The transformation of the bright-dark space in Chinese traditional dwellings

ABSTRACT

The spontaneous transformation of traditional residential space is one of the important phenomena in urban development in China, which is generally considered as a disorderly, random, and individual spatial product derived from current life. However, are these transformations really random individual phenomena? With traditional residential dwellings of Sanyi Street in Jingzhou as research objects, this study revealed the inherited characteristics of the concept system of “Bright-Dark” in the process of contemporary transformation of traditional residential dwellings. Typical residential dwellings were selected for surveying and mapping and the expression of the “Bright-Dark” concept system in the current transformed residential space compared with traditional residential space patterns. The results demonstrated the traditional concept system (“Bright-Dark”) of residential space still exerts its spatial control function in the seemingly random transformation of contemporary dwellings. In addition, the study provided new perspectives and methods for understanding contemporary transformation of traditional dwellings from the perspective of the concept system of “Bright-Dark”.

Graphical abstract

KEYWORDS:

• Bright-Dark
• Chinese traditional dwellings space
• contemporary inheritance
• Sanyi Street in Jingzhou
• traditional space concept

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data Availability

The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article and appendices.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the China Scholarship Council [202008050220,202108050212].

Notes on contributors

Guoqing Zhu

Guoqing Zhu is a professor of Yangtze University, He is currently studying for a PhD at waseda university. He is engaged in the research of architectural heritage protection and ancient city protection

Xinpeng Wang

Xinpeng Wang is an Assistant Professor, Department of Architecture, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan. He received bachelor degree of architecture in 2010 from China University of Mining and Technology, and master degree of architecture in 2013 from Waseda University. He is currently a Assistant Professor at architecture department of Waseda University, FURUYA Nobuaki Laboratory, Japan. He focuses on the spontaneous transformation and semi-trans-parent space of traditional dwellings.

Kai Fang

Kai Fang received doctoral degree of architecture in 2020 from Waseda University, and now is an Assistant Professor in Nobuaki Furuya Laboratory of Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Waseda University. He is interested in the modern creation and extension of traditional Chinese design.

Wenda Zhang

Wenda Zhang is a doctor candidate from FURUYA Nobuaki Laboratory, Architecture Department, Graduate School of Creative Science and Engineering, Waseda University. He focuses on spatial design in the Chinese tradition.

Zhehan Zhang

Zhehan Zhang is a doctor candidate of Furuya Nobuaki Laboratory, Department of Architecture, Waseda University. He received master degree of architecture in 2020 from Waseda University. He focuses on space and behavior in urban renewal, such as spontaneous transformation of traditional blocks in the process of urbanization.