Initially inspired by the Song Dynasty’s Dadou Road Historic Block & Xiaohe Street Historic Block (960-1279 AD), which was Hangzhou’s trade centre, this town is mainly built of concrete for the first or base floor and wood on the second one. This is due to the roles that these spaces serve; the first floor is where business transactions are carried out, whereas family and personal affairs occupy the above floor. The Chinese Wharf Wall (Horse Wall马头墙), also known as wind wall and firewall, was previously constructed to prevent theft, fire, and invasion of privacy. Its top part resembles a horse’s head shape, leading to the rise of its popular reputation as the ‘Horse Wall’. Today, this Horse Wall remains a significant feature of the traditional Chinese residential architecture.
