AML design studio has refurbished a countryside building to form a residence for a retired farmer, along with an additional homestay, in beijing, china. combining red and white brick surfaces, the design intends to generate a simple, peaceful environment surrounded by a raw, rural scenery with a strong domestic character.

aml design studio designed houses and guesthouses for 80 year olds in the countryside around beijing china 1
all images courtesy of AML design studio

 

 

the original building adopts the traditional three-sided enclosed courtyard typology. in its intervention, AML design studio removed 1/3 of the rooms on the east and the west side, to replace the south side of the courtyard enclosure with a box and linear low walls. these design features open up the visual contact from inside toward the exterior rural environment, creating a direct connection with it. in this way, the courtyard is not isolated anymore.

aml design studio designed houses and guesthouses for 80 year olds in the countryside around beijing china 2

 

 

the main dwelling is covered with simple stripped white bricks, carrying traces of age. the extension of this space develops on the side of neighboring streets and buildings, including a farmland, courtyards, a chess table, and an outdoor sitting set. the design intends to evoke a sense of belonging, for both the old farmer, and the guests of the homestay. 

aml design studio designed houses and guesthouses for 80 year olds in the countryside around beijing china 3

 

 

the brand of the homestay is called ‘starry ending nights’, communicating the choice that visitors have to stay in the courtyard and observe the stars. a triangular tent-like structure with openings on its top has been designed, inserted diagonally into the courtyard, serving as an event space where guests can hold parties. the ground is paved with red bricks throughout the courtyard to blur the boundary between interior and exterior areas. 

aml design studio designed houses and guesthouses for 80 year olds in the countryside around beijing china 4

 

 

in order to extend the pre-existing small courtyard, the design team has rotated the triangular house by 50 degrees, thus forming two separate outdoor spaces of different sizes. one of them is private, and the other has a more extroverted character. the original layout has been reconstructed to provide more options for the occupants. with the new program, on its west side the building houses a public kitchen and dining areas, while on the north and east sides, there are the guest rooms. the north rooms preserve original gable roofs.

aml design studio designed houses and guesthouses for 80 year olds in the countryside around beijing china 8

 

 

for this renovation, the original the exterior wall and the pebbled road were cleaned and preserved. in addition, the AML team used the existing exterior window sills to construct two sets of bar tables, to link the inside with the outside, through diverse function areas. windows create visual connections between the main residence and the lodging, while still maintaining privacy. 

aml design studio designed houses and guesthouses for 80 year olds in the countryside around beijing china 5

aml design studio designed houses and guesthouses for 80 year olds in the countryside around beijing china 6

aml design studio designed houses and guesthouses for 80 year olds in the countryside around beijing china 7

aml design studio designed houses and guesthouses for 80 year olds in the countryside around beijing china 9

aml design studio designed houses and guesthouses for 80 year olds in the countryside around beijing china 10

aml design studio designed houses and guesthouses for 80 year olds in the countryside around beijing china 11

aml design studio designed houses and guesthouses for 80 year olds in the countryside around beijing china 12

 

 

project info:

 

name: rural house + starry ending nights homestay
architecture office: AML design studio
location: beijing, china

 

 

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

 

edited by: myrto katsikopoulou | designboom