Courtyard Housing and Cultural Sustainability: Theory, Practice, and Product

by Donia Zhang, Matthew Carmona

Overview

Using an innovative architectural and social science approach, this book examines the political, economic, social, and spatial factors that affect cultural sustainability. Supported by a multiplicity of data including: field surveys, interviews with residents, architects, and planners, time diaries, drawings, photos, planning documents, observation notes, and real estate brochures, the book proposes new courtyard garden house design strategies that promote healthy communities and human care for one another, a concept that is universally applicable. It provides a holistic view, encompassing eastern and western tangible and intangible cultures in the theorization of 'cultural sustainability'.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781409471585
Publisher:	Ashgate Publishing Ltd
Publication date:	05/28/2013
Series:	Design and the Built Environment
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	37 MB
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About the Author

Donia Zhang is a graduate of Oxford Brookes University (BArch, MA, PhD) in the UK and Brock University (MEd) in Canada. She has worked in the architectural industry for 7 years, taught art history and AutoCAD, among other subjects, in Ontario. She has published two other books: Courtyard Houses of Beijing: Past, Present, and Future (2009/2010/2011), and Schoolyard Gardening as Multinaturalism: Theory, Practice, and Product (2009).

Table of Contents

Contents: Foreword, Ronald G. Knapp; Prologue; Introduction: lost link between Heaven and Earth; Part I Cultural Sustainability: Four pillars of sustainable development: courtyard housing and cultural sustainability; Four key themes in Chinese philosophy on city planning and courtyard house design. Part II Classical Courtyard Houses of China: Form and environmental quality, space and construction quality of classical courtyard houses; Matters of social cohesion, time and cultural activities in classical courtyard houses. Part III New Courtyard Housing: Historic preservation and modernization of classical courtyard houses; Harmony with Heaven: form and environmental quality of the new courtyard housing; Harmony with Earth: space and construction quality of the new courtyard housing; Harmony with humans: matters of social cohesion in the new courtyard housing; Harmony with self: time and cultural activities in the new courtyard housing. Part IV Culturally Sustainable Architecture: Four cornerstones of culturally sustainable architecture. Part V Future New Courtyard Garden Houses: Conclusion: in search of paradise; Epilogue; Appendix; References; Index.

Editorial Reviews

"The book is well illustrated with examples of both remnant and new courtyard housing including plans for new housing developments by the author herself. This book will appeal to all interested in heritage and conservation." Urban Design

From the Publisher