Architect Conceives Elevator Blending Tradition and Technology

Chinese architect Han Mo has conceived a “private access via public elevator”  system connecting upper-level apartments with ground-floor courtyards to provide urban dwellers with exclusive access to their courtyards, the Global Times reports. Boasting an innovative spatial configuration and following five years of research, Han Mo’s “public elevator personal use” technology has been granted a patent by the National Intellectual Property Administration. It has been implemented in the Lutai Shangyuan residences in Shanxi Province, China, enabling the elevator to transition to private mode through an intelligent control system and time-based access protocols. The elevator responds to user commands for direct courtyard access. “Residents experience a fluid transition from urban streets (or upper-level apartments) to private courtyards, where they can engage in traditional activities despite living in a high-density urban area,” the source observes.