Whether the challenge is to fit three generations of a family in a 366-square-foot apartment or to salvage a historic house, the following projects are up to the task.

Starburst House by HAO Design Studio

HAO Design Studio exploits the awkward angles created by dramatic sloping ceilings in a 1,259-square-foot apartment in Beijing’s Haidian District by inserting a lofted mezzanine and tucking living spaces beneath it.

Qishe Courtyard by ARCHSTUDIO

ARCHSTUDIO restores a rundown traditional residence in the old quarter of Beijing, then inserts a glass-enclosed, curved veranda to wrap the interior courtyards and provide circulation.

Happy Valley Apartment by Lim + Lu

Sliding glass walls, cheerful ceramic tile, and a bright color palette refresh this old apartment in Hong Kong’s Happy Valley, in a remodel led by Lim + Lu.

A Modern Shaanxi Cave Dwelling by hyperSity

A Beijing-based firm converts a dilapidated cave dwelling into a gracious home. The new, rammed-earth volumes are interwoven with small courtyards to bring in plenty of natural light.

Pets Playground by Sim-Plex Design Studio

Located in Yuen Long, Hong Kong, this 453-square-foot residence makes easy cohabitation possible for a couple, one of their mothers, a cat, and a parrot. Sliding doors create flexible living spaces for the adults, while built-in furniture is utilized for both storage and the climbing cat.

Intertwine House by Wonder Architects

For this recent extension to a home in rural Yangqing, China, Wonder Architects mimicked the form of the surrounding homes, then wrapped the exterior in green tile. The new addition was then skillfully integrated with the older brick structure on the site.

A 1947 Shanghai House Remodel by RIGI Design

Sculptural elements—such as a perforated steel staircase and a bathroom vanity fashioned from bent metal—inform the modern remodel of this 1947 Shanghai house.

The Sea Captain’s House by Vector Architects

In a sea captain’s home on a stormy coastline in Southeast China’s Fujian Province, a vaulted third floor addition helps to divert rainwater off the facade and frames picturesque harbor views.

A House Within Thirteen Steps by L & M Design Lab

A 2017 remodel by L & M Design Lab maximizes a 366-square-foot flat in Shanghai for a family of five that includes three generations. The designers used the home’s diagonal axis to make the interior space feel larger, installed copious storage, and carved out room for everyone’s hobbies—from a piano for the grandmother to an elevated playroom for the granddaughter.

Mini Tree House Residence by NC Design & Architecture Ltd. (NCDA)

A remodel of a 370-square-foot apartment with 10-foot-high ceilings utilizes the vertical space with a lofted bedroom that overlooks the trees in a residential neighborhood of Ho Man Tin in Kowloon, Hong Kong.

Related Reading: 12 Projects Perched at the Cutting Edge of Chinese Architecture