Tree Courtyard / Atelier Jian

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  • Architects: Atelier Jian
  • Area Area of this architecture project Area:  41
  • Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2018
  • Photographs
    Photographs:Peixin Chen
  • Lead Architect: Peixin Chen
  • Design Team: Peixin Chen, Zhe Chang
  • Client: Atelier Jian, XYZ Studio
  • City: Dongcheng
  • Country: China
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Looking at the office from the staircase. Image © Peixin Chen

Text description provided by the architects. Site is located at the south-west corner of a mixed-used courtyard in Xiaojingchang Hutong in Beijing. The site is only 26.1㎡ with four sides connected with the neighbors. The relationship of the jujube tree and toon tree at the entrance with the side provides the foundation of a conversation between architecture and nature.

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Tree shadow projecting on the north wall. Image © Peixin Chen

Exploration of space begins with the prototype of “Siheyuan”, four-sided enclosed courtyard. With the site constrained, the building is enclosed on four-sides. Within the perimeter walls, inner space opens up to nature through a courtyard. Under the constraint of space, the central courtyard is compressed into patio on one side. This kind of enclosed courtyard with a narrow patio is a typical spatial typology in Chinese vernacular architecture, where the enclosed perimeter wall provides privacy and opens inward to nature.

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Perspective section

The building consists of two floors and a roof deck. The first floor is a multi-use space: tearoom, social space, conference room, mobile working and dining. Quality of the space throughout the day changes as the light fells from the skylight and patio among different times.

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Light enters the second floor from the skylight. Image © Peixin Chen
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Natural light from the skylight. Image © Peixin Chen
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Natural light from the skylight. Image © Peixin Chen

The second floor is perfect for daily office use with ample lighting. The stairs to the terrace using 8mm steel plates cantilever from the wall appearing aloft also allowing light to enter the lower level.

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1F plan

The north wall is the most expressive sectionof the building. Light shines through the jujube leaves, the shadow hitting on the white wall surface, changing with time and weather.

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Entrance. Image © Peixin Chen

The roof deck furthers the conversation between the building and the jujube tree. The design with the cushion and low tea table is intended to lower the body, wrapped around by the jujube tree, building a dimension under the tree for meditation. On the west side, wooden planters are placed as railings to ensure privacy. At the dusk, people sit facing west, through the silhouette of the flowers in the planter, enjoying the sunset.

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Jujube Tree. Image © Peixin Chen
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Axonometric Section

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Project location

Address:Xiaojingchang Hutong, Beijing, China

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Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
About this office
Cite: "Tree Courtyard / Atelier Jian" 09 Aug 2019. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/922625/tree-courtyard-atelier-jian> ISSN 0719-8884

Counter and book shelves. Image © Peixin Chen

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