A Connection Between East and West

Blogged By JobinaMah

What is the relationship between the principles of Feng Shui and that of vernacular architecture? How have the principles of each method influenced one another?

Architectural design is a mixture of science and art which cannot be easily explained. Although the complexity of design theories and methods can’t be logically explained, a general understanding of these principles can be broken down and explained. Methods of architectural design come from a variety of different areas around the world which all have their own principals and theories. Through recent years these methods have adjusted to more contemporary and modern approaches, essentially combining eastern and western fundamentals of architectural design. Although there are vast varieties of design theories, their theories all relate or influence each other in some way. Buildings have a significant impact on our environment, culture, social structure and natural resources. These impacts are taken into account greatly when developing a design through the theories of Feng Shui or vernacular architecture. The purpose of this research is to take a look at the concepts of both vernacular architecture and “Feng Shui” and find a consensus between them.

Feng Shui can be literally translated into “air-water”. It is an ancient practice of harmonizing the built environment with its natural surroundings. The principles of Feng Shui are accumulations of knowledge and experience relating to the built environment and its natural surroundings. The framework of this subject cannot be easily identified. However understanding its background can provide readers with an idea of how Feng Shui is practiced. Feng Shui was influenced by China’s geographical configuration. This configuration has been used as a building model in almost all types of Chinese architecture. For example, structures built in China are built high and solid towards the north to shear off the strong winds with low buildings facing the south to capture the warm breeze and sunlight. There are two main schools of thought in Feng Shui; Compass school and Form school. This research focuses mainly on the framework of Form school. The method of Form school involves looking into the physical form of the site under consideration and its surrounding environment and choosing the orientation of the structure. Such concepts as described in the methodology of Form school can relate to that of vernacular architectural design.

Vernacular architecture structures are built by people whom are greatly influenced by traditions in their culture. The concepts of this method of design have been accumulated through a long period of trial and error dating back to 1839, when first introduced in England. Vernacular architecture varies widely throughout the world’s large spectrum of climate, terrain and culture. Recently it has been used as a building pad to most sustainable designs. Structures built using this method are either influenced by pre-existing structures around the world or by its use of materials and the environment which it is built on. The natural surroundings of a structure are a great impact on the theories of vernacular architecture. The buildings created using vernacular concepts are made visible, and enriched with material traces from its lived past. Today, vernacular techniques re-emerge as a way of environmental alternative to existing buildings or new buildings, keeping in mind the use of the land that surrounds it. The methods of this design have evidently been used as an influence in many other types of design including Feng Shui. This study will determine the connection between the two methods and come to final origin of place by which these methods were found.


Books:

• Pearson, David.(1940) In search of Natural Architecture. London: Gaia Books
• Mak Michael Y. NG S. Thomas. (1995) Feng Shui and building performance. Ecological
• perspectives and teaching architectural science. Canberra: University
• of Canberra (pp. 180–184)
• Glassie, Henry. (2000) Vernacular Architecture. Bloomington: Indiana University Press
• He, X. Luo, J. (1995) History of Chinese Feng Shui. Shanghai: Shanghai Arts and Literature Press

Articles:

• Skinner, S. (1982) The Living Earth Manual of Feng Shui Chinese Geomacy. London: Arkana (pp. 262 – 315)
• Mak Michael Y. (2008) Architectural Engineering & Design Management. Feng Shui: An Alternative Framework for Complexity in Design, Vol. 4 Issue 1, (pp. 58-72)
• Zhai, Zhiqiang. Previtali, Jonathan M. (Mar. 2010) “Energy & Buildings” Ancient Vernacular architecture: characteristics categorization and energy performance evaluation, Vol. 42 Issue 3, (pp. 357 – 365)
• Blackwell, Marlon. (Oct 2009) “Journal of Architectural Education” Architecture in a Landscape of Unholy Unions, Vol. 63 Issue 1, (pp.90-95)