Located in the heart of Sanlitun Beijing, Marina Residence is a Beijing Courtyard Residence in Tuanjiehu District, next to East Third Ring Road. The original site consists of a series of existing buildings with different heights and structures. In spite of their architectural differences, the design aims to “re-connect” to complete as a whole:  

1. re-connect the building blocks through new bridges and links;

2. re-connect with the past through the courtyard space;

3. re-connect with street and neighborhood through the porous facade;

4. re-connect people through the newly defined public space programs.  

After demolition of some temporary structures, the project design re-configures and re-connects the separate building blocks into a new Courtyard complex, by formulating internal exterior courtyards and roof garden landscapes. Each of them is unique in spatial configuration and program and conveys a special quality and atmosphere.  

There are four courtyards along north-south axis. The residence rooms surround the courtyards. This allows for maximum sunlight and ventilation as well as landscape connections to the green courtyard space. There is a gym connected to first courtyard. The second courtyard has a new steel structure that forms the main public lounge area. Each courtyard is designed with a unique program to create community lifestyle culture with the complex.  

Existing facade is partially preserved but renovated with red brick and glass curtain wall design with charcoal color frame. The red brick facade is designed to be porous to allow openness to the street and neighborhood.  

Roof Landscape  

The buildings consisted of one level and two level structures and there are five roof gardens on the lower roof. They form a secondary landscape that the rooms connect to as well as open green space for the neighborhood buildings. The roof gardens are also designed as functional outdoor space for leisure and event purposes.  

Landscape Courtyard concept   

There are several large trees on site. Four of them are preserved at existing locations while four are relocated to the new courtyard to allow for reconstruction.   

The project design has four courtyards along north south with the rooms surrounding. This allows for maximum sunlight and ventilation as well as landscape connections to the green courtyard space. Each courtyard is designed with a unique program to create community lifestyle culture with the complex.  

The first courtyard: Spring Court is the largest courtyard located near entrance. It has been designed with stepped wood platform terrace for outdoor gathering and movie projection. The gym is located at the north side of the Spring Court and is connected through a full height glass curtain wall.  

The second courtyard: Summer Court is next to the main interiors breakfast & lounge space. There is glass folding door partitions that can open completely to the courtyard and create ambiguous interiors and exteriors connection.  The ground is layer with grey bricks with grass in between.  

The third courtyard: Fall Court is a U shaped courtyard with a large old tree. The building massing is cut back to avoid and has created a very interesting relationship with the old tree. The rooms’ windows all open towards this courtyard that has most green landscape.  

The fourth courtyard: Winter Court is the smallest. It is directly opened to the street through the porous red brick facade with a bamboo screen behind. This created a multiple layered relationship between the Winter Court and the external street. The Winter Court has large concrete mat with black river stones to create a zen garden. There will be outdoor wood furniture for leisure purpose.