The city's residential vernacular was dominated by this special kind of courtyard home that took up a lot of space. We're talking about huge wall-to-stapes, each containing multiple houses arrayed around this central open space. And so unlike alleys in the way that we think of them running behind blocks, these ran behind blocks between blocks because what they were serving was these huge courtyard complexes.
We’re kicking off the new year at 99pi with a fresh installment of mini-stories, including: what lies at the intersection of a street and a road; the most unlikely of theme parks; and the evolution of ancient alleyways in Beijing, China.
Mini-Stories: Volume
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