The topic of this project is the conflict between the modernization of Beijing and the preservation of its cultural identity. Over the past decade, rapid development has lead to a remarkable improvement in the quality of life for many citizens. At the same time, however, much of the historic urban fabric of the capital has been lost. The typological change from residential to commercial has significantly increased the volume of traffic within the city. Major roads now bisect ancient neighborhoods, whilst in many areas, recent redevelopment has wiped out the subtle architectural texture and spatial arrangement of the preceding centuries. The atmospheric Hutong lanes, the traditional residential homes, and the Si-He-Yuan courtyard houses – all are fast disappearing as the city races forwards into the 21st century. Can a city the size of Beijing afford to have one-storey housing at its centre? Aren’t the courtyard houses much too dilapidated and lacking in comfort, to be saved?

It is my intention to address the changing hierarchy between pedestrian and vehicular traffic, whilst preserving the community aspect of the hutongs. The hutongs currently behave as micro-cities within the urban landscape, due the close typological urban weave within a dense and compact area. The interplay between the newly erected concrete tower blocks and these old housing districts is one which will define the future atmospheric characteristics of Beijing.

The basic configuration of the hutongs is defined by a series of inter-locking junctions. The grid like formation of these junctions is not only visible in the road networks but also in the layout of the infrastructure within the hutongs. These intersections of streets and infrastructure create nodal points, which define points within the urban landscape, as well as the beginning and end of each district.

The arrangements of the junctions or nodes currently occur in a single plane. It is felt that these nodal points could be used as an opportunity from which to formulate and express a new urban organizational strategy for the configuration of the hutongs within Beijing. First, the key intersections are identified, and represented by points. Each point is then used as a base from which to define a multi-planar network. The relationships between infrastructure and voids at each junction are represented and defined by considering the metaphoric ‘magnetic’ forces present at each nodal point.