Home Design between Traditional China & Europe

07013027 CHAN Ka-ling, Kelly

07015305 HUO Wing-fung, Wilson

Western or Chinese? Traditional or Modern?

1. Home Design of Traditional China

Location Selection

Scientific MethodPrior living conditionWater & Land

Traditional BeliefFeng Shui ( 風水 )Idea of “qi” ( 氣 )Idea of “dragon” ( 龍 )Desire for good living

Quadrangle in BeijingThe coalition of four buildingsFacing East, West, South, NorthA definite circulation realmThe practice of family hierarchy ( 長幼有序 , 男尊女卑 )

Layout

Earth Towers( 土樓 ) in FujianMountainous locationA closed, concentratedcenter buildingLiving large family unitImportant custom of ancestor worship

Furniture & DecorationFurniture & Decoration

Varieties of Sculpture decoratione.g. wooden door, brick wall, roof, beam ( 樑 )

Many meaningful themese.g. lively animals, pleasing plants, glorified gods and heroes

Differences between social classes

Major activities & guest serving areaStressing symmetryConfucianism

Chairs without backSpecial meaningInferior women status

Furniture & DecorationFurniture & Decoration

2. Home Design of Traditional Europe

• Location Selection– Nothing about Feng Shui ( 風水 )– Home location tight with economic activities

• Coastal area• Junction of main roads

– Consideration about the soil quality

Suitable for house building?

Layout

Small family unit

E.g. 4-6 people

• Simple

• No restriction on the rites about family hierarchy

Many uses of Wooden furniture

Emphasis on the use of color instead of the use of carved work

InteriorDecoration

Cultural Interaction in the context of home design

• Ming Dynasty rounded-chair• Traditional Chinese Style

• Y-chair• By Hans J. Wenger in 1950

Cultural Interaction in the context of

home design

• European Style influence Modern China

• Layout of common dwellings

• From Quadrangle to Apartment

Cultural Interaction in the context of home design

Traditional China Traditional EuropeQuadrangle in Beijing & Courtyard House in Rome

Conclusion

• For thousands of years, the cultural interaction between Europe and China do not ever stop until now

• In recent 100 years, European influence on China > Chinese influence on Europe

• Lack of preservation of Chinese traditional culture (e.g.: Quadrangle in Beijing)

Conclusion• News Sharing• 中國新聞社 - 文化新聞 (2009-09-03)• << 學者 : 北京被破壞得較嚴重無法和巴黎﹑羅馬比 >>• 「老北京的胡同，如今已消失了 80% 」• 「在意大利，誰敢在古建築上亂刻一個字，立刻會遭到嚴

厲譴責。我在那兒剛好經歷了一件事：羅馬的西班牙大台階前面，有一個噴泉水池，是古跡，有幾個俄羅斯遊客喝醉了，跳進噴泉洗澡，造成水池輕微劃傷，結果被警方拘留了。第二天當地所有報紙都在報道此事，齊聲聲討，不依不饒，輿論甚至對整個俄羅斯的人都冷嘲熱諷。這要在我們中國，可能就不算事兒了」

Is it the time for us to consider about ‘ less learning others’, more preserving ours’?