Abstract
Rural Chinese villages are experiencing significant transformations due to the pressures of modernization. The paradigm of architects being the autonomous author increasingly appears inadequate in addressing the realistic challenges in rural China. This paper explores an alternative architectural paradigm through the lens of Condition_Lab's model of social practice, advocates for a collaborative approach that prioritizes social dimension in architecture. Focusing on the Dong ethnic minority in China, the research delves into the challenges faced by these communities, including the migration of working-age populations and the margin aliz ation of traditional carpentry expertise. Through the implementation of prototypes, Gaobu and Pingtan Book Houses, Condition_Lab demonstrates a commitment to integrating traditional Dong architectural frameworks with contemporary design solutions, fostering a dynamic form of cultural development termed “Living Heritage”. Emphasizing a slow architecture approach rooted in ethnographic methodology, the paper showcases how architecture can serve as a catalyst for sustainable social change in rural settings.
Keywords
Alternative Architectural Practice; Social Architecture; Architectural Prototypes; Living Heritage
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.1095
Citation
Ferretto, P.W., Lam, M.Y., Liu, Z.,and Ling, P.W.(2025) An Alternative Architecture: Condition_Lab's Model of Social Practice in Rural China, in Chang, C.-Y., and Hsu, Y. (eds.), IASDR 2025: Design Next, 02-05 December, Taiwan. https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.1095
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Track 10 - Design Practices & Impacts
An Alternative Architecture: Condition_Lab's Model of Social Practice in Rural China
Rural Chinese villages are experiencing significant transformations due to the pressures of modernization. The paradigm of architects being the autonomous author increasingly appears inadequate in addressing the realistic challenges in rural China. This paper explores an alternative architectural paradigm through the lens of Condition_Lab's model of social practice, advocates for a collaborative approach that prioritizes social dimension in architecture. Focusing on the Dong ethnic minority in China, the research delves into the challenges faced by these communities, including the migration of working-age populations and the margin aliz ation of traditional carpentry expertise. Through the implementation of prototypes, Gaobu and Pingtan Book Houses, Condition_Lab demonstrates a commitment to integrating traditional Dong architectural frameworks with contemporary design solutions, fostering a dynamic form of cultural development termed “Living Heritage”. Emphasizing a slow architecture approach rooted in ethnographic methodology, the paper showcases how architecture can serve as a catalyst for sustainable social change in rural settings.