Micro Yuan'er Children’s Library & Art Centre - <p>Grey brick hutongs formed by a courtyard-and-alley system are emblematic of Beijing's traditional inner-city architecture, which still contends with modern, corporate redevelopments to shape the character of the city. The important tasks of preserving and revitalising the hutongs, on the verge of erasure, require particular sensitivity. The Micro Hutong Renewal series by Zhang Ke's <a href="https://admin.archnet.org/admin/authorities/3077" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ZAO/standardarchitecture</a> is a unique response to this delicate context, focusing on the small structures added to hutong courtyards by residents during the past 60 years. The first of these architectural achievements acquired international recognition as well as receiving Aga Khan Award for Architecture.</p><p><br></p><p>Scholarly essays across disciplines explore a range of topics related to Chinese contemporary architecture. They investigate the term Hutong Metabolism from different perspectives, including ironic allusions to historical movements and literal translations associating historical cities and their components with living organisms.</p><p><br></p><p>The practise of <a href="https://admin.archnet.org/admin/authorities/1987" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Zhang Ke</a>'s <a href="https://admin.archnet.org/admin/authorities/3077" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ZAO/standardarchitecture</a> is positioned within this architectural landscape against an in-depth historical backdrop. Beyond academic engagement with the topic, interviews with residents ensure a broad range of perspectives.</p><p><br></p><p>With contributions by<a href="https://admin.archnet.org/admin/authorities/10225" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Nondita Correa Mehrotra</a>, <a href="https://admin.archnet.org/admin/authorities/9822" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Farrokh Derakhshani</a>, <a href="https://admin.archnet.org/admin/authorities/10226" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kristin Feireiss</a> &amp;<a href="https://admin.archnet.org/admin/authorities/10232" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Hans-Jürgen Commerell</a>, <a href="https://admin.archnet.org/admin/authorities/10227" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kenneth Frampton</a>, <a href="https://admin.archnet.org/admin/authorities/10228" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Amanda Ju</a>,<a href="https://admin.archnet.org/admin/authorities/1987" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Zhang Ke</a>,<a href="https://admin.archnet.org/admin/authorities/6427" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Mohsen Mostafavi </a>and <a href="https://admin.archnet.org/admin/authorities/10229" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Martino Stierli</a>.</p>
Hutong Development Area
Type
book section
Year
2021

Grey brick hutongs formed by a courtyard-and-alley system are emblematic of Beijing's traditional inner-city architecture, which still contends with modern, corporate redevelopments to shape the character of the city. The important tasks of preserving and revitalising the hutongs, on the verge of erasure, require particular sensitivity. The Micro Hutong Renewal series by Zhang Ke's ZAO/standardarchitecture is a unique response to this delicate context, focusing on the small structures added to hutong courtyards by residents during the past 60 years. The first of these architectural achievements acquired international recognition as well as receiving Aga Khan Award for Architecture.


Scholarly essays across disciplines explore a range of topics related to Chinese contemporary architecture. They investigate the term Hutong Metabolism from different perspectives, including ironic allusions to historical movements and literal translations associating historical cities and their components with living organisms.


The practise of Zhang Ke's ZAO/standardarchitecture is positioned within this architectural landscape against an in-depth historical backdrop. Beyond academic engagement with the topic, interviews with residents ensure a broad range of perspectives.


With contributions by Nondita Correa Mehrotra, Farrokh Derakhshani, Kristin Feireiss & Hans-Jürgen Commerell, Kenneth Frampton, Amanda Ju, Zhang Ke, Mohsen Mostafavi and Martino Stierli.

Citation

Steingräber Cristina, editor. Hutong Development Area in Hutong Metabolism: ZAO/standardarchitecture. Berlin: ArchiTangle, 2021, pp. 26-85.

Parent Publications
Associated Sites
Copyright

Aga Khan Award for Architecture, ArchiTangle GmbH, ZAO/standardarchitecture and the contributors

Country
China
Language
English
Keywords