Connective Courtyard

08/ 2016    
        ‘Siheyuan’ is a metaphor of old Chinese society.
Historically, it served as the typical housing type for Beijing inhabitants, as varying room orientations reflected the family hierarchy and provided a private courtyard for daily uses. However, due to lack of preservation, the historical districts and “Siheyuan” traditional courtyard housing have become derelict and subsequently demolished. This has led to the recession and deterioration of the once intimate “Hutong” community which is endemic to Siheyuan housing.
In order to revive the historical Siheyuan and the Hutong communities, this project studies the formulation of traditional courtyard architecture, and focuses on renovating one of the abandoned Siheyuan in Qianchaoshou neighborhood. By creating an internal street within the site, the proposed concept removes niches that are prone to deterioration, and links the old neighborhood with arts amenities. This project aims to revive not only the traditional structures, but also the long-lost cultural heritage that once exhibited in ‘Hutong’ community.