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Best Modern Examples of Ancient Courtyard Renovations in China


Best Modern Examples of Ancient Courtyard Renovations in China

Chinese courtyard homes are some of the widespread housing typologies spanning all the best way from the northern capital of Beijing to the poetic southern cities Hangzhou and again to the picturesque areas of Yunnan. Typically referred as heyuan, these courtyards homes are merely a “yard enclosed on 4 sides.”

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Traditionally, heyuans had been giant single-family houses, constructed to accommodate a number of generations of descendants, thus the important gathering place for micro-communities. Today, nonetheless, many heyuans in China are faced with the challenges of encroaching urban development. The national reforms of the 1950s divided up many existing courtyards to be occupied by multiple families and groups, exhausting ancient sanitation systems nationwide.

These practical circumstances together with market-driven conditions have sparked a renewed interest among architects, to upgrade the conditions of these ancient courtyards and explore the spatial and conceptual possibilities of the typology within their fast-changing urban fabric.


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Micro-Yuan’er / ZAO/standardarchitecture. Image © Mingming Zhang
Zhu’an Residence / Zhaoyang Architects. Image © Hao Chen
Courtyard House Plugin en Masse – Second Phase / People’s Architecture Office. Image Courtesy of People’s Architecture Office (PAO)
One Person Gallery / Wutopia Lab. Image © SHAO Feng
Tea House in Li Garden / Atelier Deshaus. Image © Fangfang Tian
Cave House in Loess Plateau / hyperSity Architects. Image Courtesy of hyperSity Architects
Eight Tenths Garden / Wutopia Lab. Image © CreatAR
Dongyuan Qianxun Community Center / Scenic Architecture Office. Image © Shengliang Su
Transform and Rethink / Hu Yue Studio. Image © Chaoying Yang + Su Chen
Bamboo Forest on the Roof / V STUDIO. Image © Weiqi Jin
Yi She Mountain Inn / DL Atelier. Image © Haiting Sun
Shidao Resort / Duoxiang Studio. Image © Haiting Sun + Chen Bai
Fuchun Kosa Zou Ma Lou / Atelier Archmixing. Image Courtesy of Atelier Archmixing
Xiezuo Hutong Capsule Hotel in Beijing / B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio. Image © Ruijing Photo
HE-Restaurant / GOA. Image Courtesy of GOA
Twisting Courtyard / ARCHSTUDIO. Image © Weiqi Jin + Ning Wang
Teahouse in Hutong / ARCHSTUDIO. Image © Ning Wang

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