Hutong residents have historically ended up in frequent disputes over minor architectural changes or the use of shared outdoor areas for storing bikes or other weatherable goods. This modular facade addresses this longstanding issue by suggesting a new kind of sharing. As the front slides in, part of a building’s owned footprint becomes an optional addition that benefits surrounding homes, giving rather than taking.
Inside, desk, shower and kitchen spaces and amenities are more easily accessed when the outer wall is expanded, with a bare minimum of room for movement in and out or sleeping when the space is contracted.
Debuting during Beijing Design Week 2015, the hostel represents the culmination of a year-long design exploration that involved interviews with locals and other site-specific documentation, extensive modeling and community brainstorming.
