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  4. Vol 8, Issue 1, 2026

A Review of Research on the Spatial System and Dwelling Mechanisms of Beijing Siheyuan Courtyard Houses

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DOI: 10.23977/jsoce.2026.080120 | Downloads: 2 | Views: 70

Author(s)

Boyue Cao 1,2, Mustafa Halabi Azahari 1

Affiliation(s)

1 Faculty of Creative Industries, City University, Kuala Lumpur, 46100, Malaysia
2 Inner Mongolia Technical University of Construction, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, 010070, China

Corresponding Author

Boyue Cao

ABSTRACT

Courtyard housing represents a residential system formed through the long term interaction of natural conditions, social organization, and cultural traditions. The Beijing siheyuan courtyard house, as a representative example, constitutes an integrated residential spatial system that combines spatial logic with cultural meaning. Its core value lies in the holistic relationship among the courtyard, architectural layout, and patterns of family life. Based on existing research, this paper presents a systematic review of studies on Beijing siheyuan from the dual perspectives of spatial systems and dwelling mechanisms. It clarifies the characteristics of siheyuan as a localized residential system, examines the spatial organization centered on the courtyard, explains the mechanisms through which the built environment regulates climate and organizes social life, and interprets the cultural symbolism embedded in spatial order. The review indicates that scholarly research has gradually shifted from heritage preservation and morphological reconstruction toward a deeper understanding of the spatial principles and dwelling mechanisms embodied in siheyuan. Increasingly, the siheyuan is regarded as a residential prototype that can be translated into contemporary architectural practice. Its key residential characteristics provide locally rooted insights for high density urban housing design, low energy residential development, and the reconstruction of community social relations. This study offers a comprehensive reference for further research and for the application of traditional courtyard principles in contemporary contexts.

KEYWORDS

Beijing siheyuan; spatial system; dwelling mechanism; traditional courtyard housing; cultural symbolism

CITE THIS PAPER

Boyue Cao, Mustafa Halabi Azahari. A Review of Research on the Spatial System and Dwelling Mechanisms of Beijing Siheyuan Courtyard Houses. Journal of Sociology and Ethnology (2026). Vol. 8, No.1, 153-164. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/jsoce.2026.080120.

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