Baochao Hutong

Invisible Yard for DAGA Architects

This small courtyard is located in a hutong in Beijing, where the client lived with her grandparents when she was a child. However, the house has been dilapidated due to years of wandering. The purpose of this renovation is to create a living space suitable for the modern lifestyle for the client. Mirror glass is used on the ground and walls of the yard. The unique reflectivity of the material allows the surrounding hutongs, trees, and sky to be reflected on the ground of the yard, which brings more possibilities to space.

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Baochao Hutong by DAGA Architects

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Unique Properties

This courtyard is located in the Beijing Hutong area with an area of 12 sqm. Mirror glass is used on the ground and walls of the yard. When the owner steps into the door, she will be surrounded by the perspective effect of specular reflection, which increases the permeability of the space and gives people a double landscape experience. The unique reflectivity of the mirror allows the surrounding hutongs, trees, and sky to be reflected on the ground of the yard, which brings more possibilities to space.

Tags

Architecture, Renovation, Interior Design, Courtyard, Transparent, DAGA

Production Technology

Mirror glass is mainly used for the ground and wall part of the yard. The unique reflectivity of the material can make the surrounding hutongs, trees and sky map to the ground of the yard, bringing more possibilities to the space. Since the small courtyard is only about 12 ㎡ with a long and narrow shape. The glass mirrors of the ground and walls enlarge the area of the courtyard visually. When the owner steps into the door, she will be surrounded by the perspective effect of specular reflection. In the transformation, the dis-repaired wooden structure has been strengthened, and the facade has been changed into the form of glass curtain wall. The transparent curtain wall added day-lighting to the interior space, allowing the line of sight to penetrate each other on both sides of the courtyard.

Design Challenge

The courtyard is really small and narrow with a square of 12㎡, in order to make it visually spacious, mirror glass is used on the ground and walls of the yard. The unique reflectivity of the material allows the surrounding hutongs, trees, and sky to be reflected on the ground of the yard, which brings more possibilities to space. This kind of interaction between virtual and reality is more prominent. People in the scene, people also in the mirror, in the layered reflection and transparent contrast, give people a sense of space experience like a dream.

Project Duration

The project started in June 15th 2020 and finished in June 29th 2020 in Beijing, took only 14 days.

Operation Flow

The design of the mirror gives the building an interesting relationship with its surroundings: the mirrored ground reflects the surrounding environment, and the building is surrounded by trees and sky as if it disappears in the environment. The owner can take a glimpse of the changes in the surrounding environment in the room, and the ground turns into a huge picture, reflecting and changes in nature. At the same time, the mirror also blurs the boundaries of internal and external, blurring the boundary between virtual and real. The scene flowing in the mirror made the yard move, refreshing people's hearts with invisible poetry. People's sight seems to be lost in the unreachable landscape, and the scenery reflected in the mirror is close at hand.

Research

Type of Research: Applied research practice Research Objectives: To explore a design language in a house renovation project in Hutong to bring back memories and histories and connect people and buildings through creating new contrast and integration between people, house and the Hutong community. Methodology: The core construction method is to use mirror. Mirror glass is used on the ground and walls of the yard in order to accept the environment (hutongs, trees, and sky) into the house. This allows to create and kaleidoscope which means a collection of Greek words such as KALOS (beautiful), EIDOS (shape), and SCOPE (watch) Data Collection and Research Tools: Data are obtained from client and remeasured. Kaleidoscope is an essential concept for this house. Using mirror and black bricks allows us to express the design concept: reflecting and transparentizing surrounding spaces and local community environments. Participants or Experiments: DAGA Architects and the client. Results, Insights and Impacts: A living space suitable for the modern lifestyle has been created, and the life marks of those hutongs that have been awaken. This 'invisible yard' has positively impacted a client and a local hutong community. Most of the buildings in Hutong are old and dilapidated. This house with light and mirror brings new modern features and create new identity, refreshing local residents' memories and history. Effect of the Research in Real-Life Phenomena: Effect of the research in real life phenomena : Renovating a house in a plot does not mean fixing one architectural building in a community. It needs to be connected with local residents, visitors, and people living around that area. Using mirrors and the existing bricks, this building is naturally placed in the hutong area. The spaces are connected through visibility, lights, and unique materials in Hutong.

Inspiration

Mirror glass is used on the ground and walls of the yard. The unique reflectivity of the material allows the surrounding hutongs, trees, and sky to be reflected on the ground of the yard, which brings more possibilities to space. This kind of interaction between virtual and reality is more prominent. People in the scene, people also in the mirror, in the layered reflection and transparent contrast, give people a sense of space experience like a dream.

Image Credits

Image #1 : Photographer Jin Weiqi, Baochao Hutong Mirror Yard, 2020. Image #2 : Photographer Jin Weiqi, Baochao Hutong Mirror Yard, 2020. Image #3 : Photographer Jin Weiqi, Baochao Hutong Mirror Yard, 2020. Image #4 : Photographer Jin Weiqi, Baochao Hutong Mirror Yard, 2020. Image #5 : Photographer Jin Weiqi, Baochao Hutong Mirror Yard, 2020.

Project Overview

Baochao Hutong Invisible Yard has been a Silver winner in the Architecture, Building and Structure Design award category in the year 2021 organized by the prestigious A' Design Award & Competition. The Silver A' Design Award celebrates top-tier designs that embody excellence and innovation. This award acknowledges creations that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly functional, reflecting the designer's deep understanding and skill. Silver A' Design Award recipients are recognized for their contribution to raising industry standards and advancing the practice of design. Their work often incorporates original innovations and elicits a strong emotional response, making a notable impact on the improvement of everyday life.

Silver Recognition

DAGA Architects was recognized with the coveted Silver A' Design Award in 2022, a testament to excellence of their work Baochao Hutong Invisible Yard.

DAGA Architects Press Releases

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Baochao Hutong: A Unique Invisible Yard Design by DAGA Architects Wins Silver A' Design Award

DAGA Architects' Baochao Hutong project, an innovative "Invisible Yard" design, has been awarded the prestigious Silver A' Design Award in 2022 for its outstanding creativity and exceptional use of mirror glass technology.

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