Architecture of Assimilation: A Vernacular Approach to Housing for China's Rural to Urban Migrants

China is urbanizing at an unprecedented rate, primarily as a result of rural-to-urban migration. Rapid urbanization, comes with challenges and consequences, both for migrants and municipalities. New arrivals must forge new identities and adjust to the novel and dynamic environments around them. This thesis considers the experience as the move into urban environments and the impact housing form has on their ability to assimilate. Among the questions to consider, is whether, and with what modifications the lilong might present an alternative to China's current predilection for high-rise tower ensembles. The design portion of this thesis draws on the lilong to propose a flexible and adaptable housing model to challenge the existing approach to housing form. The goal is to find a culturally resonant approach of housing that better facilitates the formation of social networks, accommodates informal entrepreneurial activity, and eases the transition from rural to urban life.