A Study On Western Patterns And Prototypes Of Typical Architecture In Modern Times Of China With The Perspective Of Architectural Typology

Western architecture was first introduced to China in the 16th century when cultural communication between China and the western world was initiated. When China became a country of semi-colonial and semi-feudal society after the First Opium War in 1840, modernization process finally took place in China, stimulated by western culture and advanced modern science and technology. Architecture was not an exception. Increasing amount of western architecture was constructed in China during that period and some became mainstream buildings in several port cities, widely and profoundly influenced Chinese architecture development in modern times. There are now large amount of architecture constructed in modern times with a variety of western patterns, some of which are still in good condition especially in urban areas. With great progress made in study of modern architecture in modern times of China, western patterns in these buildings have been getting attentions.This dissertation will study typical architecture with western patterns in modern times of China from a new perspective. The theory and method of architecture typology will be first presented with its application in this dissertation and then the appearance and spread of western patterns will be studied in a history and social background. On such basis, the aim of this dissertation is to analyze western patterns of typical architecture in modern history of China and their prototypes with the method of architecture typology in order to better understand values of architecture in modern times of China, which, hopefully, can be useful in Chinese architectural study.