With mass urbanisation producing a shift from regionally specific to generic building types, this project proposes a contemporary prototype for the Chinese vernacular village house which resists reliance on outside goods and services. Like all Shijia houses, it stands on a 10-by-30-metre plot. Its hybrid structure, combining traditional mud brick with modern concrete, increases its resistance to earthquakes. The house is ‘wrapped’ in a brick screen, protecting the inner mud walls. The courtyard being a key component of the traditional home, it is based around four functional courtyards relating to the kitchen, bathroom, living room and bedrooms respectively. The roof provides a space for drying food, steps for seating and a means to collect rainwater.

Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture