Architect Frederic Schnee has modernised and extended a traditional house in Beijing by moving the courtyard onto the first floor so a shop can be accommodated at street level.
The original building is a typical example of a self-built residence that had undergone multiple adaptations over several decades in response to the changing needs of its occupants.
Schnee conducted a comprehensive analysis of the building's evolution and the general history of Beijing's vernacular architecture before setting about the process of modernising the site.
The research showed that, in 1959, the site was occupied by a simple house constructed in the traditional way with two rooms arranged on either side of a common central space. This main building was demolished and rebuilt twice in the subsequent decades.
A series of extensions and new additions erected in the yard gradually transformed the property into a courtyard house reminiscent of a Siheyuan typology that is common in Beijing's hutong districts.
Schnee将院子里的各种建筑都拆除，仅剩下重建于1997年的主楼。
建筑扩建部分沿用了典型的庭院形式，但在上部楼层，中央开放空间的周围围绕着功能用房。
Schnee's project began with the removal of the various structures from the courtyard. This left just the main hall, which was last reconstructed in 1997.
The new extension replicates the typical courtyard format, but elevates this combination of open space and surrounding rooms onto the upper storey.
Schnee解释说：“庭院住宅最重要的特点是它可以灵活地适应各种变化。”
“设计目标是将中庭和房间放置在二楼，同时将一层用作商业场所。”
建筑师将一层地坪降低，并在现有建筑内浇筑了全新的混凝土屋面，从而形成又一层空间。
"One of the most important characteristics of the courtyard house is its flexibility in accommodating growth and change," explained Schnee.
"The objective was to build a new courtyard house, by lifting the courtyard and creating a space for a convenience store on the ground floor."
The ground-floor level was lowered and a new concrete slab was poured inside the existing building to create an additional storey.
工人在院子里挖了地基，来支撑上部两层钢筋混凝土框架结构，一楼主要用于商业，而二楼则用于居住。
新建的房屋拥有规律的柱网，其间填充着砖块，柱字的排列依据房间的布局和风水学原理。
Foundations were excavated in the courtyard to support the reinforced-concrete frame of a two-storey extension containing the store on the ground floor and accommodation above.
A typical grid of columns forms the structure, which was then filled in with brick before the facade was added. The columns are arranged according to traditional room layouts and the principles of Feng Shui.
The existing main building faces south and its new upper floor now opens directly onto the light-filled, elevated courtyard.
The outdoor space is lined with simple brick-clad volumes containing large openings. The introverted U-shaped layout ensures privacy and prevents overlooking from neighbouring properties.
The facades combine the grey bricks traditionally used for construction in Beijing with red bricks more typically found in contemporary projects. These red bricks feature scorched surfaces resulting from their manufacture, which help unify the different tones.
Photography is by Frederic Schnee.
