Page 150 - JCAU-7-1

Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Standards for rural residential façades and areas

ecology, human habitation, society and culture, and air conditioning units and electrical boxes, haphazardly
sustainable development (Wang et al., 2022). Since installed rain shelters, and disorganized routing of
the beginning of China’s reform and opening up, the municipal pipelines, compounded by a lack of public
pace of urbanization has accelerated significantly. facilities. They argue that rural façade renovation requires
However, this rapid urban development has inevitably a holistic perspective, one that considers the unique
introduced numerous challenges (Lv, 2018). The unique natural, economic, and cultural contexts of the local
characteristics of rural areas are primarily reflected in the environment.
forms and spatial features of rural landscape elements Similarly, Lin (2016) highlights that during the rural
and their interrelationships. Yuan & Lin (2018) argue modernization process, urban construction professionals
that industrialization and urbanization are the primary often use reinforced concrete to build monotonous,
drivers of rural landscape decline, resulting in a reduction uniformly aligned buildings. This approach replaces
of local characteristics and a loss of diversity. In addition, the original natural village environment and communal
urbanization has caused a dramatic decrease in rural spaces with plazas, fountains, and landscaped vegetation,
populations and accelerated aging among rural residents, contributing significantly to the destruction of rural
both of which indirectly exacerbate rural decline (Kweon architecture and environmental character. Chen & Zhang
& Youn, 2021). Chen & Zhang (2021) observe that past (2021) underline that the improper use of vernacular
rural planning in China often followed a standardized elements is a primary factor in the loss of rural identity.
approach, with excessive imitation posing a significant Overuse of vernacular elements leads to visual chaos,
issue. This standardization has dissolved much of the neglect results in a loss of rural character, and a general
diverse heritage inherent to rural areas. Yuan et al. (2017) lack of understanding and research exacerbates these
further emphasize that rural development characterized issues. Yuan & Lin (2018) emphasize that enhancing
by urbanized landscape architecture but lacking essential the living environment, improving esthetic quality, and
infrastructure and public services has inflicted irreversible optimizing rural functions are the primary objectives of
damage on traditional culture and the ecological rural revitalization efforts. However, much of the existing
environment. Consequently, China’s rural development research adopts a top-down perspective. Kosanović
has suffered from a gradual erosion of traditional rural et al. (2019) advocate for rural housing preservation and
culture and its inherent diversity (Montalvo et al., 2019), regeneration strategies that prioritize collective regulation
with rural issues becoming increasingly pronounced (Fu & and stakeholder-driven design strategies. Architectural
Dai, 2016). Issues such as homogenization, superficiality, façades and their surrounding environments are key
and depopulation have emerged (Wang, 2020), reflecting a elements of rural esthetics, and these are areas where
progressive loss of rural vernacular identity (Wang, 2019). residents can play an active role. Residents’ needs are pivotal
In response to these issues, China has introduced in shaping the architectural façades and environments of
several policies over the years, including the New Socialist rural areas (Figure 1). To explore the underlying reasons
Countryside Initiative in 2005, the Beautiful Countryside for the current state of rural residential façades and to
program in 2008, the Rural Revitalization Strategy in identify priorities for future façade and environmental
2017, and the Harmonious and Beautiful Countryside regeneration, it is essential to consider the needs of the
policy in 2023. These top-down strategies aim to address local resident population in the respective areas.
the aforementioned challenges in rural development and
revitalize rural areas. A B
Current rural planning approaches rely heavily on
top-down constraints, such as regulations and controlled
detailed planning, focusing primarily on the perspectives
of designers or village-level administrators while often
overlooking bottom-up evaluations and the residents’
needs for rural housing. Present studies on rural identity
predominantly center on historical and cultural heritage
(Zhang et al., 2022). In existing studies on rural façades
and their relationship with the environment, Jiang &
Zhang (2016) identified several issues contributing Figure 1. The esthetic image of Suzhou’s traditional villages. (A) Feng
to the degradation of rural building façades and their Menglong village. (B) Weng Xiang village. Source: (A) https://www.
gooood.cn/feng-menglong-academy-of-classical-learning-by-9-town-
surroundings. These include unauthorized structural design-studio-for-urban-architecture.htm; (B) https://www.163.com/dy/
additions to building façades, inconsistent details such as article/JI0AF82U052482RT.html

Volume 7 Issue 1 (2025) 2 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.5719