Chinese Renaissance Architecture

Chinese Renaissance Architecture (中國古典式樣新建築) traces its origins to the 1920s, when Western-educated architects began experimenting with materials and techniques in search of a new architectural vocabulary for China. In the post-war period the Communist and Nationalist governments pursued different architectural priorities, but the style continued to enjoy the support of the KMT after their retreat to Taiwan in 1949, and numerous examples can be seen around the country. By the 1960s a recognizable and cohesive style emerged, blending glazed tile and northern Chinese palatial aesthetics with reinforced concrete and modernist forms. This style is most commonly seen in government and institutional buildings as well as many churches around Taiwan.