A Mint-Green Addition Freshens Up a Brick House in China
Wonder Architects fuse a crisp addition to a traditional brick home in Hou Heilongmiao Village.
Wonder Architects designed this tile-clad addition to emulate the gabled form of traditional brick buildings in Hou Heilongmiao Village in rural Yanqing, Beijing, China. Thanks to this site-sensitive approach, the Intertwine House draws on local architecture without erasing it completely.
Wonder Architects skillfully integrated the new addition with the older brick structure on the site, as well as the surrounding homes. The original structure held a wedding room that was built in the 1980s.
Zhu Yumeng
The tile-clad addition sits in the former yard of the wedding room, and now hosts the entry, dining room, and kitchen.
Zhu Yumeng
Get the Renovations Newsletter
From warehouse conversions to rehabbed midcentury gems, to expert advice and budget breakdowns, the renovation newsletter serves up the inspiration you need to tackle your next project.
Speaking about the project’s intent, the firm says: "Tear down and rebuild? Or worship history and keep it as it was? We feel that the dual relationship between the old and the new should be merged into a ‘communisme formel’–giving a new meaning to an object that’s already produced."
A view from above shows how the new tiled addition "intertwines" with the existing brick structure, and echoes the form of the homes in the village.
Zhu Yumeng
Roof terraces connect the two volumes on the lot.
Zhu Yumeng
A black-framed glass door provides street access. Steps form a path to the dining room and kitchen.
Zhu Yumeng
The new entryway is demarcated by a glass vestibule, and a series of stepped platforms descend from the front door to the kitchen and dining room. From here, a wide corridor leads to the more private areas in the brick shell. The stepped platforms and wood flooring create a unifying rhythm throughout the house, knitting old and new together across varying levels.
Occupants on the roof terrace can look down into the addition via the skylight. A narrow window over the table affords a view of the street, and the built-in table’s triangular shape saves space.
Zhu Yumeng
In the kitchen, a picture window frames a view of the older brick structure. The original structure’s mint-green window frames inspired the new design.
Zhu Yumeng
A corridor and exterior roof terraces connect the addition to the existing building.
Zhu Yumeng
Shop the Look
Daltile RetroSpace Ceramic Wall Tile
Reinvent mid-century modern styling with RetroSpace. The nostalgic effect of this wall tile dresses up your design with subtle character and color. Offered in three sizes, including subway tile, and a decorative geometric design.
ShopFritz Hansen Drop Chair
When the legendary Danish designer Arne Jacobsen was commissioned to develop the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen in 1958, he ended up designing almost every aspect of the hotel. Along with creating textiles, accessories, and custom built-in elements, he also designed a few new furniture pieces specifically for the project. As a result, he designed the Drop Chair and created a limited number of them for the hotel. After production ceased, the design was forgotten for more than 50 years, but was revived by Fritz Hansen in 2014. The teardrop-shaped shell comes in six colored plastic options, as well as upholstery in fabric or leather. Made of ABS plastic, its internal structure is reinforced with nylon, while the upholstered version is formed with cold-cured foam. Additionally, you can choose to have the tube legs in chromed or powder-coated steel.
ShopEero Aarnio Ball Chair
Ball Chair was designed by Eero Aarnio in 1963 and presented at the International Furniture Fair in Cologne in 1966, and it became Aarnio's international breakthrough. Eero Aarnio has always been fascinated by new materials and round shapes - one of his favourite materials is fibreglass, which gives the chair a free, elastic shape. The round shell of the Ball Chair is simple yet ingenious, and has often been referred to as a “room in a room”. Ball Chair is one of the best-known classics of Finnish design, even though its modernist, futuristic design differs from the natural and minimalist Scandinavian design traditions. Ball Chair can be found in the collections of design museums around the world, and during the decades it has been featured in numerous movies, music videos and magazine covers. The iconic piece is upholstered with Kvadrat's fabrics and comes in an array of colour combinations. Photo Courtesy of Finnish Design Shop
ShopThe existing building at the back of the the site holds a living room, two bedrooms, and two baths. White walls and light-colored wood flooring offset the preserved brick walls and timber framework at the ceiling.
A skylight inset into the tiled roof brings light into the interior.
Zhu Yumeng
Bedrooms bookend the living space in the middle.
Zhu Yumeng
Green tile covers the bathroom for consistency with the exterior. The steps lead up to a loft above the bathroom cube.
Zhu Yumeng
The roof terrace provides a private place to eat outdoors, as well as a view of the picturesque countryside.
Zhu Yumeng
Ground floor plan
Related Reading:
10 Ingenious Home Renovations in China That Defy Expectation
An Amazing Home Rises From an Abandoned Ruin in China
In Just 31 Days, These Historic Ruins Were Transformed Into a Chic B&B
Project Credits:
Architect of Record: Wonder Architects
Structural Engineer: GAO Xuemei
Published
Last Updated