For the Beijing firm Neri&Hu, a deep understanding of the site condition yields the richest results. The Zhishan Residences in Taipei, or (more poetically) The Lattice, is a prime example. It’s situated in Zhishan, an area in the Shilin District that was “a gateway for foreign cultures.” And the architects drew from the city’s variegated street character to craft the project. “Alongside new glassy tall buildings, there co-exists charming arcaded low rises from the ’70s,” the firm notes in a press release, “while the sub-tropical climate allows for a lush greenery to thrive and interweave throughout the urban landscape.”

At first glance, those arcaded Taipei low rises are perhaps the most visible inspiration for the Zhishan Residences, with its high-end apartments ringed by copper-finished balconies featuring railings that appear as inverted arches. The scalloped motif is part of the firm’s aim to “embody a timeless aesthetic through the use of tectonic forms and tactile materials.” And it softens the scale of the building, which soars 17 stories while still feeling connected to the street.

On the north side of the site, the high-rise meets the street with a strong square edge. Its south side, by contrast, appears as a stepped, saw-toothed profile. The massing’s appearance, therefore, shifts with one’s perspective – heavy and assertive on the main elevation, dematerializing on the side. Adding to the nuanced effect is the grid-like facade: The open-cornered detail where the grey granite–clad columns and beams intersect feels sculpted – as if this high rise facade has been carefully carved into. The attention to detail here is another calling card of Neri&Hu’s.

The delicate metalwork lattice, again, emphasizes this. Within each frame of the facade grid, this inverted catenary screen of copper-toned metal both encloses the exterior spaces and adds a layer over the glazing behind them. Here, Neri&Hu is reinterpreting – and elevating – the many “flower grid” screens found on top of windows in old buildings throughout Taiwan. “The two opposing elements of structure and screen are working in harmony to achieve a delicate balance between masculine and feminine, historic and modern, cool and warm, rational and expressive.”

Inside, the common spaces are defined by a palette that honours classic, warm materials: terrazzo, stone, tile, walnut and brushed bronze all play major roles. It begins in the double-height lobby, an arched space sheathed in warm grey terrazzo – a neutral, pebbly blanket that further ensconces the mailbox area, lift lobby and lounge space. In the last of these spaces, the Vancouver brand Bocci has created a custom bronze and hand-blown glass pendant installation that provides a central focal point.

On the second floor, the small library overlooking the lounge also features a wide arch. These vaulted spaces again recall the buildings of old Taipei. And from the rooftop, where the city comes into full view, the amenities include a gym, an outdoor kitchenette and an event area — “all surrounded by lush plantings, with views outward towards majestic Yangming mountain and beyond.”

Neri&Hu is renowned for its works that celebrate the character of a place. In 2024, its Nantou Guesthouse in Shenzhen (or “Incision”) won an AZ Award for its considerate retrofit of a destitute high-rise into a building that puts the past in dynamic dialogue with the present. By layering the city’s many meanings into their works – both new-builds and renovations – the firm honours the collective memory of a place will helping it to adapt and evolve to today’s needs.