Translating the Past: Suzhou Garden As a Generator in Architecture
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Montreal Architectural Review
Montreal Architectural Review Between Dream and Shadow: The Aesthetic Change Embodied by the Garden of Lion Grove Hui Zou University of Florida Abstract During the late 18th century, the Chinese emperor Qianlong ordered the construction of the Garden of Lion Grove and the Western Garden within his garden complex of Yuanmingyuan in Beijing. His Garden of Lion Grove was an imitation of the original Garden of Lion Grove in Suzhou, which was well known for its rockery labyrinth. Comparing the original Lion Grove and its replicas through poetry and architectural representation, Qianlong sought for truth of the cosmic world. My previous research has uncovered the cross-cultural history regarding the design of the Western Garden within the Yuanmingyuan. This essay translates and interprets the poems and garden records of the Lion Grove in Suzhou to reveal the aesthetic change of the garden from the original Buddhist Chan (Zen) idea of the Yuan dynasty to the secular labyrin- thine ecstasy of the Qing dynasty. The labyrinthine theatricality of the Lion Groves, including the original one and its replicas, was well documented by Qianlong through his poems and his frequent reference to master painter Ni Zan’s painting scroll of the Lion Grove in Suzhou. The essay draws a conclusion that the MAR Volume 5, 2018 6 Hui Zou | Montreal Architectural Review : Vol. 5, 2018 aesthetic transition from Buddhist Chan (Zen) to labyrinthine ecstasy at the Lion Grove in Suzhou took place in a particularly historical age, namely the Ming dynasty, when the philosophical issues of dream and fantasy became trendy in Chinese gardens and garden literature. -
Amateur Architecture Studio Hangzhou, China
EN Reducing tradition to a decorative symbol and then applying it to combination with concrete and steel structures. If you don’t ram earth in the traditional way, but the surface of a modern construction... That’s exactly what kills with a pneumatic rammer, you have to adjust the true meaning of tradition. Wang Shu your method. In the end, the solution has to be feasible with regard to current regulations, in terms of energy saving, for example. The Pritzker jury appreciated one thing in particular The chairman of the Pritzker Prize jury, when it was In terms of city planning, a lot of effort has been put in your work: the way the ecological aspect of your awarded to you, explained the jury’s decision in these into the urbanisation process over the past few years. architecture has made it possible to avoid the visual words: “The question of the ideal relationship be- W. S. : This subject requires a very wide-reach- repetitiveness caused by globalisation. Hangzhou, China Hangzhou, Amateur Architecture Studio Architecture Amateur tween past and present comes at just the right time, ing cultural vision. Everyone says that the next W. S. : Using true tradition is not synonymous because the urbanisation of China raises the question great hope for the development of China is with uniformity. It means knowing how to an- Lu Wenyu Lu of whether architecture should be anchored in the past urbanisation. In the next five or ten years, we swer one question: how can we ensure that each or only look towards the future. -
Singapore Airlines Flies
JOURNALS china A N E T Following in M O the footsteps of China’s ancient P U roving royalty, TOM O’MALLEY E R discovers how the inspection R tours of old helped establish a O O template for travel in the Middle R’ F Kingdom today. S C H I N A A pedestrian bridge over West Lake cuts A a fine silhouette against a backdrop of stormy skies and undulating mountains in Hangzhou. 70 | SILVERKRIS.COM SILVERKRIS.COM | 71 JOURNALS china nlookers in scroll painting. Qianlong sacrifices and generally fine robes line was the sixth emperor of remind the provinces the edge of the the Qing Dynasty, ruling who’s boss. water as the from 1735 to 1796 in what Strictly speaking, a tourist magnificent was considered a golden is defined as one who travels Obarge cuts through the canal. age, where he beefed up for pleasure, but Qianlong In the background I spy grand China’s economy, expanded clearly had plenty of business pagodas and walled gardens its borders, and enhanced to take care of on route. And overhung by native ornamental cultural and intellectual life. yet, both Kangxi and Qianlong scholar trees. Elaborate He’s also, to my mind, China’s commissioned a set of 12 theatrical performances unfold greatest tourist. humongous scrolls – surely on stages along the shore, Qianlong and his the 18th century equivalent and the great Chang Gate in grandfather Kangxi revived of travel photography – to Suzhou, the Venice of the East, an Imperial tradition that recount the story of this stands ready to receive its most had fallen out of favour with ultimate pleasure cruise. -
Traditional Materials Optimized for the Twenty-First Century
T RADITIONAL MATERIALS OPTIMIZED for THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY ELIZABETH GOLDEN University of Washington INTRODUCTION been few organizations and manufacturers willing to invest in the testing and promotion of traditional materials. Consequently, their The rapid pace of development and economic forces have contrib- predictability hardly improved before the 1990s, and traditional con- uted to the ever increasing complexity of construction, with most struction methods remained relatively unaffected by technological building components being manufactured from materials and miner- advances in the construction industry. In the mid-1990s, however, als extracted from locations thousands of miles from the sites where many traditional materials saw a strong revival in several countries they are installed. In their article, Global in a Not-so-Global World, due to growing concerns about climate change, higher demands for Mark Jarzombek and Alfred Hwangbo observe that “Buildings of even healthier, nontoxic building materials and a newfound desire to re- humble proportions are today a composite of materials from probably connect with local culture through indigenous materials. Currently, a dozen or more different countries. In that sense, buildings are far a small but growing number of architects and engineers around the more foundational as a map of global realities...than even a shoe.”1 world are critically reexamining traditional building materials and The current state of architectural affairs is that buildings are less an finding fertile ground for innovation. Material research and testing, in expression of place, and more an assembled product, created by sup- addition to collaborative onsite training, are providing architects with ply chain logistics and industrial manufacturing processes. -
Zeng Jing's Informal Portraits of the Jiangnan Litera
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Santa Barbara Fashioning the Reclusive Persona: Zeng Jing’s Informal Portraits of the Jiangnan Literati A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Art History by Seokwon Choi Committee in charge: Professor Peter C. Sturman, Chair Professor Miriam Wattles Professor Hui-shu Lee December 2016 The dissertation of Seokwon Choi is approved. _____________________________________________ Miriam Wattles _____________________________________________ Hui-shu Lee _____________________________________________ Peter C. Sturman, Committee Chair September 2016 Fashioning the Reclusive Persona: Zeng Jing’s Informal Portraits of the Jiangnan Literati Copyright © 2016 by Seokwon Choi iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My sincerest gratitude goes to my advisor, Professor Peter C. Sturman, whose guidance, patience, and confidence in me have made my doctoral journey not only possible but also enjoyable. It is thanks to him that I was able to transcend the difficulties of academic work and find pleasure in reading, writing, painting, and calligraphy. As a role model, Professor Sturman taught me how to be an artful recluse like the Jiangnan literati. I am also greatly appreciative for the encouragement and counsel of Professor Hui-shu Lee. Without her valuable suggestions from its earliest stage, this project would never have taken shape. I would like to express appreciation to Professor Miriam Wattles for insightful comments and thought-provoking discussions that helped me to consider the issues of portraiture in a broader East Asian context. I owe a special debt of gratitude to Susan Tai, Elizabeth Atkins Curator of Asian Art at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. She was my Santa Barbara mother, and she helped made my eight-year sojourn in the American Riviera one that I will cherish forever. -
Recollections: Memory in Architecture
RECOLLECTIONS Memory in Architecture A thesis submitted to the Graduate school of the University of Cincinnati in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Architecture in the School of Architecture and Interior Design of the College of Design, Architecture, Art, Planning by Andrew Vichosky B.S. in Architecture and Environmental Design, Kent State University, 2012 Advisors: Udo Greinacher Edson Cabalfin Ph. D ii Abstract Although architecture experiences the wear and impact of history, it is very rare that architecture is used as a tool to remember or forget collective memories. This thesis through the investigation of memory both in terms of psychology and related to our contextual environmental and through case studies that examine reused and new constructed environments have created a recollective approach to memory in design. Specifically, this investigation will explore multiple sites within the river basin region of New Orleans to expose the engineering marvels that have erased and act in constant conflict with the geography. iii Abstract iv Preface Everything in our contextual environment is grounded in a perspective of memory. Often memory is thought of as a residue or as an afterthought, however it is a driver for the orientation in which we live. In the development of this thesis, its roots began in the interest of the reuse of buildings and the unique material juxtaposition that occurs as these spaces can be adapted to express memory, place, and the continuum of time. Because of this interest many of the typologies throughout this thesis run in the same vein as adaptive reuse. -
The Art of Architecture/ the Politics of Awards: 2016 Pritzker Architecture Prize Continues Conversations About Sexism and Social Value
MARCH // APRIL // 2016 DIVERSITY IN THE PROFESSION ON THE RISE, AIDED BY NEW INITIATIVES // 34 THE PRITZKER PRIZE // 42 M A RAIACHICAGO.ORG C H // A PR I L // 2 016 1 THE ART OF ARCHITECTURE/ THE POLITICS OF AWARDS: 2016 PRITZKER ARCHITECTURE PRIZE CONTINUES CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SEXISM AND SOCIAL VALUE BY DAWN REISS Students romp and play in the Obama Library Drone Aviary 42 MARCH // APRIL // 2016 CHICAGO ARCHITECT AIACHICAGO.ORG 2016 PRITZKER ARCHITECTURE PRIZE CONTINUES CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SEXISM AND SOCIAL VALUE artha Thorne, executive director of the Pritzker Architecture Prize vividly remembers the phone call she made to Alejandro Aravena telling him the eight-person jury Mhad selected him as the 2016 prizewinner. “He literally could not speak,” Thorne said. “The first thing he said to me was ‘Martha, don’t joke about these things.’ I said ‘But I’m not.’” Thorne says the Chilean architect, who is the direc- tor of the 2016 Venice Architecture Biennale, was genuinely shocked and emotional. “He never expected it,” Thorne said. “In part because he is that type of person, incredibly generous. The jury is committed to the prize and the best. They are committed to the mission of the prize before any other. There’s no benefit for the jury in engaging in politics.” But as anyone knows, anytime there’s a group of people, there are politics. Since the inception of the Pritzker Architecture Prize by Jay and Cindy Pritzker, which was first given to Phillip Johnson in 1979, the influential prize has been synonymous as the “Nobel Prize for architects.” There’s no doubt that the winners are some of most influential architects from I. -
Multiplicity in Pei and Chinese Thought: a Study
Multiplicity in Pei and Chinese Thought: a study Jianfei Zhu University of Melbourne 18 Nov 2016, Guilin, China Ieoh Ming (I. M.) Pei Born 26 April1917 (Guangzhou/China) 1917-35: educated in Suzhou & Shanghai China 1935-now: USA, studied MIT+ Harvard (1935-46) 1955: I M Pei & Associates; 1989: Pei Cobb Freed & Partners Designer of Kennedy Library (Mass.), National Gallery East (DC) Grand Louvre (Pairs), Bank of China (BJ + HK) Recipient of AIA Gold Medal (1979) Pritzker Prize (1983) Lifetime Achievement Award (2003) Gold Medal (RIBA 2010) Considered an enigma (charming smile, impressive work profile, provided some finest late-modern buildings in USA/World, don’t write much nor explain a lot; a Chinese-American: how ‘Chinese’ and how ‘western’? What design position does he promote?) Impressions on/about Pei ‘His thought process is … Chinese’ (intimates) ‘Pei is a cultural cross-dresser’ (H. Cobb) ‘He is many things to many people’ (C. Tsao) ‘It (living in Suzhou) does affect my philosophy of life, relations with people; (it was) an old society where people treat each other with thoughtfulness and respect’ (Pei) ‘The relationship between men is very important in our tradition. To receive and to give … is a way of life. Confucian ethics … a pragmatic philosophy’ (Pei) ‘She (mother) had many friends, extremely warm as a person; that has influenced me’ (Pei) Apparent lack of style and design position no (distinctive) signature style not defined by a stylistic or formal ‘signature’ no textural theorization (or labelling) … dependent on time, place & purpose of a give project, which are variable ‘my analytical approach … gives due consideration to time, place and purpose; variables’ (Pei) Flexible, varied, modern + Harvard Design Thesis W. -
A Cluster Analysis Comparison of Classical Chinese Gardens with Modern Chinese Gardens
ABSTRACT A CLUSTER ANALYSIS COMPARISON OF CLASSICAL CHINESE GARDENS WITH MODERN CHINESE GARDENS By Yiwen Xu Garden designers and scholars are interested in the differences and similarities between traditional design and modern designs. This investigation examines the similarities and differences of classical Chinese gardens and modern Chinese gardens. The comparison is accomplished by ordinating the design elements and basic principles for each garden. Three classical Chinese gardens in Suzhou, China and five modern gardens in Xiamen, China were selected to study. A mathematical method called Cluster Analysis was applied in this research. Seventy-five variables were selected from literature review and site photos. According to the result of Principal Component Analysis, the eigenvalues represent seven meaningful dimensions can be used for analysis. This research focused on studying the first two principal components for the garden comparison. The results indicate that the first principal component can be a way to identify the difference between classical Chinese gardens and modern Chinese gardens. The second principal component indicates the modern gardens can be grouped into two different categories. Keywords: Landscape Architecture, Environmental Design, Historic Gardens, Contemporary Gardens, Horticulture, Historic Preservation. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First, I would like to thank my major advisor Dr. Jon Burley, FASLA, Professor, Michigan State University School of Planning, Design and Construction, for his patient guidance and invaluable assistance through all stages of my work. I am grateful to my other two committee members, Dr. Patricia Machemer and Dr. April Allen, professors in Michigan State University School of Planning, Design and Construction, for all the advices, support and encouragement. I would also like to thank Dr. -
Shrine of Knowledge, Palace of Aesthetics, Or Theater of History Museum Design in China
SHRINE OF KNOWLEDGE, PALACE OF AESTHETICS, OR THEATER OF HISTORY MUSEUM DESIGN IN CHINA OU NING . un musée qui est peut-être celui de sa mémoire . —Chris Marker, La Jetée, !"#$ In the December $!, $%!&, issue of the Economist, an article about museums in China stated that in !"'", the country had only $( muse- ums. It went on to note that, according to the Chinese Museums Association, by $%!$ the number had increased to &,)## museums, including '(! that had opened that year. The government’s current five-year plan had projected &,(%% museums by $%!(; the goal was surpassed three years early. The United States, by comparison, saw only $% to '% museums built per year in the decade prior to the $%%) financial crisis. The article also referenced the term “museumification,” coined by Jeffrey Johnson, director of China Megacities Lab at Colum- bia University, in response to the Chinese museum boom.¹ “Museum- ification” is derived from “gentrification” and precisely sums up the motivation behind the museum-building fever. As a rising political power, China needs cultural achievements to manifest its “so, power,” and through museum building, its emerging capital can catch up to its increasing power and achieve social impact, while acquiring land for still greater commercial gain. 119 The current frenzy over museums in China is somewhat similar Drawing its inspiration from the Chinese calligraphic form of to Europe in the sixteenth century, during the Age of Discovery, when “one”—a horizontal stroke in ink—Nouvel’s winning design was consid- cabinets de curiosités or Wunderkammern showed off relics and trea- ered by NAMOC deputy director Xie Xiaofan as the most representative sures collected from colonies overseas. -
Classical Chinese Gardens
Contemporary Urban Affairs 2018, Volume 2, Number 1, pages 33–44 Classical Chinese Gardens: Landscapes for Self-Cultivation Donia Zhang * Oxford Brookes University, UK A R T I C L E I N F O: A B S T R A C T Article history: This paper examines the design philosophy of classical Suzhou gardens in China, with Received 30 July 2017 regards to their natural and architectural elements on the moral education of the Accepted 07 Augusts 2017 inhabitants. Through studying the metaphorical connotations of garden elements, the Available online 08 Augusts author reflects on their propositions for contemporary environmental ethics, aesthetic 2017 appreciation, and moral education. As such, the article is structured around three Keywords: themes: classical Chinese gardens cultivating environmental ethics, classical Chinese Chinese landscape gardens cultivating appreciation of aesthetics, and classical Chinese gardens architecture; cultivating moral characters. The essay finally suggests that classical Chinese gardens Chinese garden; are landscapes for self-cultivation. Chinese philosophy; Ethics; CONTEMPORARY URBAN AFFAIRS (2018) 2(1), 33-44. DOI: 10.25034/ijcua.2018.3654 Aesthetics; Morality. www.ijcua.com Copyright © 2018 Contemporary Urban Affairs. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction interconnection between gardens and the A garden is a form of art that is related to nature universe from an earlier time. as well as culture. One aspect of their perpetual Historically in China, mountains were viewed as appeal to people is that in a garden, art and connections between heaven and earth, and science, mind and nature, finally intersect. Many water as a reflection of the vast emptiness of the world philosophies or religions regard the planet universe. -
Historical Dictionary of Architecture
ARTS • ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY Historical Dictionaries of Literature and the Arts, No. 29 PALMER HISTORICAL DICTIONARY OF Architecture, which can be understood in its most basic sense as a form of enclosure created with an aesthetic intent, first made its appearance in the Prehistoric Age. From its earliest developments, architecture changed over time and in different cultures in response to changing cultural needs, aesthetic interests, materials, and techniques. Architecture The Historical Dictionary of Architecture provides information on architects HISTORICAL such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Tadao Ando, Leon Battista Alberti, Filippo DICTIONARY Brunelleschi, Michelangelo, and Konstantin Stepanovich Melnikov, as well as OF A on famous structures such as the Acropolis, the Colosseum, the Forbidden City, Machu Pichu, Notre Dame, the Pyramids of Giza, Stonehenge, and the World Trade Center. The dictionary examines the development of architecture rchitecture over the centuries through a chronology, an introductory essay, a bibliography, and hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries on the major architects, well-known buildings, time periods, styles, building types, and materials in world architecture. Allison Lee Palmer is professor of art history at the University of Oklahoma. For orders and information please contact the publisher SCARECROW PRESS, INC. A wholly owned subsidiary of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc. 4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200 ISBN-13: 978-0-8108-5821-3 Lanham, Maryland 20706 ISBN-10: 0-8108-5821-5 1-800-462-6420 • fax 717-794-3803 ALLISON LEE PALMER www.scarecrowpress.com COVER IMAGE © SCPHOTOS / ALAMY HD Architecture.indd 1 8/11/08 11:16:24 AM Historical Dictionaries of Literature and the Arts Jon Woronoff, Series Editor 1.