Walls that Connect: Education for a Rural China in Crisis

Rapid urban development has left rural China in crisis. My research topic was born out of an interest in the potential for architecture to engage in the physical, economic, political and social network of rural communities in China. The proposed research in North Eastern China will involve a survey of rural village planning, building use and construction techniques for a more intimate understanding of how architecture impact the life of local Chinese villagers. As a built form, architecture represents intangible forces that affects everyday life. It has the power to connect people but also to enforce boundaries. A chance to gain firsthand information will allow me to speculate on proposals that begins at the lives of rural villagers and how to enforce their community. A project that is part of the larger economic and political networks of the region while being grounded in local craft and traditions, the proposal will link a narrative across these scales for a re-imagination of rural China.

Faculty Supervisor:

Anne Bordeleau

Student:

Partner:

Tianjin University

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Education

University:

University of Waterloo

Program: