Courtyard living comes at a cost

At one point in time, Beijing's traditional hutong housing (traditional courtyard dwellings) was the norm for almost all the city's residents.

It was a style of accommodation that allowed the citizens of Beijing's past to live an affordable city lifestyle.

But as hutong are razed to make room for more modern structures and their numbers dwindle, their prices have soared, even beyond those of new apartments in Beijing's towering skyline.