Recall A Chinese Traditional Residential Community -- “Hutong”

Abstract

In the current modern Chinese society, especially in the city of Beijing, the traditional neighborhood development pattern of narrow alleys fronted by courtyard residences, referred to as “hutong” have lost their vitality, energy and language gradually in the past thirty years because of rapid modern modernization process. Many residents that lived in hutong for generations have left from this old living style community. Young people desire to move to modern apartments and seek to leave behind depleted communities in rapid decay. These intrinsic residential patterns have seen ongoing demolition and redevelopment, causing disruption of cultural traditions and a loss of significant historic artifacts. Where hutong remain, the original residents face deteriorating physical living conditions, and the historic structures have yet to successfully adapt to the meet expectations for modern life in Beijing nor to meet contemporary energy performance requirements. In thesis process, the valuable cultural traditions and community cohesion of the hutong are lost.