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Wang Daquan: 「Naqu Shuiyue」 Hutong Quartet in Old Beijing by Tanzo Space Design


In my city, time is running backwards; dead trees are awakening in spring; all the disappeared smells, sounds and lights are recalled. The demolished siheyuan, hutong and temple are restored to their original appearance. The tiled roofs are like sea waves running to the low-rise skyline. Pigeons are whistling in blue sky; children are familiar with the changes of seasons, and residents stand firm in faith. --City Gate, Open Up by Bei Dao

Designed by Tanzo Space Design

Photographed by Ma Xiaochun

When it comes to Beijing, most people will immediately have a map in their minds, on which arrays of boxy buildings are closely packed. If viewed from the perspective of clouds, the capillary-liked alleys are the soul of this capital city: that is hutong. Despite the rise of reinforced concrete structures, hutong still exists and records the trivial daily life