Time as space: a comparative analysis of Zhejiang traditional houses in the 1960s and 2010s

Traditional Chinese architecture is an independent structural system with an established heritage, distributed over a vast area, and is regarded as an important branch of world architecture. However, in modern times, both urban and rural areas in China have been influenced by various political, economic, and social factors. Especially since the Chinese economic reform and 'opening up' of 1978, which prompted comprehensive modernisation and a rapid process of urbanisation, traditional Chinese architecture has undergone considerable change. This study takes Zhejiang traditional houses, a unique genre of Chinese regional architecture, as an example to identify the specific manifestations of this change. Drawing from a book on the research of Zhejiang traditional houses in the 1960s, Zhejiang Vernacular Architecture, this study explores the changes in these traditional houses by revisiting the examples mentioned in the book and recording their current condition. It presents a comparative analysis of these houses between the 1960s and the present and summarises the significant changes. The findings of this research highlight the impact of this specific period on living space and allow us to reflect on the meaning of tradition in the contemporary environment.