Lilong is a distinctive form of domestic architecture that emerged in modern China (1840–1949). Combining features of Western terraced housing and the traditional Chinese courtyard house, Lilong has become an integral component of Shanghai’s cosmopolitan urban culture. Beneath this cultural narrative, however, lies a (semi-)colonial history shaped by the introduction and development of capitalism and by direct confrontations between China and the West – forces that propelled both the emergence and transformation of Lilong housing. While postcolonial theory has sought to establish new architectural frameworks capable of incorporating non-Western discourse, architectural typology and the concept of type remain predominantly formulated within Western traditions. This thesis investigates the relationship between Lilong housing and Shanghai’s colonial history by reconstructing a new typology informed by postcolonial theory and within the Chinese context. Grounded in political economy, this typology also serves as a critique of postcolonial theory’s prevailing emphasis on cultural difference, foregrounding instead the material conditions of architectural production. Methodologically, the research combines detailed archival investigation with spatial analysis through drawing and redrawing, supplemented by semi-structured interviews with long-term residents. Through this mixed approach, it examines both the material and immaterial dimensions of Lilong housing. A comparative study of different Lilong types and their precedents in Chinese and Western domestic architecture is undertaken to trace the typological development of colonial domestic space. In doing so, the thesis proposes a redefined concept of type grounded in political economy and operating across cultural boundaries, and advances typology as an interdisciplinary methodology for examining the social relations and historical confrontations embedded in architecture shaped by colonial capitalist development.

Shiyu Jin’s research interests include domestic space, architectural type and typology, postcolonial theory in architecture, and colonial urban transformation. He is currently a Lecturer in Histories and Theories of Architecture at the University of Greenwich. He taught History and Theory Studies at the AA. Shiyu holds an MS in Advanced Architectural Design from Cornell University and a BArch from Tongji University.