Beijing traditional courtyard residence is the most significant architectural prototype forming Chinese cities since Yuan dynasty. Within the system of Beijing courtyard residence, houses form courtyard, which is called YUAN'er. And courtyards form alley, which is called HUTONG. Both two elements organized the urban pattern of old Beijing city.

Starting from the end of Qing Dynasty, due to battles, immigration and economy, the urban pattern has been damaged and the HUTONG living quality has been turning poorer and poorer. Nowadays, thousands of HUTONG and YUAN'er have disappeared and been abandoned.

This section consists of three projects, among which one is my final year project of the School of Design at PolyU, one is my practice of the concept and spatial strategy developed in my final year project in Beijing. The no.1 yuan’er hutong will turn to be a tourist center and cultural activity center for the Qianmen Eastern District area that performs an important role in awakening the old community while the no.2 yuan'er hutong is an extroversive SOHO for the creativity industry of BAITASI district. The no.2 yuan'er hutong got the finalist of the international competition of BAITASI courtyard reinvention.