By hannover-web.com On October 17, during a “High-Quality Development Research Tour” in Beijing, I had the opportunity to explore the vibrant new residential area located on the southern side of the Huagong Bridge along the city’s Southeast Fifth Ring Road. This area features a striking blend of modern architecture with bold gray buildings accented by lively red and yellow hues, creating a futuristic vibe. This development is known as the Shou Chuang He Yuan · Fan Xing Rental Community, which is currently Beijing’s largest single-site community offering affordable rental housing.
Before the transformation, this site served as the largest stone processing market in North China, the Beijing Chaoyang Shibalidian West Zhihe Stone Market, covering approximately 173 hectares with around 1.23 million square meters of built space. Although the market thrived for many years, its fragmented land use was inefficient and characterized by more than 600 small-scale enterprises, leading to a crowded environment and a lack of stability in rental income.
In 2013, the stone market was included in a major environmental cleanup initiative, freeing up the land for new development. The challenge then became how to repurpose this space for higher quality urban living. In 2019, Shou Chuang Group partnered with the local government, leveraging collective land-use policies to develop rental housing on this site. Their vision was to create a community that balances work and living spaces—a goal that has now culminated in Beijing’s largest community for affordable rental housing.
The push for developing affordable rental homes is part of a larger national strategy. Back in June 2021, the State Council issued directives emphasizing the urgent need for such housing, targeting new urban migrants and young residents facing housing challenges. Fast forward to March 2022, and the Beijing government underscored the need for smaller living spaces (under 70 square meters) and flexible housing designs to cater to diverse family needs.
Walking through the community, I discovered a variety of housing options, including studios, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom apartments, with one-bedroom units being most common, typically measuring around 30 to 40 square meters. Yang Chen, Deputy General Manager of Shou Chuang Urban Development Group, noted that 75% of the current residents are under 30, including many recent graduates. The community aims to provide suitable accommodation for singles, couples, and families alike.
In addition to ensuring availability, there’s a strong emphasis on quality. For instance, a 36-square-meter studio comes fully furnished with modern amenities such as air conditioning, a washing machine, and a stylish decor. Monthly rents range from 2,000 to 3,000 yuan, which is nearly 10% less than surrounding market prices, with no additional property management fees.
So, how does this community enhance the living experience for the young residents? Yang explained that the project follows a planning concept combining traditional Beijing courtyard styles with modern urban blocks, featuring large, open workflows divided into 12 clusters, each with distinct amenities like pet-friendly areas, reading spaces, and community markets. The community also integrates nearly 50,000 square meters of commercial space, housing essential services such as supermarkets, convenience stores, banks, a gym, and even shared kitchens to meet everyday needs.
To facilitate community-building and leisure activities, there are also outdoor spaces like a meteor lawn, public lounges, and themed coffee areas. Furthermore, recognizing the importance of education, a kindergarten and an elementary school are being developed, with the kindergarten already operational and the school set to welcome its first students in three years.
Yang shared that within just over a year since launching the Fan Xing Community, all 4,000 rental units in the initial phases have been fully leased. They are currently working to enhance the surrounding infrastructure and green spaces, with the third phase expected to provide an additional 6,572 rental units by early 2025, potentially accommodating between 20,000 to 30,000 residents.
Yang Jiaji, Director of the Housing Construction Department of Beijing’s Housing and Urban-Rural Development Commission, highlighted ongoing efforts to increase the supply of affordable rental housing through various strategies, such as repurposing existing non-residential properties and utilizing available lands effectively. He stated that during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Beijing aims to secure 400,000 units of affordable rental housing, which would account for about 40% of the total new housing supply.
