Shuhei Aoyama, isa 37-year-oldJapanese architect. In the popular reality TV show Dream of Decoration,he madea bold and original renovation of an old house in Beijing Hutongand thus began to meet critical acclaim, winning his fame overnight. This time, he brought his concept to Suzhou, to remold an ancient mansion from Qing Dynasty. This Japanese was going to meet new challenges.

Jiayuan Garden,once the residence of Bei Runming--uncle of Leoh Ming Pei’s father, was built in Qing Dynasty covering an area of 3200 square meters.

Shuhei Aoyama’s task, was to remodel this time-honored residence into a 15-apartment block, each with a courtyard. This block is called “Youxiong”, literally meaning “having bears”, a clanname in the Yellow Emperor or Huangdi period. Aoyama was trying to realize the concept of a-shared-life style as in ancient society.

He made 1400 square meters into individual apartments and divided the rest 1800 square meters into different-functioned but shared spaces—courtyard, kitchen, study, gallery, bar, workout room, and even a shared bath tub. He hopes people could walk out, chat, have communications and interactions.

Having spent eight years living in Hutong in Beijing,Aoyama is fascinated with Hutong---separate houses with shared spaces.

Courtyard at the entrance. Rocks and water

Courtyard inside

Shared kitchen

Courtyard outside the kitchen

The Beisi Pagoda, signature building of Suzhou, is in plain sight when you simply look up.

A shared bathtub

The study also functions as the drawing room

Gallery

Hair salon

Pillars in Youxing were originally painted dark red then later changed into black by Aoyama, with the traditional painting technique.

Every ancient-style guest house is of wooden structure. The most spacious room takes up 180 square meters. Like the old times, Aoyama adopted large blackbricks to pave the floor and designed a very large courtyard to this room.

In another apartment, two sweet-scented osmanthus trees bring people shade and delight.

However, the modern-style guest houses are all out of concrete and have courtyards.

The most beautiful courtyard, to Aoyama, is the Musa basjoo bananas yard. “We didn’t know there were Musa basjoo bananas outside, until the construction workers broke the wall”. He said.

Located in downtown area in Suzhou, Youxiong Apartment has a dock at the back and a stream flowing by. From the windows, you can see ordinary people enjoying their leisure time by the river, having conversations and doing chores.

To Aoyama, “A home doesn’t need to be big, but gives you the opportunities to communicate with people and nature.”

(source:ourijiangsu.com)