{"id":115673,"date":"2017-09-07T18:04:47","date_gmt":"2017-09-07T18:04:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/interiordesign.net\/projects\/archstudio-converts-a-beijing-courtyard-house-into-bold-modern-compound\/"},"modified":"2022-12-01T11:17:24","modified_gmt":"2022-12-01T16:17:24","slug":"archstudio-converts-a-beijing-courtyard-house-into-bold-modern-compound","status":"publish","type":"id_project","link":"https:\/\/interiordesign.net\/projects\/archstudio-converts-a-beijing-courtyard-house-into-bold-modern-compound\/","title":{"rendered":"Archstudio Converts a Beijing Courtyard House Into Bold Modern Compound"},"content":{"rendered":"
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If you know <\/span>siheyuan, <\/span>you know Beijing well. The vernacular courtyard house typology, which dates back many centuries, is emblematic of the city’s vanishing historical neighborhoods, called <\/span>hutong, <\/span>and an elemental building block of temples and monasteries. The typical quadrangle’s main house, forming the courtyard’s southern edge, adjoins east- and west-facing “side houses” and, directly across, an “opposite house”—all serving different members of an extended family. Gardens and decorated pathways connect the four structures, accessed via a scarlet gate. The court’s slate or stone paving generally continues into the houses, reflecting the area’s indoor-outdoor lifestyle. <\/span><\/p>\n

As much as it represents Chinese culture, one 1,730-square-foot <\/span>siheyuan <\/span>in the Dashilar quarter of Beijing has been appropriated as a vision of change. Renovated by local firm Archstudio<\/a>, what was once a traditional single-story residence has become Twisting Courtyard house: a half-acre compound reflecting action, convert<\/span>ibility, and transformation. Octogenarian owner Wang Yan wanted a dynamic redo. “She loves culture and the arts and has several estates in courtyard areas,” firm principal Han Wenqiang<\/a> explains. The client envisioned a modern, multiuse property that could be booked by families or companies for activities such as retreats, business meetings, or overnight stays.<\/p>\n

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Choosing to largely retain the four original structures, Archstudio’s big move is deceptively simple: a curved ribbon of charcoal-gray courtyard pavers extends through the complex as a unifying gesture. Here and there, the undulating swath peels up to form sloping walls and roofs of various service zones, notably the all-white communal kitchen pairing solid surfacing with terrazo-like walls. Han calls the twist “the most difficult, radical, and controversial part” of the remake, subverting the “solemn and stereotyped impression” conveyed by the traditional <\/span>siheyuan.<\/span><\/p>\n

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