In today city structure, there is an increasing phenomenon that is taking place, related to segregation and socio-political emancipation. We can see in both Western and Chinese cities a growing tendency in the planning and construction of gated communitiesor enclaves. All the different typologiesof this space are based, semantically and physically, on the architectural element of the wall. The wall can be seen as the leitmotif of this situation,but the meaning that it can express is different in each country or continent. Starting from this prerequisite, the further analyses about this subject will follow the rules of semioticstounderstand its perception in the Chinese culture. Furthermore, these analyses will considerfour different case studies inChinese history and the relationship between the political and social consequences that it determines.After this background knowledge, the research will try to understand the consequences that the usage of the wall is determining in the residential compounds. At the same time the dissertation will consider the different ways of perceiving this element from the residentialareaand from the public space of the city.The consideration about this element will follow the relationshipbetween the privateand thepublic space of thecity, to understand how to create an exchange between thesetwo spaces. For this reason, the thesis will try to answer two main questions:Which are the connotations of the wall, in relation with residential compound? Considering thetwo faces of the wall, how the people is perceiving this element and which are the consequences of this division in the inner space of the residential compound and in the public space of the city?Which is the relationship between the space ofthe residential compounds and the boundary wall, that can allow the creation of a new vision of the boundary, that is not just denying the access to the private space, but can also create an interaction between thesetwo spaces?
　　In this way, the thesis willprovide a new vision of the boundary thatdoesn’t providea strong division of two opposite spaces butgeneratesan element of connection.
　　In the finality, the problems requiring further studies are discussed.