Vertical Hutong | STEFANIA ADDIS

Vertical Hutong combines the rational efficiency of the modern high-rise with the social intensity of the life in the historical hutong within a new sustainable hybrid structure which re-invents both typologies: a hutong in an upright position. Vertical Hutong displays the programmatic and spatial diversity of a city, with each program unit organized as a mini-neighborhood revolving around its own tempered green courtyard space. The vertical courtyards enable social interaction within the ‘frame’ of each unit at a scale larger than the scale of the single apartment, yet smaller than the scale of the block. This creates a series of micro-environments which encourage social exchange locally and promote sustainability for the entire structure by means of a complex series of interconnected energy systems. Vertical Hutong is self-sufficient as regards hot water and heating supply, with an energy consumption only 10% of a traditional building, and with a CO2 footprint reduced by 84%.