Recommended Reading - Chinese Houses of Southeast Asia

This gorgeous book presents 36 houses across Southeast Asia and China, built by immigrant Chinese between the late 18th and early 20th century.

The first part of the book gives an overview of the situation of that period, describing living conditions, trade links and social attitudes in China and Southeast Asia, giving the context in which these homes were built.

Each house is given a short chapter of its own, with a brief history and description of its owners, and the house itself, including construction details with accompanying photographs.

One chapter is devoted to the archetypical Singapore shophouse / terrace house.

The last section of the book describes 4 homes in China built by returning Chinese in their ancestral villages for their retirement.

What I thought was interesting;

• All of the homes have been restored, to varying degrees of authenticity for the period in which they were built
• Most of the homes appear to have converted into museums or for commercial use, particularly the ones in Singapore and Malaysia.
• The very ornate and opulent furniture displayed in many of the houses.

This is a perfect coffee-table book, which has something for both the quick browser, and for the studious enthusiast.

Chinese Houses of Southeast Asia: The Eclectic Architecture of Sojourners and Settlers