Fans of Brick, Eat Your Hearts Out at This Suburban Renovation in Beijing - Dwell

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Project Details:

Location: Beijing, China

Architect: KiKi ARCHi / @kikiarch_jp_cn

Landscape Designer: WILD-SCAPE

Kitchen: TJM kitchenhouse

Photographer: Eiichi Kano

From the Architect: "Anna Garden is a renovation project located on a site surrounded by mountains in the suburbs of Beijing. The existing site is sloping, with an eight-meter height difference between the highest and lowest points. We wanted to connect the garden at the bottom of the site to the existing home at the hight point by extending the landscape into the building. As a result of this approach, the various elements of the site are seamlessly connected and it becomes one big garden.

"The original house has been retained, but the European facade decoration was completely stripped back and replaced by simple geometric blocks and rustic northern red bricks. Without fussy eaves, tiles, and window edges, the house returns to its original form. At the east main entrance, the original front porch is hidden behind the hollow brick wall that acts as a screen to increase privacy.

"The first floor is for living, while the second floor is for private rest. Wood, glass, concrete, and other natural materials reflect the mountain environment, and the red brick elements echo the materiality of the original building. Large glass folding doors enclose the verandas on the ground floor, bringing in plenty of sunlight and eliminating the boundary between inside and outside. Inside, the landscaped elements of the curved staircase in the garden are continued. When the glass folding doors are fully opened, the boundaries between the dining room, living room, teahouse, and the garden disappears.

We wanted to use topography and vegetation to soften the edges of the building and add a wild, natural feeling. The pergola at the entrance of the garden has a herringbone frame that echoes the roof form of the building. On the north side of the house, there are a series of curved terraces that create several playgrounds, with a small brick tea house at the lower level."