Traditionally, tou-tian described the relationship between man and nature, while lian-dong suggested a dependent relationship between neighbors. Nowadays the contemporary version has lost this connection to its original intensions: although people have land, the relationship between neighbors and nature has greatly diminished. The Light-house project encourages the spatial encounters in connection with the natural environment by introducing “breathing pockets” between spaces and within each level: courtyards, balconies, terraces, and light wells. These elements are designed in relationship to their internal staircases, rooms and open spaces in order to generate a layered spatial relationship vertically and horizontally within each multi-leveled unit, creating private spaces within open spaces and generating a sense of retreat within a vast space.