House, renovation
Beijing. 2023
Under construction
Beijing. 2023
Under construction
Z House is an ongoing residential project that reuses stone and wood rural structure in Dahuashan Town, far east of Beijing, designed for Zhang’s parents.
It’s undergoing construction since Fall 2023 and is expected to be finished by Spring 2024.
Z House is specifically designed for two elderly people to inhabit throughout Spring and Summer seasons. Following the layout of a traditional courtyard house, it measures around 355 square meters (3821 sq ft) in area, or 22 meters by 16 meters, with the house measuring 165 square meters (690 sq ft) to its north. The old tree in the courtyard exceeding 30 meters in height became an emotional gravitation center for the entire house. The courtyard entry inflects towards the center of the tree and divides the courtyard and the house: to its west side, the dwelling program facing a landscape garden; to its east side, the cooking and hosting program facing a farming garden.
This project reuses the main skeleton of the existing rural construction. Its wood column, beam and rafter system follows the traditional Chinese timber structure, though in coarse manners. With the rafters and entire roofing replaced, we were able to straighten the pitched roof while adding two new overhang eaves. The cobblestone wall infills were straightened and refurbished, its stone foundation reinforced with concrete. The rhythmic grid lines transfer from structures to spaces.
It’s undergoing construction since Fall 2023 and is expected to be finished by Spring 2024.
Z House is specifically designed for two elderly people to inhabit throughout Spring and Summer seasons. Following the layout of a traditional courtyard house, it measures around 355 square meters (3821 sq ft) in area, or 22 meters by 16 meters, with the house measuring 165 square meters (690 sq ft) to its north. The old tree in the courtyard exceeding 30 meters in height became an emotional gravitation center for the entire house. The courtyard entry inflects towards the center of the tree and divides the courtyard and the house: to its west side, the dwelling program facing a landscape garden; to its east side, the cooking and hosting program facing a farming garden.
This project reuses the main skeleton of the existing rural construction. Its wood column, beam and rafter system follows the traditional Chinese timber structure, though in coarse manners. With the rafters and entire roofing replaced, we were able to straighten the pitched roof while adding two new overhang eaves. The cobblestone wall infills were straightened and refurbished, its stone foundation reinforced with concrete. The rhythmic grid lines transfer from structures to spaces.
The method of design and construction is coherent here - both low-technology and site-specific. Between old and new is an attitude that they coexist in authentic presentation: anything old remains heavy and coarse, anything new lands lightweight and polished. Plaster applied over the old gray brick appears to be a new amendment of the ruined existing.
Existing structure is shown in pink in sections.
Existing structure is shown in pink in sections.