Homecoming

Young Chinese architects are designing compelling alternatives to China's rapid urbanization between tradition and the future. Homecoming presents work by an emerging generation of Chinese architects that uses unique design and working approaches to resist generic mass construction and foreign iconic building. In particular, these architects are offering resistance against the rapid urbanization that has dominated the Chinese landscape. By responding to a local Chinese context, they have raised the avant-garde of China's architectural design practice in recent years. The title of the book has multiple meanings for the featured architects. For some, "homecoming" is returning back to China after they have studied and lived abroad. Others understand working with the rural as "coming home" to discover their ancestors and traditional roots. All may also refer to personal memories and perceptions they have of the Chinese countryside. The selection of projects showcased in Homecoming offers different perspectives on how to work with the rural. The section Materializing the Rural, for example, portrays design philosophies and the use of traditional material and construction methods while the section Practicing the Rural demonstrates working approaches that engage the community as well as sensitive strategies for rural development. The section Contextualizing the Rural, on the other hand, is comprised of essays on the role of the rural in China throughout the twentieth century and how that has affected the work of architects today. Homecoming sheds light on various positions in the ongoing discussion of China's urbanization and the position of the architect within this process. Its introduction and conclusion frame these issues within the global discourse. Brimming with ideas, inspiring stories, working approaches, historical information, and debate, this book will galvanize all those working in architecture, landscape, and urban design, but also those who care about the future of China's built culture.