The artist colony Songzhuang lies in the eastern periphery of Beijing, characterized by a mix of agricultural, industrial and rural residential areas. About two thousand artists of different orientations have settled here, including two painters. With the planning of their home and studio house they commissioned the Berlin architectural office Knowspace. Construction methods as well as the materials are based on local conditions and traditions. The entire construction work was carried out by local farmers, who are seasonally employed as craftsmen. Therefore it was important to choose an easy to implement and error-resistant construction with simple detailing. The walls of the studio and residential buildings consist of single-shell masonry. The monolithic effect of unadorned brickwork with reduced, with black window frames gives the design its character.