Hufangqiao, located in the periphery of Qianmen historical area, is a dilapidated block with vacant courtyard houses and desolate hutongs that are to be pulled down and substituted by new buildings for commercial purposes. Such circumstances are happening all over Beijing, and the best efforts architects can make is to respect the historical context and create a new history in the design of new buildings. The project focuses on representing the character and spirit of the site in a transformative way, celebrating both history and future. Spaces are designed both for human experience and for city image, with human-scale alleys, courtyards, roof gardens and urban facades that are distintive and combined with natural landscape.
THU Spring 2015 Architecture Studio | Beijing Hufangqiao Urban Complex Design Instructor | Weiguo Xu
