Professional Documents
Culture Documents
0 - China Vernacular Architecture
0 - China Vernacular Architecture
• Vernacular architecture is an architectural style that is designed based on local needs, availability of construction
materials and reflecting local traditions.
• The terms vernacular, folk, traditional, and popular architecture are sometimes used synonymously.
• At least originally, vernacular architecture did not use formally-schooled architects, but relied on the design skills and
Location of China -
tradition of local builders. However, since the late 19th century many professional architects have worked in this style.
• Vernacular architecture can be contrasted against polite architecture which is characterized by stylistic elements of Located in the continent of
design intentionally incorporated for aesthetic purposes which go beyond a building's functional requirements. Asia, China covers 9,569,901 square
• The vernacular architecture is not to be confused with so-called "traditional" architecture, though there are links kilometers of land and 27,060 square
between the two. Traditional architecture also includes buildings which bear elements of polite kilometers of water, making it the 4th
design: temples and palaces. largest nation in the world with a total
• Architecture designed by professional architects is usually not considered to be vernacular. Indeed, it can be area of 9,596,961 square kilometers.
argued that the very process of consciously designing a building makes it not vernacular. Capital: Beijing (Beijing)
Water Area: 27,060 km2 (10,448 mi2)
Population: 1,343,239,923
CHINA- vernacular architecture Land Area: 9,569,901 km2 (3,694,958
mi2)
1. Introduction
This paper investigates the Chinese climate and the vernacular dwellings with the purpose of
adopting the traditional climate-responsive experience into current residential development. China, a
country that has developed into the world’s fastest growing economy since the political and economic
reforms of 1978, has unique features within its residential sector with regards to building energy
demand: a soaring construction speed desperately to couple with the fast growing domestic living
standards. However, on the energy supply side, energy relies completely upon the large and inefficient Climatic conditions-
use of coal. As the nation’s economic growth continues, an energy crisis is already apparent and
There are five climatic regions partitioned by the Ministry of Construction P.R. China, and five cities have been chosen to exemplify each climate zone:
Harbin for the severe cold region; Beijing for the cold region; Wuhan for a hot summer and cold winter region; Kunming for moderate region and
Haikou for a hot summer and mild winter region (Figure 2 circled in red). The thermal comfort criteria considered in this paper is 16–29 °C as referenced
by the national building regulation (Design Code for Residential Buildings GB50096-1999). Over the course of thousands of years of civilization, China has
developed a rich variety of settlements and vernacular dwellings (Figure 3). These residential houses can generally be divided into three types:
courtyard, caved and wooden storied [4]. They have always taken full advantage of natural ecological resources and at the same time paid careful
attention to save the resources, and moreover, they
possess distinct characteristics of sustainability,