In some parts of northern China, large pits are dug into the ground to form sunken courtyard homes. Also called "dikengyuan" in Mandarin, which means "pit courtyards," the homes are a type of cave ...

It is designed as a light-weight single-storey pavilion with contoured landscape modelling creating sunken courtyard gardens. These slopes gracefully from the main garden to basement-level ...

The building features several small skylights and a sunken inner courtyard window, which provide ample natural lighting and ventilation. The sunken courtyard is connected to the external ground ...