Modern hutong house in Beijing is designed using Passivhaus principles
Shiyuan by Days in Yard Studio is a contemporary hutong house redesign in Beijing that makes the most of Passivhaus sustainability principles
This modern hutong house design in the heart of Beijing sits between two ancient temple clusters – the north-east watchtower turret of the Palace Museum and the Zhizhu Temple. In such a historical and precious environment, the architects at Days in Yard studio knew they had to think long and hard about their approach when they embarked on the redesign of a Chinese hutong house – hutongs being the alleyways with clusters of small-scale dwellings found in parts of Beijing, of which now only a handful remain intact – into a contemporary family home. The result, named Shiyuan (as such traditional courtyard houses as known), is an elegant feat of sustainable architecture, maintaining its period character while employing 21st-century Passvhaus principles.
Traditionally, the courtyard of a hutong house serves both as a private space and a meeting place, the architects explain. Similarly, in this modern rework, the studio kept the outdoor area at the core of the plan open. It is visible from most parts of the home, becoming the heart of the domestic space. The project fittingly combines a residence for an architect's family, with extra space for a design office and more social areas, which the creative uses for events and cultural activities.
Modern hutong house for an architect’s family
Much of the original building fabric was compromised, with many architectural elements, such as parts of the timber structure or the masonry walls, either being irreversibly damaged over the years or missing entirely. Restoring these features, while reworking openings and vistas and considering neighbours’ views and lighting requirements in what is a very tight-knit urban context, were all paramount in the design development.
’When I took over the remodelling of this courtyard, we did have quite a few available precedents to follow regarding ancient building construction. For instance, we have observed more than a few cases and relevant examples in garden designs, contemporary space design approaches, and fresh use of materials. The questions we have raised here are: how to make a return to courtyard lifestyle more liveable? What technical standards could be used for reference?’ recalls project architect Haipeng Ren.
The answer was found in the Passivhaus principles, which allowed for the home to preserve its character while opening up. Now, the interior connects both different rooms, through views through and lack of hard dividers between areas, and exterior and interior spaces, thanks to the key role the courtyard plays. The result is an ecologically sensitive design that brings the respected, valuable historical typology to the 21st century, while creating a comfortable family home.
INFORMATION
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
The 2024 Ivor Novello nominations for songwriting have been revealed
77 British and Irish songwriters and composers make up this year's nominees, announced tonight at London's Groucho Club
By Charlotte Gunn Published
-
Why Bollinger’s La Grande Année 2015 champagne is worth celebrating
Champagne Bollinger unveils La Grande Année 2015 and La Grande Année Rosé 2015, two outstanding cuvées from an exceptional year in wine-making
By Melina Keays Published
-
Lexus installation explores time at Milan Design Week 2024
Lexus brought designer Hideki Yoshimoto’s ‘Beyond the Horizon’ to Milan’s Art Point, part of its ongoing series of collaborations with Fuorisalone
By Nargess Shahmanesh Banks Published
-
Sustainable architecture: innovative and inspiring building design
This is sustainable architecture at its best: from amazing abodes to centres of care and hard-working offices, these buildings not only look good but also do good
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Slot House sets a high bar for sustainable architecture in Utah
Slot House, an energy-efficient mountain retreat in Utah, by local practice Klima Architecture, sets the bar high
By Eva Hagberg Published
-
A Chinese island house brings luxury minimalism to seaside living
L House by AD Architecture is a Chinese island house that bridges luxury minimalism and seaside living
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Spruce house offers a minimalist take on sustainable architecture
Spruce House, London practice Ao-ft’s debut project, is a carefully crafted timber house that perfectly slots into its urban landscape
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Extraordinary escapes: where would you like to be?
Peruse and lose yourself in these extraordinary escapes; there's nothing better to get the creative juices flowing than a healthy dose of daydreaming
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Vinu Daniel on the glory of garbage in architecture and Chuzhi House
With an ethos of reuse and local sourcing, architect Vinu Daniel of Wallmakers is rewriting the rulebook for sustainable architecture and wins Best Earth Builder at the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2023
By Vaishnavi Nayel Talawadekar Published
-
Year in review: top 10 houses of 2022, selected by Wallpaper* architecture editor Ellie Stathaki
Wallpaper’s Ellie Stathaki reveals her top 10 houses of 2022 – from modernist reinventions to urban extensions and idyllic retreats
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Roz Barr’s terrace house extension is a minimalist reimagining
Terrace house extension by Roz Barr Architects transforms Victorian London home through pared-down elegance
By Nick Compton Published