台灣人口集居於都市，半畝塘「若山」系列高層住宅作品倡議將自然帶回都市，以高密度垂直綠化之技術，創造人與生態皆宜之居住環境。在這個脈絡之下，景觀設計揭示作品的核心價值，所採取的策略是以基地周邊十公里為調研範疇，傾聽新竹地區淺山系生態之美，以在地人文景觀為骨幹，原生植物及生態為內容，在充斥著水泥及硬鋪面的都市空間中，鋪排一處「自然」與「生活」的介面。
十公里的調研範疇橫跨了新竹地區的海濱、平原，乃至於丘陵地形，這是一個台灣原生景觀的縮影，小小的範圍即可囊括豐富的地形及生態樣貌。若山III的景觀設計反映了這個現象，建築周邊大面積的水域除了扮演調節微氣候的功能之外，更透過美學手法，營造出新竹地區「溪流型」、「湖泊型」以及「濕地型」等類型之生態棲地，富養頭前溪沿岸過往多元的原生淡水魚、蝦蟹，蛙類等生態。如此豐富的生態多樣性實則提供「生態系統服務」的功能，以復育生態的高標準，提供都市人口宜居的健康環境。
景觀當中豐富的植栽配置，除了選擇大量的原生植物之外，更在其中安排了許多可食性民俗植物，醞釀未來都市採集生活的可能性。與都市人行道的介面栽種果樹，椬梧、油甘、楊梅、橄欖、黃梔子等，成為一條與行人分享採集樂趣的人行道。由人行道往內，再依序鋪排環湖步道、石砌菜畦、窯灶、食堂，分野多層次的生活空間，讓住民可以依時序採集食物，收集落葉枯枝生火煮食，豐富都市生活。
因循將台灣淺山系生態之美帶回都市的設計思路，若山III的景觀實則思索當代台灣的園林美學，延續了收藏山林逸趣的文人庭園傳統。大面的水域空間成為「水廣場」，成為住民團聚的空間，水面一端是食堂，另一端則是戲台，以食物及表演聚集居民，上演屬於這座山的現代節慶。依循台灣亞熱帶的氣候條件，若山III的豐富的林相傳達台灣淺山系的山林之美，景觀呈現「多層次」、「邊界模糊」、「物種豐富」的美感，忠實反映這塊土地的地景美學，也開拓出屬於台灣的風格特色。
In the face of the rapid urbanization and the quick change of urban environment happen to Taiwan, BMT group launched an Eco-Housing project The Urban Mountain with an aim to restore the natural landscape in an urban built environment. The starting point of this project is to plant trees on every balcony to vertically form a green skin to three high-rise apartments. This approach not only shields heat from outside but also forms a wildlife corridor via tree canopies. The overall landscape thereupon is intended to bridge the gap between human’s living space and natural scene. The landscape designers started with field-study trips within Hsinchu County, obtaining relevant knowledge about flora and fauna. It helps designers find way to create a natural rural landscape in an urban built environment with an ethos native to the said areas.
The field trips within Hsinchu County cover seashores, plains, and mountain foothills, which characterizes the natural landscape of Taiwan, indicating the geographical and ecological diversity of this island. The landscape of The Urban Mountain III conveys this message. For instance, in addition to the function of regulating microclimate, a large amount of water landscape creates the miniature of wild brook, lake, and wetland. They provide habitats for different freshwater creatures, e.g. freshwater fishes, shrimps, craps, and frogs which have already disappeared in the urban environment. As a result, these restored wild creatures, as such, play an important role of an eco-system service—their existence in a built urban setting guarantees a healthy and pollution-free environment for humans.
The choice of plants is crucial to this eco-housing project. In addition to a variety of native plants species which are thought to be more adaptive to the local climate, The Urban Mountain III selects many edible plants with ethno-botanical values. It paves the way for the future urban foraging happened here. Residents are able to collect fruits, herbs, and flowers within their home landscape and, by doing such, retrieve the long-forgotten wisdom of identifying and feeding on native plants. The landscape is bordered by many edible trees. This is reckoned as a simple but friendly gesture to inviting passengers on the sidewalk to taste on seasonal fruits. The centre of the landscape is a dining hall, equipped with a wood-fired masonry oven, a permaculture farm, and circulating trails to suggest an urban/rural lifestyle.
The Urban Mountain III retrieves the scenery beauty of rural landscape back in the city to the effect that it gives new expressions for modern Chinese garden. An open-air stage stands by the side of the water landscape, ready for up-and-coming festive events. Audience members, gathering and sitting in the dining hall, are entertained by food and drama. This modern literati garden, typical of subtropical weather type, appears to transplanting the scene of Taiwanese mountain foothills in a built environment. It transcends the beauty of Taiwanese landscape, showing and believing a modern approach to reconsider a new landscape horizon arising on this island.