Box Courtyard

TAOA

Client: Private

Located in northern China, this project is a renovation of a detached house originally built in 2009. The homeowners, a couple approaching retirement, sought a serene sanctuary to embrace a new chapter of life steeped in leisure and peace.

As is common in northern climates, the original house was built with an enclosed form to withstand the harsh winters. Positioned in the center of the plot, it stood isolated, surrounded not so much by a courtyard as by vacant land. Its façade, punctuated by evenly spaced windows, offered only the necessary daylight—resulting in a monotonous and expressionless appearance. Moreover, the need for thermal insulation severed any meaningful connection between the interior and outdoor nature. The building functioned merely as a container for daily life—practical, yet uninspiring, lacking in spontaneity and vitality. In an era where architecture readily meets essential functional demands, the deeper pursuit lies in rediscovering inner freedom and a lifestyle of ease and authenticity. This transformation begins with the redefinition of boundaries—not those dictated by the original walls, but a new perimeter of daily life that extends to the edge of the site. The goal is to establish a new threshold that reclaims a grounded connection to nature, both physically and spiritually. Cast in concrete, a three-dimensional “box courtyard” takes form—solid and weighty. It anchors various semi-outdoor spaces with assertive, solidified boundaries, not only shaping space but also intensifying the atmosphere. The resulting sense of tranquility brings a quiet joy that gently unfolds in everyday life. From this foundation, the architecture begins to expand outward—unfolding a continuous and rhythmically shifting spatial sequence that gives form to a multi-dimensional courtyard. Each outdoor space corresponds intentionally with an interior counterpart, weaving the once-standalone building and its immediate site into a unified whole. What was once a solitary house now becomes the core of a fluid courtyard system. Semi-outdoor spaces beneath eaves extend daily life outdoors, reuniting interior and exterior into an integrated world. While these powerful boundaries bring clarity, they also risk inducing feelings of enclosure and confinement. To counterbalance this, parts of the roof are subtly lifted and supported—offering shelter from rain while inviting natural light and skyward views. More importantly, these lifted roof edges puncture the otherwise enclosed perimeter, sustaining a subtle connection to the natural world outside while preserving an overall sense of solidity and cohesion. This gesture reintroduces openness to the sky, bringing a gentle surprise into the quiet rhythm of courtyard life. Sunlight streams into the courtyard through carefully lifted openings—not simply illuminating the space, but imbuing it with a dramatic, nuanced ambiance. Within this austere concrete courtyard, the existing mature trees take center stage. Stretching skyward like verdant canopies, they enliven the courtyard with the rhythms of the ever-changing seasons.