East Courtyard / Benzhe Design

The East Courtyard is located in Qidong, Jiangsu, near the city and facing the sea. Commissioned by children who work away from home year-round, Benzhe Architecture rebuilt this residence for their parents, who are over sixty. It uses modern design language to respond to new rural construction—preserving rural simplicity while improving the quality of living. Qidong is located on the north wing of the Yangtze River estuary, where the Yangtze unloads its last mouthful of sediment and turns to flow into the East China Sea. The original site was a typical fishing village homestead, surrounded by arrays of wind turbines and tidal flat landscapes.