Investigating the application of Chinese classical garden design principles to the revitalization of courtyard houses in Beijing.

摘要

This thesis proposes an urban design strategy for the revitalization of a historic district of Beijing east of the Forbidden City, using design strategies developed from certain aspects of Chinese cultural traditions.; The thesis is a very complex and layered investigation that moves along several parallel tracks at once: (1) it is a study of courtyard housing and urban renewal, (2) a formal investigation of the character of courtyard housing and the nature of Chinese gardens, (3) a creative design investigation that explores numerous design strategies for creating new courtyard housing types out of morphological variations, and (4) a philosophical investigation into the nature of the fold and its use in design, with particular reference to classical garden design and landscape painting.; Keywords: Chinese Classical Garden, Chinese Courtyard House, Design Principles, Revitalization, Beijing