Building dreams amid nature

The house was built to have a life span of at least 40 years. Mu explains that usually the land lease can be renewed after the old one expires.

Because of the shape of Mu's house, the many corners present a different vista of the water-and-mountain scenes. The glass frontage gives the house a reflective mirror-like quality so you see the surroundings even with your back turned to them as you approach the building.

"I tried to make it as something that's one with nature," Mu says.

The idea is to let the house blend into its surroundings. One surprising feature is that the house doesn't have designated bedrooms which means the multipurpose rooms can be adapted at a moment's notice.

"My children can roll around on the floor, barefoot," Mu says.

The weekend hideaway, with plentiful fishing on offer, rabbits frolicking and pheasants dropping in, is just 90 minutes from downtown.

Mu says he wanted his 7-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son to sample the wonders of nature up close and personal.

Mu first considered a country life in 2005, the last year of his architecture studies at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan. He joined a program hosted by celebrated Taiwan architect Hsieh Ying-chun, along with more than 40 architecture students, to build cheap housing for the disadvantaged.