The Courtyard House Plug-in is a modular home that was created by People’s Architecture Office to respond to the need of Beijing’s historic neighborhoods for modern facilities. [...]
This sort of living solution comes in handy when renovating old protected buildings and presents an alternative to tearing them down. “Houses tend to degrade when they’re vacant and unkempt,” says Shen, so plug-ins may help keep places like Hutongs alive despite their beat up look.
— popupcity.net
2 Comments
This worries me that the gap left between the old structure and the new panels will just hold moisture and thus deteriorate more rapidly than if it were left open. Like the plaxi panels used to "protect" historic stained glass windows that just make them rot even worse.
A lot of these hutong were subdivided and lost their original grandeur as courtyard houses. It would take more than a cosmetic intervention to open them back up. In fact this kit obscures the wonderful timber roof construction that makes these small rooms feel spacious.
There is enough money in Beijing - and most hutong are in desirable areas - that people would definitely restore them if the city allowed regular ownership of the houses. I don't think the city has done that, which is why they're left to decay. Or more often, redeveloped at much higher densities, which profits the city.
Where I could see these being useful are the socialist modern housing blocks built 30-40 years ago. Those buildings are functional, but badly need interior updates to feel nice. The unit layouts are very standardized, and the shell is pretty much entirely concrete with masonry infill which would accept these kits more easily.
MAD architects did a nice intervention that shows what's possible when residents feel secure investing in restoring these buildings.
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