Cultural and architectural revitalization: a reinterpretation of Chinese tradition

Abstract

Toronto’s downtown Chinatown was once the central core of Asian culture and business in Canada but now has been superceded by Markham’s opening of Pacific Mall and ongoing development of suburban neighbourhoods. As a result, Toronto’s Chinatown Centre, a mall and landmark in the heart of Chinatown, has significantly suffered as markets, shops and restaurants have either closed or are now deprived of business with no sight of recovery. Through a reinterpretation of core principles of the traditional Chinese siheyuan, this thesis explores how architecture can become a catalyst in the revitalization of Chinatown Centre, retaining inherent qualities of Chinese culture through a narrative which could be understood transgenerationally and transculturally. As geopolitical, economical and technological implications forced the outsprawl of Chinese communities to migrate out of downtown, the same factors could play a significant role in bringing the Chinese communities back. The project becomes a symbol and a physical reminder of Toronto’s resilience while bringing awareness to the serious issue of the declining Chinatown Centre.