The Temporality of Building

This is an unusual study that provides a cross-cultural examination on the cultures of building in Europe and China, with a focus on time and temporality in the practice of constructing and reconstructing where language, ritual and historical memory may have constituted three crucial aspects for understanding the problem; the act of building in time. It is an ambitious and admirable exercise, as it delves deep into historical cases in the two very different spheres of civilization. It reveals, among others, a non-material and non-linear sense of time and memory in the eastern culture, and a Judeo-Christian conception of linear time and objectified memory. Contemporary cases are also examined where different cultures collided with contradictions and in acceleration, with interesting questions raised for us. It is a thought-provoking study, an excellent read for all who are interested in thinking with different cultures in a post-Enlightenment world we are in today.

Jianfei Zhu,Chair of East Asian Architecture, Newcastle University, United Kingdom.

Insightful and profound, The Temporality of Building offers a much-needed, comparative exploration of time, architecture, and heritage across the distinct cultural landscapes of Europe and China. Through three innovative lenses —language, ritual, and heritage — the authors delve into previously uncharted areas, revealing captivating stories of how these societies have uniquely shaped, preserved, and redefined their approaches to building and time. With concise prose and nuanced scholarship, this book deepens our understanding of cultural perspectives on continuity and authenticity, while prompting us to question our own assumptions about heritage and the future. For anyone interested in the rich interplay of tradition, time, and preservation in a world facing environmental change, this is a must-read.

Yue Zhuang, University of Exeter, United Kingdom.