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Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Emotive architecture in China

Following the completion of RouTing in 2020, notable Addressing significant challenges in small-scale
changes have unfolded in the Sanlitun area, particularly architecture requires pinpointing the core problem and
after the COVID-19 pandemic. By 2023, the well-known devising efficient solutions. Emotional experiences, which
“bar street” had closed, marking a notable shift in the reflect the complex interplay between individuals and
district’s character. This change, alongside the area’s the external world, contribute to maintaining a dynamic
transition from a predominantly commercial zone to a equilibrium. This concept echoes classical Chinese
multi-functional community space enriched with cultural philosophy, which underscores the intricate connection
and sporting events, exemplifies the dynamic evolution between emotions, ethics, and social structure, with
of this trendsetter hub in adapting to society’s changing emotions playing a crucial role in maintaining social order
needs. and individual virtue.
The ongoing developments in both areas, along with Emotive architecture, centered on the profound
the projects’ influence on the surrounding regions, not impact of spatial environments on human emotions, is a
only confirm the success of the project but also validate the design approach tailored to address psychological needs,
initial predictions for these trends, further affirming the specifically within the context of China’s urbanization
efficacy of this emotion-centric design approach. and rural revitalization. By applying an acupuncture-
like practice, this research-based methodology involves
5. Extension of findings: Emotive a thorough diagnostic of regional issues, sensitivity to
architecture as a strategy emotional undercurrents, strategic site and function
selection, and the integration of local materials and
Between 2009 and 2023, the author executed several construction practices. It adopts a language of form enriched
projects across urban and rural China, with the by digital craftsmanship to forge emotional resonance,
Xiaoxi Jia and RouTing projects standing out for their enabling architects to craft spaces with substantial impact
representativeness and uniqueness. These projects through minimal yet precise interventions, addressing
illuminate the developmental currents of the past decade, key environmental issues and catalyzing broader positive
showcasing the dynamic complexity of an era where effects.
architectural functionality provides critical feedback to
societal progress. This vision suggests that emotive architecture can
significantly influence China’s modernization trajectory.
In traditional architectural practice, design often By focusing on the emotional well-being of its inhabitants,
signifies the final stage of problem-solving, bound by the it offers a pathway to mitigate the impacts of rapid
parameters of client requirements and environmental urbanization while supporting the revitalization of rural
constraints. However, the author’s approach – especially communities.
in projects defined by their compact scale, flexibility, and
unique ownership models – fosters an environment for 6. Limitations and further hypothesis
innovative design solutions. In these projects, architects Emotive architecture encounters significant challenges,
develop collaborative relationships with owners, particularly in the realm of empirical validation, making
contractors, and users, participating in every phase future research in this field indispensable. Traditional
of the project’s lifecycle, from inception and design to survey methods are inadequate for assessing the impact
construction and feedback. This collaborative model, of emotive architecture, as the recall of emotions is
driven by limited resources and challenging construction inherently a reconstructive process (Wei, 2019). Recent
environments, necessitates inventive architectural thinking advances in neuroscience, however, offer potential for
for effective issue resolution. validation through the analysis of physiological responses
In this context, the architect’s role extends beyond to architectural stimuli, such as preferences in form and
design to encompass planning and problem-solving. spatial arrangements (Canepa et al., 2019; Chatterjee
Architects actively engage in issue analysis, site selection et al., 2021), opening new avenues to substantiate emotive
for impactful construction, and determining the architecture’s effectiveness.
optimal use and functionality of buildings. They tailor Two critical issues must be addressed. First, the
construction methodologies and future operational plans complexity of architectural environments and the
to local conditions, translating these considerations into dynamic nature of human interaction make it difficult to
architectural language. Consequently, architectural design directly correlate physiological responses with specific
transforms into an active creation process rather than a environmental attributes. Second, the intricate and
mere response to predetermined requirements. fluctuating nature of emotions complicates the direct

Volume 6 Issue 4 (2024) 17 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.1606