Beijing Hutong

Intervention in the heart of the classic urban fabric of the Chinese capital

direct mandate – completed

Location | Beijing China • Client | private • Collaboration | Sinapolis • Type | Heritage regeneration • Project period | 2010 • Surface area | 80 m² • Cost | 10 000 €

The question of the regeneration of the classic urban fabric of the Chinese capital still remains without a real global answer. Having once been very clearly structured around an empty square area, the Siheyuan is nowadays colonised by a multitude of self-built micro buildings which fill and densify the old courtyard in order to meet the need for space.

This project attempts to provide an alternative to this situation by proposing a modest and economical intervention. Our first task was to remove these additions in order to redefine a new empty space. Our architectural approach moves away from stylistic mimicry while drawing on the heritage of material and formal references that have evolved over time.

Photographs • Theo