The newly outward‐looking economic stance that China adopted in the 1980s was reflected by a Western‐style building boom. As widely spaced towers replaced traditional courtyard‐based environments, urban legibility was lost – and the new buildings were not designed to last. In recent years there has been a backlash: adaptive reuse is now encouraged, as are loose‐fit approaches to new design for greater durability. California‐based architect Renee Y Chow traces these shifts, and highlights projects that have sought to redress the balance – including one by her own practice, Studio URBIS
