The project is located at the southwest corner of the intersection of Xuanwumen Inner Street and Xinwenhua Street. Xuanwumen Inner Street was an official road outside Shunchengmen during the Yuan Dynasty and was called Xuanwumen Street during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. To the north of the eastern section of Xinwenhua Street is Lu Xun Middle School and the former site of Beiping Women’s Normal University.
The original old house has a history of over 200 years, and the original wooden structure and brick walls have been severely damaged. Before the renovation, it was a well-known restaurant. The renovation design involves cleaning the dining bar equipment and placing a rectangular courtyard space inside the L-shaped overall courtyard (BIM design), fully utilizing the inward facing characteristics of the courtyard to solve factors such as natural lighting and ventilation; At the same time, the irregular courtyard will be naturally divided into four parts:
▲ Plan view
▲ Sectional perspective
The north side is set as a public area for receiving guests near the entrance; On the east side are auxiliary areas such as kitchen, storage room, and bathroom, which are connected to the main entrance; On the west side is the restaurant and bar area, maintaining maximum connectivity with the central courtyard; The south side is a relatively private and independent area, which can also be transformed into a suite with an independent bathroom; The indoor spaces in each area remain continuous, collectively surrounding the central outdoor courtyard. The design strives to leave more flexibility and potential for modification to the indoor space.
The renovated main street gate and the horse stone in front of it have been preserved in their original form, faithfully recording history; The courtyard walls on the street are decorated with vivid details on the thick walls, which are not only sturdy and solemn, but also carefully dressed, becoming an artistic landscape in the streets and alleys. The Chinese style wooden structure preserved indoors reflects the traditional architectural features of the local area, while the subtle details of the modern architectural structure added later give the space some fresh and lively characteristics.
▲ Axonometric diagram
The mixture of old and new materials, the transition between interior and exterior spaces, and the dramatic passage of time are recorded. The dyed cedar maintains its natural texture and color, while the exposed Qing Dynasty wooden beams, dark granite slabs, and white brushed glaze create a relaxed and comfortable feeling. Standing quietly among them, as if one can feel the slow flow of a hundred years.
The scenery on the roof, between the roofs of the north and south houses on the green brick and tile slope (BIM training), is designed to borrow the existing flat roof structure of the east and west houses and lay an elevated anti-corrosion wooden roof, forming two viewing platforms. This not only enriches the vertical hierarchy of the indoor courtyard and outdoor space, but also provides a natural insulation layer for the flat roof building.
Climbing up the stairs in the central courtyard to the roof, one can see the four seasons of this old Beijing city all year round: everything is blooming in spring, the scorching sun in summer is like fire, the wind in late autumn rolls the remaining leaves, and the white snow in winter. This kind of life and feeling closely related to nature is the true meaning of revitalizing old buildings through renovation.
Project Information:
Designer: Super+Partners
Address: New Culture Street, Xidan, Xicheng District, Beijing, China
Category: Update Project
Lead Architects: Su Bo, Fan Kai, Yu Leijian, Sun Yue
Design team: Ye Longsheng, Luo Lihua, Zhang Heng
Building area: 185.0 m2
Project Year: 2019
Photographer: Chen He
Manufacturer: Kohler
Construction team: Hu Ji Cultural and Creative
Owner: Beijing Ziting Cultural Development Co., Ltd
Homestay consultant: Hu Ji Cultural and Creative
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