YEARBOOK 2018 - 2019 | XJTLU DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE

087
088
ARC205
Design Studio
Design and Building Typology
2018-2019 YEARBOOK Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University Department of Architecture 西 交 利 物 浦 大 学 建 筑 系
Conceptual drawing,
by REN Chenjia,
Dec 2018.
Ecological Manifesto
by Yan Chut Hang Bryan Jonatan Fong Choy,
Dec 2018.
Level 2
( Year 3 | Semester 1 )
Module Credits
10
Module Leader
Aleksandra Raonic
Teaching Team
Jiawen Han
Teresa Hoskyns
Sandro Rolla
Li-An Tsien
Igea Troiani
Teo Hidalgo Nacher
Rafael Carbonero
Sustainable Design Support
Marco Cimillo
Thomas Wortmann
Number of Students
77
Re-thinking Harmonious Living
In no other cultural tradition has a concept of Harmony in Nature played
a more important role than in that of China.
Since ancient times real and imagined creatures of the sea and the earth
– pixiu dragons, serpents, chimeras - were given special attributes and
were portrayed on ritual objects and in art.
The mountains, as depicted in the Chinese traditional landscape
paintings were envisioned with sacred power as manifestations of
nature’s vital energy – qi ( 气 ). They not only attracted the rain clouds
that watered the farmer’s crops, they also concealed medicinal herbs,
magical fruits, and alchemical minerals that held the promise of
longevity.
Mountains pierced by caves and grottoes were seen as gateways to other
realms - Cave heavens (dongtian) leading to Daoist paradises where aging
stops and inhabitants live in an eternal Harmony with Nature.
Grounded on China’s captivating cultural traditions and legacies that
have for centuries brought forward green values, this briefs invites
students to take their own stance towards the burning environmental
issues and to envision New Models for Harmonious Living for a future
greener China.
Following typological explorations for ecological living, the task is to
design a housing project with 50 apartments for a site in Suzhou.
Level 02 – Year 3
B Eng Architecture Programme