Shanghai Concrete Prefabricated Houses
Shanghai's concrete prefabricated houses, represented by small-beam and thin-panel houses, are products of a specific historical period. Currently, efforts are being made to gradually resolve their issues through renovation, while some residential buildings still feature prefabricated panel roof structures.
History and Characteristics of Small-Beam and Thin-Panel Houses
Small-beam and thin-panel houses were built as worker housing in Shanghai from the 1950s to the 1970s to alleviate housing shortages. They utilized concrete prefabricated 'small beams' and 'thin panels' to construct the floor system. Architecturally, these structures are simple, often characterized by low floor heights, shared kitchens and bathrooms, low earthquake resistance, and other issues, resulting in difficult living conditions and prominent safety hazards. These houses are products of housing shortages during a specific historical period, reflecting the contradiction between the demand for rapid construction and resource constraints at the time.
Renovation Plans and Progress
To improve living conditions, Shanghai launched a renovation plan for small-beam and thin-panel houses in 2023, aiming to basically complete the renovation by the end of 2025 and fully complete it by the end of 2027. Renovation methods include demolition and reconstruction, as well as extensions and expansions. Typical cases include Baotun Road 211 Lane in Huangpu District and Ganling Community in Putuo District. By 2025, Qingpu District and Jing'an District had completed the clearance of small-beam and thin-panel houses within their jurisdictions ahead of schedule; in January 2026, the renovation project in Ganling Community, Putuo District, achieved 100% signing. According to the '15th Five-Year Plan for Housing and Urban-Rural Development Management in Shanghai,' efforts will be made to fully complete the renovation of the remaining approximately 20,000 square meters of small-beam and thin-panel houses by the end of 2026.
Current Status and Issues of Prefabricated Panel Roof Structures
In addition to small-beam and thin-panel houses, some affordable high-quality residential communities in Shanghai's main urban areas still use prefabricated panel拼接 (spliced) structures for their roofs, such as Room 1102, Building 72, Phase I of Zhonghuan Jiayuan in Putuo District. Compared to monolithic cast-in-place roofs, prefabricated panel roofs are assembled from multiple prefabricated concrete panels, with natural gaps between the panels, resulting in weaker structural integrity. Common issues include susceptibility to deformation, panel joint cracking, frequent hidden water leakage, and poor weather resistance of gutters, requiring maintenance or renovation through technical means.
