Why China Builds Apartments Instead of Houses | Built on Land 02

为何中国建公寓而不建独栋住宅

The real reason China grows vertically instead of horizontally.

If you fly over any major Chinese city, the view is unmistakable: a repetitive, vertical forest of concrete. But why did China choose this extreme high-density model instead of the sprawling suburbs seen in the West?

In the second episode of our "Built on Land" series, we go beyond the skyscrapers to uncover the hidden constraints that forced China to grow vertically. From the " 120 million hectares " farmland red line to the unique institutional framework of state-owned land, we explore how resource scarcity and financial necessity created the most rapid urban transformation in human history.

这就是中国选择向上发展、而非横向扩张的真正原因。

如果你飞掠中国任何一座大城市，眼前的景象都十分醒目：一片连绵成片的混凝土高楼森林。但为什么中国选择了这种高密度的发展模式，而不是西方那种大面积铺开的郊区住宅？

以下是各国网友的评论：

Guantimasao
Answer is population

原因就是人口多。

SinoContext
Population definitely plays a big role. High density makes vertical housing much more efficient in large Chinese cities.

人口绝对是重要因素。高密度让高层住宅在中国大城市里效率更高。

aperkins07
I'd say it's population and culture. Many in east asia aren't interested in affiliating with rural farmlands or having backyards even while those are viewed still positively in the US where the bigger, the better mentality is common

我觉得是人口和文化原因。很多东亚人对田园生活、带后院的房子没兴趣，而美国人普遍崇尚越大越好，很看重这些。

HecticSchedule-m5e
How about india? They love slums more than appropriate vertical modern apartment.

那印度呢？他们好像更喜欢贫民窟，而不是合适的现代化高层公寓。

curtiswong7280
China is very big though, you often see a lot of free space in Chinese cities but everyone just bunches together in apartments anyway

中国面积其实很大，城市里也常能看到空地，但大家还是都挤在公寓楼里。

hackman669
And technology and the education to know how to use it

还有技术水平，以及懂得运用这些技术的教育基础。

AmoNgu-g4s
China is very big and most empty

中国幅员辽阔，大部分地区其实很空旷。

rosabernal3148
It's more ecological. You don't need a car for going to the supermarket because maybe you have one 5 minutes walking or you can go to one with bus or metro

这样更环保。去超市不用开车，步行5分钟可能就到，也能坐公交地铁。

avan.97
Amenities are good. People get affordable houses

配套设施完善，人们能买得起房子。

Simon-lb1tl
I find myself more comfortable and convenient to live in apartment with subway trains and shop centres nearby

住在靠近地铁和商场的公寓里，我觉得更舒适方便。

templar1694
A highrise apartment is much efficient and cost effective.

高层公寓性价比更高，也更高效。

azulaquaza4916
The amount of people in the comments comparing to some western country instead of just focusing on China is sad, why must we live in constant competition

评论里好多人不聚焦中国本身，非要和西方国家比，挺让人无奈的。我们为什么总要活在竞争里。

T.S.B-model
I believe that china is just better overall than the USA

我认为中国整体上就是比美国好。

i.d.6492
It's definitely not. You have lots of Chinese corissing US border everyday and not vise verca. It's only look good on sicial media with its night skyline and building with leds. Majority of people don't have freedom. They can't criticize their government. Everything is strictly controlled and lots of data is censored. Lots of people earn small wages and for us foreigners it might look affordable with high income and foreign currency but for local Chinese is still expensive. You'll never understand until you actually live there. You don't watch Chinese news, you mostly see US news, everything is more free and less censored

绝对不是。每天都有很多中国人想偷渡进美国，反过来却很少。中国只有在社交媒体上，靠着夜景和灯光大楼才看着好看。大多数人没有自由，不能批评政府，一切都被严格管控，大量信息被审查。很多人工资很低，对我们这些高收入、用外币的外国人来说，物价看着便宜，但对普通中国人来说依然很贵。不亲自住在那，你永远不会懂。你不看中国新闻，只看美国新闻，美国这边更自由，审查也少。

T.S.B-model
@i.d.6492 you have heard to many American propaganda. I have been to china, I have people living in china and I can guess correctly that you have never been to china in your life. Before you believe what the government tells you make sure you have seen in with your own eyes. I have been to the USA and I have been to china and am not talking because I hear someone talk, am talking because I have seen it with my own eyes

你听了太多美国的宣传了。我去过中国，也有朋友住在中国。我敢肯定你这辈子从没去过中国。在相信政府说的话之前，先亲眼去看看。我去过美国也去过中国，我说话不是听来的，是亲眼所见。

hackman669
Perhaps with its more robust economy and affordability. Hope China shows mercy and does not go full ninja on Yankees. Remember most civilians were lied to during elections. Also hope Trump doesn't tempt fate with a rising power. Just give the guy a way to save face to leave. Like he did with Cuba, hopefully

或许是因为中国经济更强、生活成本更合理。希望中国手下留情，别对美国下手太狠。要知道美国大选时，大多数普通人都被欺骗了。也希望特朗普别挑衅这个崛起的大国，给他个台阶下就行，就像当年对古巴那样。

ravanpee1325
Suburbs deserts are not common in other country where population density is higher.. also suburbs are a net minus from an infrastructure perspective = Ponzi scheme

在人口密度高的国家，那种大片郊区住宅区并不常见。而且从基建角度看，郊区模式完全是负收益，就是个庞氏骗局。

akylrysgal6242
That’s not most Western cities but most American cities. Most European cities are 3-5 storey apartment blocks. Only in America the cities are made mostly of never ending one-storey houses with yards, in the rest of the world this type of housing is in the countryside

这不是大多数西方城市的样子，只是美国城市。欧洲多数城市都是3-5层的公寓楼。只有美国城市满是带院子的一层平房，在世界其他地方，这种房子只出现在乡下。

LearnByChris
Why China Builds Apartments Instead of Houses
1. To preserve land
2. Rural - urban migration
3. Land is expensive
What did I miss

中国建公寓不建独栋的原因：

1. 保护土地

2. 农村人口向城市迁移

3. 土地价格高

我还漏了什么？

arminius6506
Did they've any option??? They've cities bigger than European countries

他们还有别的选择吗？中国的城市比一些欧洲国家都大。

Creepy_monkey
vertical living means cheaper and less toll on environment

高层居住更省钱，对环境的负担也更小。

wtfa2910
doesn't China need all those towers because they have a population of like 1.7 trillion people

中国建这么多高楼，难道不是因为人口有170亿吗？

cncloudL
for middle class these sort of apartments are terrible but for poor ppl it's way better than endless suburban. you don't have to pay for a car to live in the city like US suburban dose. actually in major Chinese cites car is not recommended for commuting since you have cheaper and faster public transportation, it's not as comfortable as private cars but it's affordable for everyone. And for ppl who have lived in US for a while should know that a large proportion of the money you pay for the car is actually insurance. The car price in US is way cheaper compare to the insurance price (about 8 times for the same car than China). So in the end banks and insurance corporations earn huge profits from suburban

对中产来说，这种公寓不算好，但对穷人来说，比住在美国那种远郊强太多了。不用像美国郊区那样必须买车才能生活。在中国大城市，通勤根本不推荐开车，公共交通更便宜更快。虽然不如私家车舒服，但人人都负担得起。在美国住过的人都知道，买车的一大笔开销其实是保险。美国车价很便宜，但保险费极高，同款车保费差不多是中国的8倍。说到底，银行和保险公司从郊区模式里赚了大钱。

alexandergeyer-u5r
China’s debt challenge isn’t just about the total amount — it’s about how that debt is structured and where it is concentrated. A significant portion rests with local governments and property developers, much of it tied to infrastructure projects and real estate. The real concern isn’t merely the size of the debt, but whether sustained economic growth and effective restructuring can outpace the long-term risks.

中国的债务问题不只是总量问题，更在于债务结构和集中领域。很大一部分债务在地方政府和开发商手里，多与基建和房地产相关。真正让人担心的不是债务规模，而是持续的经济增长和有效重组能否覆盖长期风险。

Fdfvxdui
China’s debt challenge goes beyond the sheer size of its liabilities — it’s about where the debt is concentrated and how it is financed. Much of it sits with local governments and property developers, largely tied to infrastructure spending and the real estate boom. The real concern isn’t just high debt levels, but whether sustained growth and effective restructuring can manage the long-term risks that come with it.

中国的债务问题不止是负债规模，更在于债务集中在谁手里、资金来源如何。大部分债务集中在地方政府和开发商，主要投向基建和房地产。真正的风险不只是负债率高，而是持续增长和有效重组能否应对随之而来的长期风险。

Debojit_chanda
High Density locality are best kind of urbanisation. Govt can plan out better utilities instead of a city where it’s growing constant outward.

高密度社区是最好的城市化模式。政府能更好地规划公共设施，而不是让城市一直向外无序扩张。

afizi1213
china case also same like japan but japan still provide normal house that have 2 level and they have they land even small ,in malaysia more that 70% still own they home and have a lot of land we can build shop rent house and many things if we rich ,the price of land in japan and china is expensive and high cause of they property problem in 2010

中国的情况和日本类似，但日本依然有很多两层小楼，人们也拥有自己的土地，哪怕面积很小。在马来西亚，超过70%的人拥有自己的房子，还有大量土地。有钱的话可以建商铺、出租房等。中日土地价格极高，源于2010年前后的房地产问题。

marcusclarkson5520
My country is following this path too, and nobody is happy about it. Simply building apartment buildings makes contractors more money, allows the government to spend less tax revenue for different preferences and needs, and reduces individual well being. And population can not be an excuse to do that.

我的国家也在走这条路，没人对此满意。一味建公寓，承包商赚得更多，政府能少花税收满足各类需求，但民众的生活幸福感却下降了。人口不能成为这么做的借口。

TheCOobbyist-rblx
China’s goal is to house more people with a limited land supply and to use it efficiently. I heard about Hong Kong’s housing crisis and its extreme land scarcity.

中国的目标是用有限的土地安置更多人，提高土地利用率。我听说过香港的住房危机，那里土地极度稀缺。

Humansonearth-m5y
Because China wants save Agricultural land

因为中国想要保护耕地。

springlink3188
The state decides housing in combination with private developers. Country has high population. State knows transit is the key to rapid growth. High rise and transit are inextricably linked. Therefore, since China can guide developers based on what the state needs, High rise takes over. This is opposed to India, where car culture took full effect, and cars specifically discourage High rise (even when your city has millions of people). It's why cities in India, Africa, etc. Remain so low rise even when they are the most populated on earth.
I believe the best city housing model has a mix of high, mid, and low rise, with a high downtown that SLOWLY transitions to low rise outer edges with mid rise throughout the middle. This allows the city to be more flexble, since with high rise only, destroying any residence you build is not an option, so if you mess up and need to build something else, you are displacing literally thousands of people. China is experiencing this now. People don't have kids because apartments are not meant for kid raising. There are no alternatives that they can quickly turn to, so you are permanently in the state of being a working citizen and never settle down, even if your middle aged or old.

住房由国家和开发商共同规划。中国人口多，国家知道交通是经济快速增长的关键，而高层住宅和交通体系密不可分。所以中国可以根据国家需求引导开发商，高层住宅便成了主流。印度则完全不同，汽车文化盛行，而汽车模式恰恰不利于建高层，即便城市人口数百万也一样。这就是印度、非洲等地城市人口再多，也以低层建筑为主的原因。
我认为最好的城市住房模式是高层、中层、低层结合，市中心高楼密集，向外逐渐过渡到中层，外围是低层。这样城市更灵活。如果全是高层，一旦规划失误需要改建，就要搬迁成千上万的人。中国现在就面临这个问题。人们不愿生孩子，因为公寓不适合养育孩子，又没有其他快速可替代的选择。结果就是人们一辈子都在工作，无法真正安定下来，即便到了中老年也是如此。

shekondog
China has less arable land than India. Vertical tower cluster is the best solution.

中国的耕地比印度少，高层集群是最好的解决办法。

dreamwalker-888
Actually, Chinese buildings are super solid—they’re all reinforced concrete. American wood-frame and plywood houses are way more fragile.

其实中国的房子非常结实，都是钢筋混凝土结构。美国的木质胶合板房子脆弱多了。

afizi1213
you see most of china people living in east china and west china is dessert which is become a best location to have secret place like weapon and nuke same like usa done at west america ,china citizen also living in big city like shanghai beiing tianin and many more in east china cause it close to sea and they have accest to water and ship place like port ,even if they son study in one city they family must follow to ,thats because china build more home that they people want ,same case in malaysia when home price is expensive people cannot afford to buy it cause our salary is cheap and we are not happy country in asean about salary compare to singapore

大多数中国人住在东部，西部多是沙漠，正好适合建武器、核弹等机密设施，就像美国在西部做的那样。中国人多聚居在上海、北京、天津等东部大城市，因为靠海，有水源和港口。哪怕孩子在一个城市上学，家人也会跟着搬过去，所以中国才建了大量民众需要的住房。马来西亚也一样，房价高但工资低，普通人买不起房。在东盟国家里，我们的薪资水平让人很不满意，远不如新加坡。

mohamedhasan318
Most of those buildings are empty

那些大楼大部分都是空的。

multipotentialite1783
US suburban sprawl is really a terrible idea. Looks pretty on the surface. But it's far from everything, impractical, inconvenient, and totally car dependent. And with the suburban sprawl in the US dominating the landscape, residents today now are paying heavy price by the astronomical housing cost.

美国郊区蔓延式开发真的很糟糕。表面看着好看，但去哪都远，不实用、不方便，还完全依赖汽车。美国这种郊区模式遍地都是，如今居民正为此付出代价，房价高得离谱。

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