The following is my own categorizing of the various forms of Chinese vernacular residences.
I. Central Plain Courtyard Style
This category of vernacular residences usually situated in a relative mild and plain climate and landscape, which enables it to develop into a strong social order belief/philosophy. This philosophy is most obviously embodied in the layout of the architectures. Some common features of the layouts include: symmetric distribution of buildings along a central axis, rigorous rectangular courtyard with enclosed sidewalls, a sequential progression in the height of buildings, the distribution of the room purpose according to certain social order and fengshui.
This category includes residences of:
1. Courtyard Houses in Beijing
2. Shanxi Residences
3. Red-brick Dwellings in Quanzhou
4. Houses of Bai Nationality
The slight difference within this category is shown in decoration and local materials.
II. River/Lake Area Style
This category includes reidences of:
1. Huizhou Residential Buildings, Anhui Province
2. Jiangnan Canal Houses, Jiangsu Province & Zhejiang Province
3. Lijiang Residential Buildings, Yunnan Province
III. Defense Style in the Mountainous Areas
1. Earthen Buildings in Fujian Province
2. Fortified Compound in Southern Jiangxi Province
3. U-Shaped Fortified Compounds of the Hakka people
4. Kaiping Fortified Buildings, Guangdong Province
5. Tibetan Fortified Manor House
These houses all share a common trait in their high, tough and austere exterior which mainly serves for the defense purpose. Specific forms and materials vary according to local material and culture.
IV. Local Environment-Oriented Style
1. Cave Dwellings in Shaanxi Province
2. Flagstone Buildings in Guizhou Province
3. Korean Residential Buildings, Northeastern China
4. Mongolian Yurts
5. Uygurs Residential Buidings, Xinjiang Province
6. Houses on Stilts, Southwestern China
Monday, October 26, 2009
Major Architectural Forms of Chinese Residences, pt.I
Start to read Traditional Chinese Residences by Qijun Wang . Wang is an expert in Chinese vernacular architecture, he did a lot of on-site research on various Chinese traditional residence forms. I've read his book A Pictorial Analysis on Chinese Traditional Residences during this past summer.
I'll start to summarize the major architectural forms Wang talked about in his book in this and the following blog entries.
The Courtyard Houses of Beijing
The courtyard Houses of Beijing can be seem as the most representative type of Chinese traditional courtyard houses. It has a special emphasis on the buildings' layout. The layout follows the philosophy of symmetry along a central axis, showing the orderly atmosphere of the family, which embodies the traditional Chinese ethics of respect for elders.
Here's a birdview of the Beijing Courtyard House, from which we could clearly see the layout and arrangements of architectures.
Qixian County Residences, Shanxi Province
Qixian County, like Beijing, is also in the Central Plain of China. In history, people in Qixian County has been traditionally engaged in business, which provided them enough funds to build highly polished architecture. Architecture in Qixian County can be regarded as the best representative of vernacular architectures in Shanxi Province. They usually has the following features: 1) High surronding walls of 4 or 5 stories' high. These walls are usually made of bricks and are windowless, which serves as a strong defense purpose. 2) Main buildings have pent roofs, allowing rainwater to flow towards the courtyeard. 3) The rectangular courtyards are long from north to south while narrow from east to west, and the gate is often positioned in the southeast corner. Shanxi traditional residences are usually more highly decorated compared with the Beijing courtyards. They uses a lot of exquisite carving, which is different from the color painting decorations of Beijing courtyards.
Cave Dwellings, Shaanxi Province
The local nature environment is dry, windy and has a lot of adobe. This natural environment gives rise to the form and color of the vernacular dwellings of Shaanxi Province. There are 3 types of Shaanxi Cave dwellings. The first is constructed by digging horizontally into the loess cliff'; the second is built by digging into the ground to make a large courtyard and then digging caves in the walls around it; the third is an earth-sheltered brick house on the ground in the shape of a cave dwelling.
Southern Anhui Province Residential Buildings
The biggest feature of Southern Anhui residential buildings are white wall, black roof tiles and step gables. Its black and white tone blend harmoniously with the local nature of green mountains and blue ponds. The Southern Anhui residential buildings have a lot of emphasis on the planning of the overall village. They employed a lot of ideas of Fengshui in the village planning and also showed the strong sense of the order in family and society in traditional China.
Residential Buildings in the Southern Region of Rivers and Lakes, Jiangsu Province and Zhejiang Province (Jiangzhe Area)
The form of the residential buildings in Jiangzhe Area is very similar to that in Southern Anhui Province, with black and white colors. The local landscape of lakes and rivers makes residential buildings in that area pay more attention to its relation with water. Water as circulation path, water for daily use, water as natural dividors, etc. The architecture and planning of Jiangzhe Area are sometimes compared to "Oriental Vienice" by Chinese.
I'll start to summarize the major architectural forms Wang talked about in his book in this and the following blog entries.
The Courtyard Houses of Beijing
The courtyard Houses of Beijing can be seem as the most representative type of Chinese traditional courtyard houses. It has a special emphasis on the buildings' layout. The layout follows the philosophy of symmetry along a central axis, showing the orderly atmosphere of the family, which embodies the traditional Chinese ethics of respect for elders.Here's a birdview of the Beijing Courtyard House, from which we could clearly see the layout and arrangements of architectures.
Qixian County Residences, Shanxi Province
Qixian County, like Beijing, is also in the Central Plain of China. In history, people in Qixian County has been traditionally engaged in business, which provided them enough funds to build highly polished architecture. Architecture in Qixian County can be regarded as the best representative of vernacular architectures in Shanxi Province. They usually has the following features: 1) High surronding walls of 4 or 5 stories' high. These walls are usually made of bricks and are windowless, which serves as a strong defense purpose. 2) Main buildings have pent roofs, allowing rainwater to flow towards the courtyeard. 3) The rectangular courtyards are long from north to south while narrow from east to west, and the gate is often positioned in the southeast corner. Shanxi traditional residences are usually more highly decorated compared with the Beijing courtyards. They uses a lot of exquisite carving, which is different from the color painting decorations of Beijing courtyards.
Cave Dwellings, Shaanxi Province
The local nature environment is dry, windy and has a lot of adobe. This natural environment gives rise to the form and color of the vernacular dwellings of Shaanxi Province. There are 3 types of Shaanxi Cave dwellings. The first is constructed by digging horizontally into the loess cliff'; the second is built by digging into the ground to make a large courtyard and then digging caves in the walls around it; the third is an earth-sheltered brick house on the ground in the shape of a cave dwelling.
Southern Anhui Province Residential Buildings
The biggest feature of Southern Anhui residential buildings are white wall, black roof tiles and step gables. Its black and white tone blend harmoniously with the local nature of green mountains and blue ponds. The Southern Anhui residential buildings have a lot of emphasis on the planning of the overall village. They employed a lot of ideas of Fengshui in the village planning and also showed the strong sense of the order in family and society in traditional China.
Residential Buildings in the Southern Region of Rivers and Lakes, Jiangsu Province and Zhejiang Province (Jiangzhe Area)
The form of the residential buildings in Jiangzhe Area is very similar to that in Southern Anhui Province, with black and white colors. The local landscape of lakes and rivers makes residential buildings in that area pay more attention to its relation with water. Water as circulation path, water for daily use, water as natural dividors, etc. The architecture and planning of Jiangzhe Area are sometimes compared to "Oriental Vienice" by Chinese.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Major Architectral forms of Chinese residences pt.II
6. Red-brick Dwellings in Quanzhou
The red-brick dwellings in Quanzhou are built with red bricks and tiles, which are its local materials. The main form of the residences is quadrangle, and retains many characteristics of the residences in the Central Plain. The Quanzhou dwellings uses a lot of stone carvings as decoration.
7. Earthen Buildings in Fujian Province
Earthen Buildings in Fujian Province has a lot of different shapes, such as square, round, swastika-shaped and half-moon-shaped. Among all of these shapes, round earthen building is the most common one. A earthen building is usually a large, enclosed and fortified earth building, rectangular or circular in configuration, with very thick load-bearing rammed earth walls between three and five stories high and housing up to 80 families. Smaller interior buildings are often enclosed by these huge peripheral walls which can contain halls, storehouses, wells and living areas, the whole structure resembling a small fortified city.
This unique building structure is formed due to certain historical and social condition. During 12th Century to 19th Century, armed bandits plagued southern China. Local residents of Fujian built up high-walled buildings for a defense purpose.
8. Fortified Compound in Southern Jiangxi Province
The Fortified Compounds in Southern Jiangxi Province are very similar to the square Earthen Buildings in Fujian, but usually have corner towers. The materials of the Fortified Compound in Jiangxi are also slightly different: it usually has gray or white exterior walls and black tiles, which is close to the outlook of the vernacular residences in Jiangzhe area.
9. The U-shaped Compounds of the Hakka, Guangdong Province
The U-shaped Compounds of the Hakka are rammed earth buildings which contains scores to over a hundred rooms. One feature of the Hakka U-Shaped compounds is that its wall is extremely solid and enduring, which is even hard to hammer a nail into them. The walls are as thick as 30 cm and were built with a mixture of lime, mud, sand and proper quantity of sticky rice and brown sugar. The materials for building the walls are all very common in Guangdong Province. Just like the Fujiang Earthen Buildings, the U-Shaped Compounds of the Hakka is also a product of the needs of living, defense and production of a special historic period.
10. Fortified Buildings in Kaiping, Guangdong Province
The Fortified Buildings in Kaiping is a perfect hybrid of conventional Chinese residences with courtyards and fortified buildings, and western architectural characteristics. During 19th Century, a lot of Chinese in Guangdong Province immigrated to western countries to seek a living. After they made enough money abroad, they usually invest them on building their own family house in their hometown. As a result, they also brings a lot of western art and architectural styles and elements to the local buildings.
11. Flagstone Buildings in Guizhou Province
Guizhou Province is located in the hilly terrain of Yun-Gui Plateau. Flagstone buildings take the materials from the rocky mountains, and are built in a wooden structure wrapped in stone walls and a stone roof. The roofing of the flagstone buildings is especially unique: it is roofed with 2 cm thick stone plates serving as tiles.
12. Residential Buildings of the Koreans
The Korean Nationality in northeast China has a very characteristic residential form that well suits its cold climate. Most residents have a hipped thatch roof and wide ridges. The interior of the building has a very special air circulation path, which ensures the heat of the interior.
The red-brick dwellings in Quanzhou are built with red bricks and tiles, which are its local materials. The main form of the residences is quadrangle, and retains many characteristics of the residences in the Central Plain. The Quanzhou dwellings uses a lot of stone carvings as decoration.7. Earthen Buildings in Fujian Province
This unique building structure is formed due to certain historical and social condition. During 12th Century to 19th Century, armed bandits plagued southern China. Local residents of Fujian built up high-walled buildings for a defense purpose.
8. Fortified Compound in Southern Jiangxi Province
The Fortified Compounds in Southern Jiangxi Province are very similar to the square Earthen Buildings in Fujian, but usually have corner towers. The materials of the Fortified Compound in Jiangxi are also slightly different: it usually has gray or white exterior walls and black tiles, which is close to the outlook of the vernacular residences in Jiangzhe area.9. The U-shaped Compounds of the Hakka, Guangdong Province
The U-shaped Compounds of the Hakka are rammed earth buildings which contains scores to over a hundred rooms. One feature of the Hakka U-Shaped compounds is that its wall is extremely solid and enduring, which is even hard to hammer a nail into them. The walls are as thick as 30 cm and were built with a mixture of lime, mud, sand and proper quantity of sticky rice and brown sugar. The materials for building the walls are all very common in Guangdong Province. Just like the Fujiang Earthen Buildings, the U-Shaped Compounds of the Hakka is also a product of the needs of living, defense and production of a special historic period.
10. Fortified Buildings in Kaiping, Guangdong Province
The Fortified Buildings in Kaiping is a perfect hybrid of conventional Chinese residences with courtyards and fortified buildings, and western architectural characteristics. During 19th Century, a lot of Chinese in Guangdong Province immigrated to western countries to seek a living. After they made enough money abroad, they usually invest them on building their own family house in their hometown. As a result, they also brings a lot of western art and architectural styles and elements to the local buildings.
11. Flagstone Buildings in Guizhou Province
Guizhou Province is located in the hilly terrain of Yun-Gui Plateau. Flagstone buildings take the materials from the rocky mountains, and are built in a wooden structure wrapped in stone walls and a stone roof. The roofing of the flagstone buildings is especially unique: it is roofed with 2 cm thick stone plates serving as tiles.
12. Residential Buildings of the Koreans
The Korean Nationality in northeast China has a very characteristic residential form that well suits its cold climate. Most residents have a hipped thatch roof and wide ridges. The interior of the building has a very special air circulation path, which ensures the heat of the interior.Thursday, October 22, 2009
Major Architectral forms of Chinese residences pt.III
13. Mongolian Yurts
Mongolian Yurts is a temporary building structure that fits the nomadic lifestyle of Mongolian herdsmen. It covers a circular area with a vault at the top. It usually fronts the east where the sun rises, thus preventing the west wind from blowing into the yurt. Meanwhile, the streamline of the yurt reduces the force of the wind from any direction. It only takes less than half an hour for Mongolian herdsmen to set up a yurt.
14. Uygurs Residential Buildings
Uygur is a nationality in Xinjiang Province, northwestern China, which is same to the Uygur ethnic group in central Asia countries. The residential buildings of the Uygurs has extra thick walls which prenvent the high temperature difference during day and night. The buildings has no side window, but only front windows and skylights as a way to prevent temperature difference. The area has rare rains, so the structure and material of Uygurs residential buildings are wooden frame with adobe walls. The interior of the buildings are splendidly decorated with plasters and plywood relief works.
15. Houses on Stils (Overhanging Houses) in Yunnan Province
The humid, hot climate of Yunnan Province makes the local people lift their houses from the damp ground. They usually use local materials such as bamboo and wood to build the stilts structure. Another purpose of lifting up the building is to protect residents against beasts. Overhanging Houses usually has roof with large eaves to block the strong solar radiation of that area. The interior of the building does not have good lighting, but has very good ventilation.
16. Lijiang Residential Building
Lijiang Residential Buildings are built by the Naxi nationality, and its style is a combination of central plain, Bai nationality and Tibet. The local landscape of Lijiang has streams running across the city. The Naxi people maximize the use of water by unique planning techniques.
17. Houses of Bai Nationality
There are two typical forms of Bai Houses: one is a courtyard with two storied buildings on three sides and a screen wall on the other; the other is a rectangular five-courtyard houses. The arrangement and layout methos of Bai Houses is pretty similar to that of the central plain architectures such as Beijing Courtyards. The major feature that distinguishes Bai Houses from central plain courtyards is its colorful and exquisite exterior decorations. The Houses of Bai are also built in a way that suits the local windy climate anf frequent earthquakes.
18. Tibetan Fortified Manor Houses
The typical style of Tibetan Fortified Manor Houses is a 3 or 4 storied high houses built with thick enclosing walls. The windows of the houses are usually open toward the central courtyard. The windows and doors openning outside are usually very small and narrow. This design served for two purpose: denfense and keeping out the cold wind.
The interior plan of the Tibetan Fortified Manor Houses is also very interesting. The first floor is used for storage, the second floor for living, and the third floor for religious worship and grain storage. This relects the Tibetan people's social and religious pattern.
Mongolian Yurts is a temporary building structure that fits the nomadic lifestyle of Mongolian herdsmen. It covers a circular area with a vault at the top. It usually fronts the east where the sun rises, thus preventing the west wind from blowing into the yurt. Meanwhile, the streamline of the yurt reduces the force of the wind from any direction. It only takes less than half an hour for Mongolian herdsmen to set up a yurt.
14. Uygurs Residential Buildings
Uygur is a nationality in Xinjiang Province, northwestern China, which is same to the Uygur ethnic group in central Asia countries. The residential buildings of the Uygurs has extra thick walls which prenvent the high temperature difference during day and night. The buildings has no side window, but only front windows and skylights as a way to prevent temperature difference. The area has rare rains, so the structure and material of Uygurs residential buildings are wooden frame with adobe walls. The interior of the buildings are splendidly decorated with plasters and plywood relief works.
15. Houses on Stils (Overhanging Houses) in Yunnan Province
The humid, hot climate of Yunnan Province makes the local people lift their houses from the damp ground. They usually use local materials such as bamboo and wood to build the stilts structure. Another purpose of lifting up the building is to protect residents against beasts. Overhanging Houses usually has roof with large eaves to block the strong solar radiation of that area. The interior of the building does not have good lighting, but has very good ventilation.16. Lijiang Residential Building
Lijiang Residential Buildings are built by the Naxi nationality, and its style is a combination of central plain, Bai nationality and Tibet. The local landscape of Lijiang has streams running across the city. The Naxi people maximize the use of water by unique planning techniques.
17. Houses of Bai Nationality
There are two typical forms of Bai Houses: one is a courtyard with two storied buildings on three sides and a screen wall on the other; the other is a rectangular five-courtyard houses. The arrangement and layout methos of Bai Houses is pretty similar to that of the central plain architectures such as Beijing Courtyards. The major feature that distinguishes Bai Houses from central plain courtyards is its colorful and exquisite exterior decorations. The Houses of Bai are also built in a way that suits the local windy climate anf frequent earthquakes.
18. Tibetan Fortified Manor Houses
The typical style of Tibetan Fortified Manor Houses is a 3 or 4 storied high houses built with thick enclosing walls. The windows of the houses are usually open toward the central courtyard. The windows and doors openning outside are usually very small and narrow. This design served for two purpose: denfense and keeping out the cold wind.
The interior plan of the Tibetan Fortified Manor Houses is also very interesting. The first floor is used for storage, the second floor for living, and the third floor for religious worship and grain storage. This relects the Tibetan people's social and religious pattern.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Reading: Architectural Encounters with Essence and Form in Modern China
This is the book I've been reading for the past two weeks. Architectural Encounters with Essence and Form in Modern China, which is written by
Peter G. Rowe and Seng Kuan.
Peter G.Rowe is the former Dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Design, where he is Raymond Garbe Professor of Architecture and Urban Design.
Seng Kuan is a graduate student at Harvard University and the founding editor of the Harvard Asia Pacific Review.
This book is a really good start for the first part of my research, which is based on the question: how should China weight between traditionalism and modernism in its current architectural design practice. This book provides a comprehensive survey on the social, historical and political factors that influence the development of Chinese modern architecture since the 1840 Opium War.
I like the neural way the book ends: the gap between "essence" and "form" should be filled by specific social context.
More information about the book is on the MIT press website: http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/item/default.asp?ttype=2&tid=8768
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