Courtyard House in the North Cashijiang / xian Architects

Architects: xian Architects
Location: Beijing, China
Principal Architect: Yanshi Wang
Structural Engineer: Su Liu
Area: 430.0 m2
Project Year: 2018
Photographs: Ting Bai

Text description provided by the architects. The site is located on a secluded corner of Cashikou village，which is located within a mountainous area embraced by a forest of chestnut trees. Walking towards the north one could reach the Great Wall and cliff inscriptions. The Cashikou Great Wall lies on the peak of the north-eastern mountain, which you can see from Cashijiang.

The site contains a farm house facing south, with low walls separating the inner and outer courtyard. The principal house was built in 1970s, and its five-bay contains one living room and two bedrooml, with a rather broad proportion. Its bricks, woodwork and roof are also all made with the finest local craft.

Originally, the interior walls and ceilings were all covered with paper. Papers were also plastered on windows. With the use of heated kang, it can well survive a severe winter. The 80 cm projecting cornice ensures sufficient sunlight in winter and a cool interior in summer.It is a great honor to renovate this supreme principal house in the mountains.

Besides the principal house, other buildings in the inner courtyard are all newly constructed. By sinking the courtyard, decreasing the depth of the building, and lowering the cornice, the design ensures the wideness of northern farm houses while maintaining the grandeur of the main building.

In the outer courtyard, the original vegetable sheds and fields are transformed into resting platform and gardens. On the east side, the original storage is changed into a workshop and a tea room. On the platform of the outer courtyard, the water sink is lifted as if suggesting a sort of ritual.

As a small-scale building located within the large-scale environment with 50 years of history, we hope the building could have an intrinsic and sophisticated response to both its interior and exterior conditions.