CPLUS reimagines courtyard living with earth-toned mother's house in rural beijing

CPLUS reimagines rural living with mother’s house

CPLUS Architects reveals Mother’s House, a residence designed as a response to the challenges of rural revitalization, aiming to integrate modern family life into a countryside setting. Located in Xiying Village, southwest of Beijing, the project reimagines rural living by including traditional architectural elements in a contemporary vocabulary. Named in honor of the women who nurture life, the house, with its 1:1 ratio of building to courtyard, reflects the Chinese cultural balance between the inside and the outside, where both spaces are equally valued. The studio prioritizes natural light abundance, privacy, and family cohesion through a V-shaped roof, a full-height atrium, and earth-toned materials that blend into the rural district. 

all images by Liu Jing and Zhu Yumeng, courtesy of CPLUS

a beijing residence articulated around a full-height atrium

The spatial layout conceived by CPLUS divides the courtyard-inspired Mother’s House into three sections that balance communal and private areas. Near the main street, the east side hosts the kitchen and dining spaces, which are lively and connected to the outdoors. The central atrium serves as a communal living area, while the quieter west side houses the bedrooms and bathrooms. Dedicated to mothers, the design is particularly mindful of the elderly. Additionally, the Chinese studio incorporates ramps instead of stairs, ensuring all essential functions are accessible on the ground floor.

CPLUS Architects reveals Mother’s House in Beijing

The atrium’s transparent glass wall invites the courtyard’s natural beauty indoors, connecting the family with the surrounding landscape. Materiality plays a crucial role in the project, with the use of brick, stone, wood, and metal creating a textured, earthy palette that resonates with the rural setting. Meanwhile, the V-shaped roof is crafted to optimize light and maintain a harmonious proportion within the village context. It gently slopes outward, creating a silhouette that respects the neighboring homes. Completing the design are high and bay windows that enhance the flow of light, casting a natural glow throughout the day and enriching living spaces with warmth and vibrancy. 

aiming to integrate modern family life into a countryside setting

rural living blends with traditional architectural elements in a contemporary context

reflecting the Chinese cultural balance between the inside and the outside

a V-shaped roof, a full-height atrium, and earth-toned materials blend into the rural district

the design prioritizes natural light abundance, privacy, and family cohesion

CPLUS divides the home into three sections that balance communal and private areas

the quieter west side houses the bedrooms and bathrooms 

dedicated to mothers, the design is particularly mindful of the elderly

project info:

name: Mother’s House
architect: CPLUS, Cheng Yanchun, Li Nan
lead designer: Cheng Yanchun
design team: Bo Chen, Liu Xiaoguang, Zhou Kefan
location: Beijing, China
area: 144.2 sqm
photographer: Liu Jing, Zhu Yumeng
video: Niang Film Studio

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: thomai tsimpou | designboom