Three tectonic approaches to redeem fragile buildings in Chinese rural areas

In the face of robust economic, societal, and climatic changes, the semantic and functional connotations of rural buildings and hamlets are rapidly evolving. This transient situation raises new questions about the delicate balance between the old and the new architectures, particularly in contexts like Chinese ruralities, where sustainability is a constant negotiation among circularity, performance, and aesthetics. This study adopts a tectonic lens to explore design strategies alternative to demolition and reconstruction praxis to integrate contemporary spaces into traditional architecture. By using a qualitative and comparative approach, the paper examines and discusses three projects implemented in the Chinese countryside, selected for their similar starting conditions in terms of building materials.