Abstract: Lin Huiyin’s modern housing design philosophy is rooted in two core elements: humanistic philosophy and social perspective. Her humanistic philosophy emerged from her understanding of the home and her residential design practices in the 1930s, while her social perspective was shaped by her research and writings in the mid-1940s. Drawing on sociological ideas, economic methods, and positivist concepts from Catherine Bauer Wurster’s Modern Housing, Lin conceptualized modern housing design as a “special social science”. Lin’s pioneering integration of architectural studies with social science disciplines has significantly contributed to the theoretical foundation of modern housing development in China. Moreover, it has established a fine tradition in Tsinghua University’s architectural education, emphasizing the teaching of housing design with a focus on humanistic care.