Abstract
Previous studies have failed to grasp the essence of traditional building habits responding to natural challenges. Therefore, contradictions arise between unified regulations protecting traditional residential architecture proposed by experts and the diverse construction transformation performed by locals. To resolve these contradictions, fieldwork was conducted in Yangwan, a famous village in South China. The traditional residential architectural characteristics in three periods were obtained and compared. Peirce’s interpretation of the three natures of habit and Heidegger’s dwelling help determine the essence of building habits. The logic in traditional residential architecture is analysed through the “four-layer integrated into one” framework (including the natural environment, livelihood form, institution and ideology), yielding the following results. (1) The characteristics of the residential architectural form change with local livelihood form, institution and ideology. Nevertheless, the process by which local residents think, judge and respond to natural challenges remains unchanged (Thirdness of Habit), forming the core of dwelling. (2) The characteristics of the architectural form are determined by the causal chain of “four-layer integrated into one”. Stable causal chains are formed by the Thirdness of Habit, which represents people’s initiative in addressing natural challenges. Therefore, the protection of traditional residential architecture should centre on dwelling and people’s agency in response to the natural environment rather than on maintaining a unified physical form.
Highlights
Because previous studies have failed to grasp the essence of traditional building habits that responded to environmental challenges, contradictions between unified regulations regarding the protection of traditional residential architecture proposed by experts and the diversified construction transformation carried out by local residents have emerged in many countries worldwide
This article aims to determine how human beings cope with natural challenges in their interaction with the natural environment to realize dwelling
The natural environment has a significant impact on the characteristics of the residential architectural form in Yangwan
Summary
Because previous studies have failed to grasp the essence of traditional building habits that responded to environmental challenges, contradictions between unified regulations regarding the protection of traditional residential architecture proposed by experts and the diversified construction transformation carried out by local residents have emerged in many countries worldwide. People have accumulated much experience through interactions with the natural environment in living practice. This valuable experience embodies the wisdom of human–environment interaction [1]. It promotes the formation of building habits that continuously guide people’s building behaviour and lead them to spontaneously care for and repair their houses. Modernity and official planning led by experts have limited the degree to which residents can participate in the process of building and repairing houses.
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