Townhouse in Beijing

CCTV.COM (11.02 2003 17:10)

    The townhouse concept first appeared in Europe and then was later brought to America. What distinguishes the townhouse from other homes is that it tries to provide a comfortable standard of living while making use of limited land resources. In terms of price and living space in Beijing, this puts townhouses somewhere between typical apartments and free-standing houses, often called villas. Of course the layouts may vary widely depending on the neighborhood, but the main principle remains.

    Traditionally most urban Beijingers used to live in quadrangles called Siheyuan or 'four-side enclosed courtyards.' These courtyards, as the name implies, are formed by inward-facing houses on four sides. Such a residence offers space, comfort and privacy. Decorated with plants and flowers, the courtyard is also a kind of garden. These days several families may share a single courtyard residence. But if you can manage to get along with the other families, the loss of space and privacy is met with close familiarity and intimacy with your neighbors.

    In the 1950's and 1960's, factories and other government institutions constructed low-rise buildings, no more than five stories, to serve as dormitories for their workers. At the time, it was quite a privilege to move into one these homes. Included among the luxuries was running water, a personal bathroom, and of course more privacy.

    In the 1990's, people in China began to buy their own homes. As the city developed and expanded, high-rise apartment blocks grew ever higher.

    Now, as people learn more about townhouses, their doubts begin to fade. Within two years, more than 10 townhouse projects were established in Beijing. And as a result of its growing popularity, prices are also getting higher. Most townhouses sell for under 7000 RMB per square meter, but some are going for more than 10 thousand per square meter.

    There are two real estate projects in Beijing listed in the seven National Healthy Housing Projects. Among them, one type is the townhouse. The healthy and natural lifestyle of townhouses will inevitably become more and more appealing.

Editor:Guan