Learning from the Classical Chinese Garden: The Reintegration of Shiyi in Contemporary Chinese Architecture

Description

Recent discourse in Chinese architectural circles has highlighted a trend towards rationalisation that can be theorised as a split from a shiyi (诗意, literally “poetic”) building tradition. Scholars have argued that the over-artificial and functional urban environment leads to the loss of traditional culture and place identity in contemporary cities. An architectural approach rooted in inspiration from classical Chinese gardens has gained popularity since the post-reform era. The term shiyi has been frequently adopted by architects to refer to their architectural designs. However, shiyi remains ambiguous in its definition, as architects tend to use this term with diverse interpretations without providing clear explanations.
This PhD thesis concerns the above issue and explores the hypothesis that drawing from classical Chinese gardens and emphasising shiyi can assist contemporary Chinese architects in integrating building traditions that counters the increasingly homogenised urban context. Situated at the intersection of poetics, aesthetics, and architecture, this thesis aims to address the question of what shiyi is and how it is constructed in classical Chinese gardens and related contemporary architecture. It seeks to evaluate their similarities and differences to further assess if it is appropriate to consider the shiyi expression in contemporary garden-inspired architecture a continuation of the shiyi found in these classical gardens.

To investigate the concept of shiyi, an etymological methodology is adopted. Through scrutiny of its historical usage, transformations in meanings and forms, and the circumstances under which it entered the Chinese language, the thesis explores the term shiyi within the contexts of Chinese poetics and aesthetics, offering insights into its principal characteristics and underlying framework. With its focus on the dual examination of meaning and operational strategy, this framework serves as a theoretical lens for assessing shiyi expressions within both gardens and their related contemporary architectural works.

By focusing on two influential contemporary architectural practices, Amateur Architecture Studio and Atelier Li Xinggang, the thesis closely examines their engagement with the concept of shiyi in their design theories and a selection of their realised designs. Subsequently, the analysed findings are compared to further understand the relevance and divergence of shiyi expressions between the classical Chinese garden and related contemporary architectural practice. The study demonstrates that contemporary Chinese architects, while drawing inspiration from the classical Chinese garden, maintain their stance within the architectural knowledge and practices of their owne time, with their shiyi expressions evolving accordingly. As a result, this study of shiyi provides a reflective reading of contemporary Chinese architectural practice as it draws on Chinese cultural and architectural traditions. The research contributes a Chinese perspective to the discourse on the poetic in architectural theory and design research.

Period	1 Sept 2019 → 29 Oct 2024
Examinee	Siqi Deng
Degree of Recognition	International