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One bay house
One bay house
Beijing, China
Finalist, 2026 A+Awards, Residential - Residential Renovations & Additions
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Other Projects by Beijing Jimei Survey and Design Co., Ltd./集美建筑
One bay house
Beijing, China
Finalist, 2026 A+Awards, Residential - Residential Renovations & Additions
Chinese parents prioritize their children's education, often sacrificing living comfort for smaller, older homes in desirable school districts. Especially in Beijing, these properties are typically cramped and dilapidated within historic Hutong neighborhoods. This project presents an extreme case: occupying only a single bay essentially one-third of a single structure of traditional northern Siheyuan courtyard house, this project transforms an originally 30m space into a dignified home for six family members confronting Chinas pervasive "school district premium" phenomenon, where families sacrifice living quality for educational access. Through vertical layering and strategic deconstruction of the traditional timber framework, the design redefines hyper-density: a raised childrens study loft ensures privacy and focus, while offering a communal zone that hosts family gatherings without congestion, while preserving the traditional timber framework. The design demonstrates how extreme spatial constraints can nurture resilience, dignity, and intergenerational harmony, offering a replicable model for historic urban communities. Spatial Innovation Rejecting conventional corridor planning (which would compress room widths below usability thresholds), the design employs vertical stratification across five levels: 1.Entry Zone: A combined foyer-kitchen exploits temporal non-overlap of cooking/entry activities. 2.-0.6m Level: Semi-sunken bedrooms and bathroom carved into the existing foundation, leveraging thermal mass for climate stability. 3.+1.5m Platform: Elevated living/family area above the sunken zone. Integrated stairs double as bookshelves and reading nooksreflecting Unit d'Habitation principles in height differentials that physically separate the entry while creating multifunctional space. 4.+2.8m Mezzanine: A minimal-footprint bedroom suspended above the kitchen, preserving the original timber roof trusses over the living area. 5.Roof Level: Stair inserted between beams, extending through the roof to integrate with a lightweight annex, becoming a new bedroom above the original roof. The staircase bursting through the roof has profoundly ignited childrens imagination.
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