Localisation of foreign architecture stylistic prototypes based on multidimensional clustering: Public buildings in Jiangnan, China (1840–1949)

During the modern period of China (1840–1949), foreign public buildings in the Jiangnan region (represented by Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang) exhibited a diverse range of architectural styles. To investigate how the architectural language of these foreign buildings was absorbed and integrated into local building typologies, this study employed a multidimensional clustering method to analyse their formal characteristics, aiming to reveal potential differences in the processes of localisation. Through data coding and decoding, two clustering patterns emerged: (1) cluster A: modern-localised, dominated by Western modern architectural prototypes; (2) cluster B: classical-localised, dominated by Western classical architectural prototypes. Further analysis identified two distinct localisation paths: (1) cluster A by modern-localised follows a deepening localisation path, indicating increasing cultural integration; (2) cluster B by classical-localised follows a weakening localisation path, reflecting a persistence of foreign influence. Situated within the broader historical context of modern Chinese architecture, these findings illustrate the evolving architectural discourse on the interplay between locality and foreignness from 1840 to 1949, offering a new perspective for studying the localisation of foreign architectural forms.