The Hua Yuan residential plan attempts to recreate the social life of the Chinese street, courtyard, and hutong (lane) while designing housing that conforms to Beijing's rigid solar access ordinance. Innovative new building types transform slab blocks into perimeter blocks. As a result, there are a variety of lively and inhabited public spaces that are proximate to dwellings, contained and intimate in scale. Perimeter blocks allow for both public and private open spaces and continuous street frontages. Open spaces are places for recreation, gardening and socializing. Continuous street frontages with retail on the ground floor activate block perimeters with stores, restaurants and offices. This combination of open space and retail streets provides the framework for the growth of a healthy community.