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Multi-Level Housing Governance in Rural Settlement Lin & Jia
the enlargement of courtyard was by the During the period of planned
social development and the specific economy, the whole pattern of the OTH
situation of the tenant. On the one hand, was retained. The economic conditions
along with the development of social limited the probability of construction,
productive forces in the late Qing and the ideology encouraged collective
dynasty, the folks got wealthier, and the activities instead of construction of
population increased as well. Thus, there houses for personal needs. Only a simple
were real needs to build a larger house even rustic house was built at the
comparing to the early Qing dynasty. On connection part between the back
the other hand, the financial status, courtyard and the Sancenglou building.
family population, and the social status It was unavoidable due to the urgent need
of the family, determined the size of the for accommodation.
courtyard house. After entering the period of market
In terms of the overall layout, both economy, the whole society experienced
the major patterns of these two houses great changes both on tangible and
have remained the same. But several intangible aspects. Two major changes
changes have been made respectively for were made after the 1980s. Firstly, the
the two different cases. Sancenglou house was burned in the
(iv) Transformation of building combination 1990s. After that, the new houses were
of OTH built gradually on the same site.
For the case of OTH, there are more Secondly, the front half of the left-wing
obvious changes based on the lifestyle building was destroyed by a flood around
and daily needs of the owner [Figure 4]. 1996. It has been rebuilt into a modern
During the Qing dynasty, the major part style after that. Both the new buildings
for residence remained the same. But due built on the two sites do not rely on
to the needs of daily life, several traditional wooden structure. Instead,
functional components were constructed. new materials of modern architecture
These components included places to such as brick, concrete, and steel, were
store debris, raise livestock, or toilets. used as well as new construction
They were more easily damaged and had techniques, brick structure, reinforced
been rebuilt many times due to their concrete structure, and the mix of the two.
temporary structures and rustic building The construction of the new
materials. buildings changed the pattern of the
During the Republican period, the neighborhood of the OTH. Firstly, it cut
population grew beyond the maximum off the direct connection between the
capacity of accommodations. Residents, OTH and the Sancenglou house that was
again, started to move out. But, in the previously connected. The new houses
Republican period, there was insufficient built on the original site of Sancenglou
suitable land for construction, thus the partly detach from the old house due to
scale of moving families was smaller. the differences of structure and the field
The continuous turmoil caused a of homestead. Secondly, the new house
decrease in the accumulation of wealth built on the site of the left-wing building
as well as the determination to build is partly independent from the entire
bigger houses for newer generations. courtyard house. It has its own entrance
Thus, attaching living spaces grew at the to go inside the house from the outside
back of the courtyard house. It is the without having to pass through the
Sancenglou house ( 三 层楼 屋 , three- courtyard. As the new building is taller,
floor building), the only building higher combined with the modern cladding
than two floors before 1980s in the façade, the new house can be well
village. differentiated from the old one.
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