Life inside an Early Communist-Era Beijing Apartment Building | Netease “Onlooker”
Li Jing, Huangfu Tianxing—Netease “Onlooker”
Built in 1960, the nine-story Anhua Building was one of three apartment buildings in Beijing constructed explicitly to foster an experiment in communal living. The building has shared kitchens and a canteen, and common entertainment areas. The amenities were much better than average—including an elevator—at that time, but the rent was also higher. Many of the tenants were élites. However, with China’s rapid transition, the “Utopian model” was left behind and people gradually found the design of the building more troublesome than beneficial. Photographers Li Jing and Huangfu Tianxing spent some time with tenants in the Anhua Building to hear about their nostalgia, their worries, and their attachment to their home.
Caption information
Built in 1960, the nine-story Anhua Building was one of three apartment buildings in Beijing constructed explicitly to foster an experiment in communal living. The building has shared kitchens and a canteen, and common entertainment areas. The amenities were much better than average—including an elevator—at that time, but the rent was also higher. Many of the tenants were élites. However, with China’s rapid transition, the “Utopian model” was left behind and people gradually found the design of the building more troublesome than beneficial. Photographers Li Jing and Huangfu Tianxing spent some time with tenants in the Anhua Building to hear about their nostalgia, their worries, and their attachment to their home.