Prefabricated Panel Houses from the 1970s and 1980s
Prefabricated panel houses built in the 1970s and 1980s were constructed to alleviate the housing shortage problem, but they have numerous hidden dangers. Currently, they are being classified and handled according to actual conditions, with some undergoing original-site demolition and reconstruction trials.
In the 1970s and 1980s, China faced a severe housing shortage, and prefabricated panel houses emerged as a solution. Built by assembling prefabricated concrete panels, they featured fast construction speeds and low construction costs, quickly resolving the housing needs of a large population and becoming iconic architectural symbols of that era.
However, prefabricated panel houses have many hidden dangers. Their thermal insulation and sound insulation are extremely poor, making them cold in winter and hot in summer, with no privacy for neighbors. Their designed service life is typically only about 40 years, and many houses have now exceeded this lifespan, showing problems such as peeling wall surfaces and wall cracks, and some have even become dangerous buildings. Additionally, the houses have a monotonous and uniform appearance, with cramped internal spaces and户型设计 (floor plan designs) that lack human-centered considerations, significantly reducing living comfort.
For the existing old prefabricated panel houses, the country has not adopted a one-size-fits-all policy of complete demolition but has classified and handled them according to actual conditions. In 2023, relevant departments clearly stipulated that the construction of new, renovated, or expanded prefabricated panel houses and other buildings that do not meet safety standards is prohibited within urban construction land areas. In March 2025, the Director of the Urban Renewal Department of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development stated that prefabricated panel buildings are not simply demolished but are handled through methods such as repair and reinforcement, comprehensive renovation, or demolition and reconstruction based on factors such as structural safety, functionality, and economic value. In May 2026, the State Council issued the 15th Five-Year Plan for Urban Renewal, explicitly proposing to support the self-initiated renewal and original-site demolition and reconstruction of old housing and explore sustainable operation models, and setting a target of renovating more than 500,000 (rooms) of urban dilapidated housing during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.
Currently, original-site demolition and reconstruction trials are being carried out in many places across the country. For example, after being identified as a Class D dangerous building, Building 28 in Sanlihe Area 1, Xicheng District, Beijing, began demolition in September 2025 and was capped in 45 days using a modular reconstruction method, with delivery in February 2026. Hongyuan Community in Yueqing, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, and Changcheng Jiaoyuan Community in Yuecheng District, Shaoxing, are also advancing original-site demolition and reconstruction projects through resident self-initiated renewal or government-guided approaches.
