening the view and blurring the direction. Slowly, the landscape transforms into a tranquil cypress forest, this return to harmony signalling the end of the dream.
A calm pool reflects the sky, trees and plants. Just like the dreamer’s subconscious, water accompanies the entire garden experience, a silent presence shaping the perception of what’s around us. Leaving the garden is a veritable ‘return to reality’. Reconnecting with the natural world allows us to find calmness and clarity in the here and now.
DESIGNERS
Lu Hongyan, co-founder and creative soul of Faith Studio, oversees the studio’s design direction and leads project delivery. She explores the subtle interactions between plants, space and people, drawing on a nature-inspired design language to create distinctive, vibrant outdoor spaces tailored to each client. With an international background and solid experience within a leading firm, she holds a Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture from Newcastle University (UK). She then worked at AECOM’s Shanghai office, a global leader in the field, contributing to complex projects across a range of scales and programs, from major landscaped public spaces to more discreet office and commercial developments. This experience enabled her to master the full process, from concept to completion, with particular expertise in shaping landscapes and designing sensitive, experiential sequences. In 2019, she founded Faith Studio, combining an international outlook with a practice rooted in the local context, and offering end-to-end, bespoke services for high-end private gardens. As both designer and project manager, she personally guides her team through every stage — site analysis, design intent and planning, construction, planting and finishing touches — to ensure the built result remains faithful to the initial ambition. Her projects include several carefully delivered gardens, notably the Shanghai Riverside Rooftop Garden and the Sheshan Dongjun Garden. She believes a garden is a place of dialogue between people and nature. For her, a project’s completion marks the start of its story: it calls for ongoing attention, patient observation, an awareness of the seasons, and an understanding of the lasting imprint it leaves on those who move through it.
Liu Youwei is a landscape designer with ten years of experience and a degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Sheffield. Specializing in the development and implementation of creative concepts, she focuses in particular on long-term planting design, sustainable construction, and the application of New Naturalism planting principles, in order to create spaces that are both ecologically dynamic and aesthetically enduring. Her professional path has been largely dedicated to advancing the practical application of New Naturalism within the Chinese context, exploring its adaptability and ecological benefits for local projects. In management roles, she has led project direction in planting design, overall planting planning, and the development of sustainable strategies. Notable projects include Shanghai Houtan Park and the planting design for Chengdu Vanhua Luxelakes Island. She began her career with research work at the Sheffield Botanical Garden, before joining Neri&Hu (Design Republic) and then AECOM’s Shanghai office. Now a Director at Faith Studio (Shanghai), she leads a team delivering comprehensive landscape responses, from design intent through construction, for programs ranging from private courtyards to large residential developments. Combining academic rigor, creative vision and on-site expertise, she translates clients’ expectations into outdoor environments that are sustainable, functional and harmonious.