Suzhou

“Above, there is heaven, on earth there is Suzhou,” a well known Chinese saying describing the city of Suzhou, China. Suzhou is one of the most beautiful cities in China. Marco Polo described Suzhou as the “Venice of the east,” for its intricate canal system connected to the cities bounding moat. The crisscrossing canal system, is not as elaborate as it once was, having been a victim of the automobile. Based on the transportation requirements to accommodate 4 million people, many canals were filled in to accommodate the growing city, but Suzhou still proudly retains its title. Suzhou’s intersecting walkways and expansive streets create an interesting dialogue of layered transportation modes. The existing canals are still used by the locals to transport goods, while the tree lined streets are divided to create a division between vehicular traffic, bike and scooter corridors and foot traffic. Our group spent an afternoon studying Suzhou’s streetscapes and a wide variety of districts.


Lobby of Courtyard Hotel in Suzhou

Lodging in Suzhou may be one of the most memorable parts of the visit to the city. The group had the opportunity to stay in an authentic Chinese courtyard home. Once belonging to a wealthy local family, the house had one and two story jians and 11 courtyards, distinguishing this as a house of the elite. This home was in a well preserved condition and each jian became a sleeping room opening up to a courtyard. Based on a typical southern Chinese prototype the progression through public space to private courtyards was our first experience with this housing type. Progression of space and its relationship with family hierarchy is an important regulating devise in traditional housing. The farther one moved into the compound the more important the position of that family member. The courtyards and their separation from the lively street activity reinforced by this sequence yielded a quiet retreat from the dense urban fabric.


Public Courtyard before entry into lobby space of Courtyard Hotel