Shikumen

MARYIA SAKHAREVICH

NOV. 19th, 2010

         Shikumen (Lilong Housing); Shanghai

Between 1852 and 1949 was an open trade period in Shanghai, resulting in a population increasing rate of over 900%. Most people were involved in commercial or business activities, and various types of shops started to cover the facades of streets and buildings. Shikumen (Lilong housing) was created as a solution to a rapidly growing population and lack of space. They started off as temporary wooden shacks, later evolving into brick or brick-concrete two-three storey residences, connected by internal pedestrian walkways. They were integrated into the existing street blocks, where the shops occupied the street front and housing took the enclosed space. These developments made good use of land, while maintaining the sense of privacy in a home.

Plan, section, elevation

Sources

Qian Guan, Lilong Housing, A Traditional Settlement Form (M.Arch Thesis, School of Architecture McGill University, 1996). "Shanghai Shikumen." polar inertia journal. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2010.