Table Of ContentChina’s Architecture in a
Globalizing World: Between
Socialism and the Market
China is currently in the midst of an unprecedented building boom and, indeed,
interest in Chinese contemporary architecture has been fuelled by this huge
expansion. Through a cutting-edge theoretical discussion of Chinese architecture
in relation to Chinese modernity, this book examines this phenomenon in detail.
In particular, it highlights how changes in the socio-political system, the residual
influence of Mao and the demands of the market have each shaped and determined
style and form in recent years. Using the key case studies of Liu Jiakun, Cui
Kai and URBANUS, it analyses the intricate details of historical pressures and
practical strategies affecting Chinese architecture. In doing so, it demonstrates that
Chinese architects contribute in specific ways to the international architectural
discourse, since they are actively engaging with the complex societal
transition of contemporary China and managing the dynamics and conflicts
arising during the process.
China’s Architecture in a Globalizing World: Between Socialism and the
Market offers a lens into the innovation and uniqueness of architectural design in
China. As such, this book will be useful for students and scholars of architecture,
Chinese culture and society and urban studies.
Jiawen Han is Lecturer in the Department of Architecture at the Xi’an Jiaotong
Liverpool University, China.
Routledge Studies on China in Transition
Series Editor: David S. G. Goodman
For a full list of available titles: www.routledge.com/Routledge-Studies-on-China-
in-Transition/book-series/SE0082
47 Rural Policy Implementation in Contemporary China
New Socialist Countryside
Anna L. Ahlers
48 NGO Governance and Management in China
Edited by Reza Hasmath and Jennifer Y. J. Hsu
49 Dams, Migration and Authoritarianism in China
The Local State in Yunnan
Sabrina Habich
50 New Mentalities of Government in China
Edited by David Bray and Elaine Jeffreys
51 China’s Cinema of Class
Audiences and Narratives
Nicole Talmacs
52 Economic Development in China’s Northwest
Entrepreneurship and Identity along China’s Multi-ethnic Borderlands
Joshua Bird
53 Governing HIV in China
Commercial Sex, Homosexuality and Rural-to-Urban Migration
Elaine Jeffreys and SU Gang
54 China’s Housing Middle Class
Changing Urban Life in Gated Communities
Beibei Tang
55 China’s Architecture in a Globalizing World:
Between Socialism and the Market
Jiawen Han
China’s Architecture in a
Globalizing World: Between
Socialism and the Market
Jiawen Han
First published 2018
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2018 Jiawen Han
The right of Jiawen Han to be identified as author of this work has been
asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright,
Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now
known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in
any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or
registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation
without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Han, Jiawen, author.
Title: China’s architecture in a globalizing world : between socialism and
the market/Jiawen Han.
Description: New York : Routledge, 2018. | Series: Routledge studies on
China in transition ; 55 | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2017039488 | ISBN 9781138559462 (hardback) |
ISBN 9780203712672 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Architecture and society—China—History—20th
century. | Architecture and society—China—History—21st century. |
Architecture and globalization—China—History—20th century. |
Architecture and globalization—China—History—21st century.
Classification: LCC NA2543.S6 H365 2018 | DDC 720.951/0904—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017039488
ISBN: 978-1-138-55946-2 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-0-203-71267-2 (ebk)
Typeset in Times New Roman
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
献给我的父母韩彦铎和汪冰
For my parents, Han Yanduo and Wang Bing
Contents
Acknowledgements viii
Abbreviations xi
Introduction: multiple modernities 1
1 History, ideology and Chinese architecture 4
2 Chinese architecture and China’s architecture 23
3 Conceiving the modern past: Liu Jiakun 42
4 Renarrating the state: Cui Kai 80
5 Casting a civic shadow in the city: URBANUS 123
6 A delicate balance 162
Glossary 168
Illustration credits and sources 169
Bibliography 170
Index 180
Acknowledgements
This book grew out of my doctoral dissertation, which I finished in Australia. It is
noteworthy to think of how much Sydney’s beaches and the sun have nourished
the content of this book. I would like to express my thanks to the place and people
first: thanks to Australia, the natural and cultural environment of which made me
naturally join in without feeling like an alien, and the spirit of which has seem-
ingly encouraged me to never act like a tame bird.
I came across a song titled “Better Me,” originally recorded by a young singer,
Fiona Sit, which struck me while I reflected my time in Australia. I owe my deep-
est gratitude to my PhD supervisor, Dr. Harry Margalit, for his rigorous intel-
lectual guidance and continual encouragement, both of which supported me in
becoming a “better me.” Though I am imperfect, I can always see a “better me”
in his eyes and hear it in his words – so much so that it is difficult to count the
changes he has gifted me. He has not only brought unique perspectives to see
architecture, as well as ability in conducting research and skills with resolving
problems, but he also taught me to bear a sunny heart on any intellectual jour-
ney. Our countless chats have always been enjoyable and, interestingly enough,
turned out to be useful, for most of my ideas emerged from our chats and were
later developed in my writing. His extensive comments on my drafts also helped
my ideas to finally come out of their shells. When I was revising the dissertation,
I recalled a hard time during my PhD journey: I was struggling with the academic
standard of my dissertation and the readability and pleasure, the flow, the sense
of reading I wanted to bring to it, yet Harry understood my intention and sup-
ported me in doing it in my own way. He is not a stereotypical scholar, yet he
is open-minded and kind-hearted. We have been in contact since I came back to
China. I have to say that it is not easy to have a person I am certain would always
be with me, always be there to listen to me about research and teaching, and help
me make my way. Yet Harry is always there. I am also quite fortunate to have had
Professor Xing Ruan as my PhD co-supervisor, who significantly impacted the
development of this thesis. I was impressed with his scholarship, his personality
and his attitude towards research. I have always sought to learn the confidence
and grace of traditional Chinese intellectuals from him, and I hope that I have
somehow merited a little bit of that.
Acknowledgements ix
A most special thanks is due to my dear husband, Lun Jiyun. He is a practicing
architect, yet he has held a very respectful attitude towards my research. He has
listened to me and pointed out my moments of error as well as my moments of
excellence. It is a great man who can let my soul fly freely, something not every
man can achieve, but you let me spread my wings. His decisiveness, rational
thought, his sense of humour, and everlasting support have been the most robust
supports of my life. His existence and thinking also influences my ways of teach-
ing design in the studio and teaching theory in the classroom. His always intrigu-
ing way of thinking on the capital, design, construction and management as a
practitioner repeatedly opens a new inquiry for me to reflect.
There has been a hidden observer of this book, my mother Wang Bing, who
shared her experiences, thoughts and feelings of both Maoist and contemporary
China with me, which were always different from my assumptions and have
inspired me to think more. She has been a third voice in shaping my arguments. At
the same time, my father, Han Yanduo, has been unconditionally supporting me
in a fatherly way: you are not good at expressing your feelings, but I understood
them all, Dad. I know that the trouble I caused when I rebelled seriously hurt and
disappointed my parents, and I hope that at this moment they are proud of me.
I also owe personal debts of gratitude to my parents-in-law, Lun Qiang and Jiang
Li, for their constant encouragement and emotional support.
I also would like to express my sincere gratitude to Professor David Goodman.
It was an interesting coincidence to meet him in an IT training class after I arrived
in Suzhou. Obviously, the IT class was either boring, or we were not good stu-
dents, but we began to chat in English and Chinese, exchanging information about
our trips in Shanxi province. At one certain moment he invited me to transfer my
dissertation into a book, and his continuous whip on this book by reminding me,
“Jiawen, the book!” dragged me out of my obsession with teaching in the early
days of my life in Suzhou.
I would like to say thank you to my colleagues in Xi’an Jiaotong Liverpool
University for their support. I also thank my students in the Department of Archi-
tecture. Every one of my students is part of my professional journey as their tutor,
and in most of the cases, part of my personal journey as well. I am also very
fortunate to have many friends in Australia. In particular, I would like to thank
Mengyu Huang, Annie Yuxuan Xu, Steven Chang, Nicole MaNamara, Yolanda
Tobing, Laura Goh, Sarah Judd, Anumitra Mirti, Jennifer Kent and Samira Alp.
I express gratitude to all architects who accepted my interview invitations, pro-
vided images, permissions and other materials to URBANUS and Liu Xiaodu,
Land-based Rationalism D.R.C and Cui Kai, Jiakun Architects, and Liu Jiakun,
Zhang Xiaogang Art Studio. Especially to Liu Jiakun, the extensive discussions
and chats with him allowed me to find myself more.
I have matured while writing my dissertation and transferring it into this book.
Happiness, illness and the love from my family and friends were all part of the
ingredients. Yet I am not sure whether I am mature in appearance, since I still
always get the friendly suggestion to get a perm in my hair, and so on and so forth,
