Investigation on the Influence of Chinese Traditional Elements in Contemporary Building Design by Western Architects in China PDF Download

Author: Razak Basri
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
ISBN: 3640977998
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 137

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Book Description
Doctoral Thesis / Dissertation from the year 2010 in the subject Art - Architecture / History of Construction, ( Atlantic International University ), course: Doctorate in Architecture (PhD), language: English, abstract: China is transforming in terms of economy, social, culture and physical development. Due to this, rapid urban development in China threatens the urban fabric of Chinese cities. Development has attempted to balance strong Western influences with traditional Chinese forms and has met mixed results. Although, it is already in existence of a new current of Chinese regionalism in architecture but this trend could be further improved by careful applications of the principles of architecture. This thesis presents five case studies of current Chinese completed building projects in two major urban settings; Beijing and Shanghai, designed by Western architects. Each case study is examined in each of the basic elements of architecture in relation to traditions and modern architecture. These case studies are then used as the foundation for specific recommendations for future development of contemporary Chinese architectural regionalism, in particular focusing on ways to integrate traditional or vernacular techniques, devices and forms with modern needs, modern technologies, and foreign influences in order to enhance the regional culture and built environment. There is distinction made between Beijing and Shanghai in which Beijing is more of a historic city emphasizing Chinese government, while Shanghai is more of an economic nerve of China emphasizing trade, finance and international business. Together, the two cities form the forefront of the built environment showcase of China.

Author: Peter G. Rowe
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 9780262681513
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 312

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Book Description
A study of traditional and modernist attitudes toward architecture in China from the 1840s to the present. Built around snatches of discussion overheard in a Beijing design studio, this book explores attitudes toward architecture in China since the opening of the Treaty Ports in the 1840s. Central to the discussion are the concepts of ti and yong, or "essence" and "form," Chinese characters that are used to define the proper arrangement of what should be considered modern and essentially Chinese. Ti and yong have gone through various transformations--for example, from "Chinese learning for essential principles and Western learning for practical application" to "socialist essence and cultural form" and an almost complete reversal to "modern essence and Chinese form." The book opens with a discussion of cultural developments in China in response to the forced opening to the West in the mid-nineteenth century, efforts to reform the Qing dynasty, and the Nationalist and Communist regimes. It then considers the return of overseas-educated Chinese architects and foreign influences on Chinese architecture, four architectural orientations toward tradition and modernity in the 1920s and 1930s, and the controversy over the use of "big roofs" and other sinicizing aspects of Chinese architecture in the 1950s. The book then moves to the hard economic conditions of the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, when architecture was almost abandoned, and the beginning of reform and opening up to the outside world in the late 1970s and 1980s. Finally, it looks at the present socialist market economy and Chinese architecture during the still incomplete process of modernization. It closes with a prognosis for the future.

Author: Danguan Zhang
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 39

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Book Description
After the failed Anglo-Chinese War of the 1840s, China was forced to open to international trade. China is still borrowing developing experiments from the West in the distinctive Chinese cultural context. By doing so, a cultural conflict between China and the West leads to a chaotic time in art and architectural design. How can Chinese architects, educated and working globally, identify Chinese culture when designing and building today’s China? New buildings in the Chinese urban condition mostly constructed by international firms, which is leading to the lack of local unique replaced by global similarity. To solve this architectural problem, well-known Chinese architect Liang Sicheng (1901-1972) first proposed the grammar and language of buildings and transferability of different local architectural language. He is the founder of Chinese modern architecture and city planning. His ideas still influence most Chinese architects and architecture students. According to Liang Sicheng’s study, the pattern language abstracts from the traditional architecture to state Chinese culture as a valuable tool for future Chinese architectural design. This paper begins with a brief discussion of the current cultural situation in China, and based on the case studies of Chinese buildings that attempt to combine vernacular culture with contemporary buildings, this paper suggests the trend of “New China” architecture style will lead to a great transition of Chinese contemporary buildings. Using the unique Chinese elements from the traditional architecture to reconstruct new Chinese buildings, this experiment will also contribute to the worldwide architectural design for a unique national identity.

Author: Jeffrey W. Cody
Publisher: University of Hawaii Press
ISBN: 0824861019
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 410

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Book Description
In the early twentieth century, Chinese traditional architecture and the French-derived methods of the École des Beaux-Arts converged in the United States when Chinese students were given scholarships to train as architects at American universities whose design curricula were dominated by Beaux-Arts methods. Upon their return home in the 1920s and 1930s, these graduates began to practice architecture and create China’s first architectural schools, often transferring a version of what they had learned in the U.S. to Chinese situations. The resulting complex series of design-related transplantations had major implications for China between 1911 and 1949, as it simultaneously underwent cataclysmic social, economic, and political changes. After 1949 and the founding of the People’s Republic, China experienced a radically different wave of influence from the Beaux-Arts through advisors from the Soviet Union who, first under Stalin and later Khrushchev, brought Beaux-Arts ideals in the guise of socialist progress. In the early twenty-first century, China is still feeling the effects of these events. Chinese Architecture and the Beaux-Arts examines the coalescing of the two major architectural systems, placing significant shifts in architectural theory and practice in China within relevant, contemporary, cultural, and educational contexts. Fifteen major scholars from around the world analyze and synthesize these crucial events to shed light on the dramatic architectural and urban changes occurring in China today—many of which have global ramifications. This stimulating and generously illustrated work is divided into three sections, framed by an introduction and a postscript. The first focuses on the convergence of Chinese architecture and the École des Beaux-Arts, outlining the salient aspects of each and suggesting how and why the two "met" in the U.S. The second section centers on the question of how Chinese architects were influenced by the Beaux-Arts and how Chinese architecture was changed as a result. The third takes an even closer look at the Beaux-Arts influence, addressing how innovative practices, new schools of architecture, and buildings whose designs were linked to Beaux-Arts assumptions led to distinctive new paradigms that were rooted in a changing China. By virtue of its scope, scale, and scholarship, this volume promises to become a classic in the fields of Chinese and Western architectural history. Contributors: Tony Atkin, Peter J. Carroll, Yung Ho Chang,Jeffrey W. Cody, Kerry Sizheng Fan, Fu Chao-Ching, Gu Daqing, Seng Kuan,Delin Lai, Xing Ruan, Joseph Rykwert, Nancy S. Steinhardt, David VanZanten, Rudolf Wagner, Zhang Jie, Zhao Chen.

Author: Jeffrey W. Cody
Publisher: University of Hawaii Press
ISBN: 0824834569
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 410

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Book Description
In the early twentieth century, Chinese traditional architecture and the French-derived methods of the École des Beaux-Arts converged in the United States when Chinese students were given scholarships to train as architects at American universities whose design curricula were dominated by Beaux-Arts methods. Upon their return home in the 1920s and 1930s, these graduates began to practice architecture and create China’s first architectural schools, often transferring a version of what they had learned in the U.S. to Chinese situations. The resulting complex series of design-related transplantations had major implications for China between 1911 and 1949, as it simultaneously underwent cataclysmic social, economic, and political changes. After 1949 and the founding of the People’s Republic, China experienced a radically different wave of influence from the Beaux-Arts through advisors from the Soviet Union who, first under Stalin and later Khrushchev, brought Beaux-Arts ideals in the guise of socialist progress. In the early twenty-first century, China is still feeling the effects of these events. Chinese Architecture and the Beaux-Arts examines the coalescing of the two major architectural systems, placing significant shifts in architectural theory and practice in China within relevant, contemporary, cultural, and educational contexts. Fifteen major scholars from around the world analyze and synthesize these crucial events to shed light on the dramatic architectural and urban changes occurring in China today—many of which have global ramifications. This stimulating and generously illustrated work is divided into three sections, framed by an introduction and a postscript. The first focuses on the convergence of Chinese architecture and the École des Beaux-Arts, outlining the salient aspects of each and suggesting how and why the two "met" in the U.S. The second section centers on the question of how Chinese architects were influenced by the Beaux-Arts and how Chinese architecture was changed as a result. The third takes an even closer look at the Beaux-Arts influence, addressing how innovative practices, new schools of architecture, and buildings whose designs were linked to Beaux-Arts assumptions led to distinctive new paradigms that were rooted in a changing China. By virtue of its scope, scale, and scholarship, this volume promises to become a classic in the fields of Chinese and Western architectural history. Contributors: Tony Atkin, Peter J. Carroll, Yung Ho Chang,Jeffrey W. Cody, Kerry Sizheng Fan, Fu Chao-Ching, Gu Daqing, Seng Kuan,Delin Lai, Xing Ruan, Joseph Rykwert, Nancy S. Steinhardt, David VanZanten, Rudolf Wagner, Zhang Jie, Zhao Chen.

Author:
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1119375975
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 144

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Book Description
Today, architecture in China is at a watershed. Over the last decade, rapid urbanisation and the burgeoning economy turned the country into a playground for the world’s signature architects, making it possible to realise extravagant forms and structures at a vast scale. The Chinese government has now drawn a line under this phenomenon by issuing a directive calling an end to the ‘oversized, xenocentric, weird’ buildings devoid of character or cultural heritage that have sprung up across the country, requiring that urban architecture be 'suitable, economic, green and pleasing to the eye'. This government directive comes at a time when homegrown architecture has become increasingly self-assured and reflective in its approach. A new generation of architects in China in their 30s and 40s are emerging, and in a wholly contemporary way they are exploring local responses to often bewildering urban and rural conditions and serious social and environmental challenges. This is often expressed through a revival of interest in traditional street patterns, courtyards and gardens. At the same time, architects are also recognising the opportunities to harness the potential of China’s established manufacturing base to develop prefabricated building systems. Innovative practices are employing new modes of working, such as research-based studio teaching and exhibitions, field workshops, cross-disciplinary collaboration, laboratory-based practice, design think-tanks and collective projects, generating a vibrant culture of design research. Contributors: Lu Feng, Murray Fraser, Xiao Fu and Wei You, Xiahong Hua and Shen Zhuang, Xinggang Li, Yichun Liu, James Shen, Yehao Song, Hui Wang, Shuo Wang, Xin Wang and Qiuye Jin, Philip F Yuan and Xiang Wang, Li Zhang, Xin Zhang and Jingxiang Zhu. Featured architects: Archi-Union Architects, Atelier Archmixing, Atelier Deshaus, Atelier Li Xinggang, Integrated Architecture Studio, LanD Studio, META-Project, People's Architecture Office, SUP Atelier, URBANUS and Zaoyuan Gardening Studio

Author: Anne Chen
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Seals (Numismatics)
Languages : en
Pages : 59

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Book Description
As China embraces modernism as she understands it in the scramble to showcase her newly acquired financial status to make a mark on the world stage, it is evident that in the commotion, the simplistic elegance of traditional and vernacular architecture is being generally overlooked by developers and most native architects. The temptation is to be like the rest of the world. But oil is not water, and Global is not Local, and the chief loss when the former floods the latter is the tapestry of culture - variety and uniqueness, identity basically. This thesis suggests that, in fact, local architecture in the form of the vernacular that has grown over time and out of the people of a particular place has still a lot to inform the present with its far higher rate of architectural production in virtually borderless contexts. The subject is cultural continuity in the architecture of China in present times, and this research seeks to provide a bridge between static traditional architecture and fluid contemporary expressions. It identifies the transitional, convoluted period of experiments in engagement with Western influences (1840-1976) before discussing the work of Wang Shu, Ai Weiwei and Liu Jiakun - local architects who approach the subject with intelligence and originality. The design portion of this thesis tackles a museum of the Chinese craft of seal-making, situated in Xitang (Zhejiang Province), China. The traditional art of seal making is as representative as any other of China's vast array of undying arts and crafts, a visitor interpretive centre dedicated to continuing influence of seals in Chinese society has been chosen as the contextual grounds for investigations into and propositions on cultural continuity in Chinese architecture. The thesis shows that traditional architectural elements, hold the best promise of an intelligent, sympathetic and redemptive approach to negotiating the onslaught of wealth as China continues to build for an ancient culture. The architectural elements (read abstractions) of enclosure, horizontal emphasis, strong axial plan, hierarchy, material and cosmological concepts are essential heritage of traditional Chinese architecture. This thesis argues that heritage, by its very definition, should be treasured, inspirational, and reinterpreted to sustain culture.

Author: Jiawen Han
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1351363298
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 315

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Book Description
China is currently in the midst of an unprecedented building boom and, indeed, interest in Chinese contemporary architecture has been fuelled by this huge expansion. Through a cutting-edge theoretical discussion of Chinese architecture in relation to Chinese modernity, this book examines this phenomenon in detail. In particular, it highlights how changes in the social-political system, the residual influence of Mao and the demands of the market have each shaped and determined style and form in recent years. Using key case studies of Liu Jiakun, Cui Kai, and URBANUS, it analyses the intricate details of historical pressures and practical strategies affecting Chinese architecture. In doing so, it demonstrates that Chinese architects contribute in specific ways to the international architectural discourse, since they are actively engaging with the complex societal transition of contemporary China and managing the dynamics and conflicts arising during the process. China's Architecture in a Globalizing World: Between Socialism and the Market offers a lens into the innovation and uniqueness of architectural design in China. As such, this book will be useful for students and scholars of architecture, Chinese culture and society and urban studies.

Author: Christian Schittich
Publisher: Birkhäuser
ISBN: 3035618178
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 144

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Book Description
In recent years, a refreshingly unconventional architectural scene – outside the mainstream – has established itself in China. Its representatives, many of whom were trained in the West, are known for their sensitive handling of space, light, and material, and by their engagement with context and their own tradition. Since Wang Shu, one of the most important representatives of the profession, won the Pritzker Prize, international professionals have become more aware of China’s new architecture. Twenty fascinating examples of different building typologies – many with social relevance – as well as an introductory essay illustrate current building activities and provide an insight into the cultural and architectonic influences.

Author: David Wang
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317505662
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 330

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Book Description
A Philosophy of Chinese Architecture: Past, Present, Future examines the impact of Chinese philosophy on China’s historic structures, as well as on modern Chinese urban aesthetics and architectural forms. For architecture in China moving forward, author David Wang posits a theory, the New Virtualism, which links current trends in computational design with long-standing Chinese philosophical themes. The book also assesses twentieth-century Chinese architecture through the lenses of positivism, consciousness (phenomenology), and linguistics (structuralism and poststructuralism). Illustrated with over 70 black-and-white images, this book establishes philosophical baselines for assessing architectural developments in China, past, present and future.