Chinese Courtyard House — style reimagining

Style

Chinese Courtyard House

Inspired by Heritage siheyuan tradition, Studio Zhu Pei, Vector Architects, AIM Architecture Beijing· no affiliation

Heritage square-courtyard plan + grey brick + glazed-tile roof + carved wood gate + interior garden — restored Beijing hutong residential.

• Square four-sided courtyard plan — four single-story wings enclosing a central interior courtyard (the canonical Han Chinese architectural unit).
• Grey-brick (qing zhuan) walls with hand-fired-tile (often muted-grey or green-glazed) roof.
• Heavy carved-wood entry gate (mendi) with painted vermillion or weathered-wood door panels and door drum stones (mendun).
• Curved upturned eaves on the corner pavilions — Han Chinese craft tradition.

Scope

Light remodel

New paint, siding, roof, and finishes — the structure stays put.

Replace the exterior materials in the chosen style while keeping every structural element exactly. Best for solid bones with dated finishes. This is what most renovations call 'a refresh.'

Typical cost

$150K–400K

Timeline

3–5 months