In a flat area on the outskirts of the city of Tangshan, in the province of Hebei, China, you will find a beautiful contemporary house designed by the ARCHSTUDIO design studio. Surrounded by orchards, farmland, and rivers, the 820 sqm plot provides a stunning backdrop for this 265 sqm residence, which was built as a leisure and vacation space.

Inspired by traditional Chinese courtyard dwellings (Siheyuan), the house embraces an interior-focused design concept. Similar to Siheyuan's closed exterior and fully open interior courtyard, this residence also features rooms arranged around a central courtyard. However, the ARCHSTUDIO architects added their creative vision to the project, spreading four rooms on different sides of the plot, separating them from each other, and creating a roof over the central courtyard, which was transformed into a spacious hall with transparent and open exteriors. This approach allowed the hall to blend with the surrounding landscape while ensuring privacy in individual spaces and openness for reception activities.

The house's structure is based on a pedestal, with the four rooms independently arranged at each corner, outlining the boundaries of the residence. Each room has an internal courtyard, bringing landscape and natural light into the interior in different ways, tailored to their respective scales, all separated to avoid interference.

Under the four-pitched roof supported by the four rooms, there is a flexible public area intended for various activities, such as receptions, dining, and piano music. The presence of transparent glass windows and doors allows public activities to extend to the outdoor terraces, providing guests with the opportunity to enjoy the surrounding greenery.

The use of steel structures, exposed concrete, wood, and shale bricks creates a warm and natural atmosphere inside the residence. The brick walls are constructed in two vertical layers with a thermal insulation layer in between, ensuring energy efficiency and a consistent aesthetic appearance both inside and outside. In the internal courtyards, some areas of the brick walls have been left empty to allow natural ventilation and light penetration.

At night, the residence reveals an impressive interior landscape without compromising its intimacy. The perfect marriage of materials and careful integration with the surrounding nature make this house a true contemporary masterpiece inspired by traditional Chinese courtyards.

Project info:

Name: Courtyard villa in Tangshan
Location: Tangshan, Hebei, China
Architects: ARCHSTUDIO
Area: 265 sqm
Year: 2019
Photographs: Wang Ning
Manufacturers: Beijing Xinnan Wood Structural Engineer, CECEP Guohuan New Material, Hongya Bamboo Era Technology, Hunter Douglas, techsize
Lead Architect: Wenqiang Han
Architectural & interior design: Jiang Zhao, Bo Hu