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The Fusion of Traditional Taiwanese Courtyard Dwellings and Modern Bioclimatic Technology
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Abstract ___________________________________________________________
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Introduction _________________________________________________
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Conclusion __________________________________________________ 26
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References __________________________________________________ 27
The Fusion of Traditional Taiwanese Courtyard Dwellings and Modern Bioclimatic Technology
Abstract
As a result of a long history of colonialism and immigrant societies, Taiwans
many Chinese, Japanese, local and western style buildings stands as a reflection of
the islands cultural diversity. With rapid globalisation, the issue of preserving valuable
regional heritage in a position where tradition is in fast decline is crucial.
The purpose of this paper is to highlight and demonstrate the importance of
the merging of traditional Taiwanese values and modern day considerations. The
presence of bioclimatic architecture in Spring House introduces new steps in creating
better architecture through the use of traditional vernacular architecture, while
incorporating modern technological advancements promotes self-sustainability in
preparation for unforeseeable natural disasters.
In order to aid the research, literature reviews based on the field of bioclimatic
architecture in East Asia and Taiwan itself were studied. To further understand the
merging of traditional and modern values, published works on Taiwanese courtyard
housing were analysed. To produce a wider and more in depth study of the issue,
research on varied Taiwanese bioclimatic architecture must be conducted. Spring
House by WLA, alongside Courtyard House by Dotze Studio and Beitou National
Library will be presented.
Adopting a base design derived from traditional Taiwanese courtyard housing;
by manipulating the form and spaces within the housing, Spring House allows for a
practical living environment while conserving the core beliefs of a traditional Taiwanese
society. Situated at a location with abundant rainfall but limited water resources,
exposed to typhoons and seismic events, the client requested at the outset with the
idea of self-supply, rainwater reuse and disaster prevention architecture strategies.
Site context remains as an important deciding factor in Taiwanese architecture
design. With a low percentage of buildable land and most of the existing housings old
and grey, Taiwan has taken an approach to make old buildings green, as well as new
buildings that would coexist well with current structures. As a nation with great
technology advancement as well as a great pride in its rich history, a seamless
combination of old and new is highly attainable, as demonstrated in Spring House.
The Fusion of Traditional Taiwanese Courtyard Dwellings and Modern Bioclimatic Technology
1.0 Introduction
Being a typical immigrant society, the faces of Taiwanese architecture has
been serving as an embodiment of the diversification of mainstream Chinese
architecture. Han immigrants from Southern China made up much of Taiwans
architectural, social, and cultural identity since the 17th century. Today, Taiwans
architectural style is a representation of the long history of foreign rule and influences.
Spring House, Guiren District, Tainan demonstrates the importance of cultural
awareness and Taiwanese traditional values. The name Guiren itself reflects a
respect towards the past while embracing the future. The ideology is demonstrated in
the choice of materials, building form, orientation and dimensions; all with consideration
to its surrounding location. In addition, due to the disaster prone nature of the location,
building sustainability and disaster prevention measures have been explored and
implemented. Utilising bricks- typically used in traditional courtyard housing, and the
materiality of steel, it allowed the structure to survive scales of earthquakes. Alongside
the Feng Shui beliefs that buildings should sit leaning against mountains and facing
waters, Spring House was orientated so that the structure would receive maximum
sunlight in the winter and wind in the summer, while solar panels and rainwater
collection systems allows for energy conservation and self sustainability.
This paper will investigate what approach Taiwan has taken to preserve the
traditions of its society, allowing for a modern lifestyle to exist within a traditional
Taiwanese courtyard dwelling, while adapting to needs of the environment; through
responding to the following research questions:
The Fusion of Traditional Taiwanese Courtyard Dwellings and Modern Bioclimatic Technology
The Fusion of Traditional Taiwanese Courtyard Dwellings and Modern Bioclimatic Technology
Vernacular housings may have more than one main building, and as a rule,
the height of the dwellings would never exceed the height, while the depth stands at
approximately 1.3 times the height. Although there are rules to construction, a
distinguishing difference between Taiwanese architecture and its root of Chinese
architecture is that the Taiwanese style is of a freer unbounded construction system.
Accounted for by the fact that Taiwanese traditional architecture is a form of immigrant
architecture, much of the changed applied to construction techniques and materials. To
adapt to modern day considerations, it would be later observed in Spring House that
despite adopting a courtyard housing ideology, the structure develops vertically to
achieve effective space solutions in a situation where empty land is limited.
The Fusion of Traditional Taiwanese Courtyard Dwellings and Modern Bioclimatic Technology
The Fusion of Traditional Taiwanese Courtyard Dwellings and Modern Bioclimatic Technology
Figure 3 Taiwanese traditional courtyard dwellings with exposed brickwork and cement roof tiles
Spring House also has followed the traditional architecture style that
combined wood structure with load bearing brick structure but transform to the use of
modern steel structure with load bearing brick structure. From building elevations steel
framing with brick walls can be observed as well as unfinished materials applied on the
exterior walls. This allows for the original appearance of the materials to show through,
achieving a seamless combination of traditional and modern materials. Traditionally,
courtyard housings are constructed with wooden structures. In Spring House, replaced
with modern steel structure to provide for increased strength and durability. During
which, the use of brickworks have been conserved to respond to the Taiwan traditional
building style of brick structures completed with cement roof tiles.
The Fusion of Traditional Taiwanese Courtyard Dwellings and Modern Bioclimatic Technology
The Fusion of Traditional Taiwanese Courtyard Dwellings and Modern Bioclimatic Technology
The Fusion of Traditional Taiwanese Courtyard Dwellings and Modern Bioclimatic Technology
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The Fusion of Traditional Taiwanese Courtyard Dwellings and Modern Bioclimatic Technology
Personal living space on the third floor consists basic living spaces such as
toilet and bedroom. Building B consists of reading and entertainment spaces on the
second floor and first floor which is not being used when there are no visitors or family
in this house.
By expressing the relationship between the clients and visitors living space
through spatial orders. The architects attempt to purify the spatial layout by segregating
what is need and what is not needed when the owner is alone in the house, Therefore,
to main the privacy of dwellers personal living, the bedroom is situated in the third floor
of building A. It links to building B only through the north patio walkway.
Other than the residential and spatial functions, the architects even try to
express a few messages through construction method and design. First and foremost,
to illuminate the clear appearance of the architectural skeletal, and also to highlight the
characteristic of the material. There is nearly no decorating material on the structure
indoor, the ceiling is omitted, with the entire circulation, the piping system and pipelines
are being exposed without hiding them. This improves the visual aesthetic of interior
structure while at the same time this original idea makes a great convenience of
replacement and maintenance of the house. Besides that, they lower and mosaic all
the structural floors into steel frame. The outcome of this approach is that the exterior is
totally a presentation of pure structure and also shown as a modern architecture.
Interior also utilize the steel beams to form a geometric pattern with timber flooring and
hence become the significant feature of second and third floor. There is also a
secondary structure which is constructed by square shape steel pipe and some sealing
details in the steel construction system. The bricks are combined with other materials
such as steel, timber and mosaic. It is used to achieved mechanical continuity of
structure system and also to create the sense of dramatic lightness to achieve the
effect by using heavy material such as bricks.
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The Fusion of Traditional Taiwanese Courtyard Dwellings and Modern Bioclimatic Technology
Figure 5 Far right is the spring house being constructed, and the views and neighbouring context in a micro scale.
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The Fusion of Traditional Taiwanese Courtyard Dwellings and Modern Bioclimatic Technology
Figure 6 Majority of the residential forms take up this style of 2 to 3 storeys for earthquake precautions.
(Source: Google Earth, 2014)
In modern urban contexts, there are many obstacles an architect must face to
accomplish his/her intentions when designing based on the landform. The architect
responsible for the Spring House intended the building to maintain a distinctive local
architectural character but also allow a statement of change and its compatibility of
fusing modern with traditional whilst still enjoying both advantages presented
accordingly.
Figure 7 M
acro Site Plan surrounding Spring House
(Source: ArchDaily, 2016)
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The Fusion of Traditional Taiwanese Courtyard Dwellings and Modern Bioclimatic Technology
In the district of Guinan in Taiwan where the Spring House is located, there is
an apparent consistency in single storey styled vernacular courtyard houses. The
architectural lineage of this houses can be traced back as far as the Southern Chinese
courtyard houses which maintain a sense of hierarchy in their building, in another term,
there is prioritized spaces within the building accordance to importance. Most of this
importance is or was derived based on the class system that originated in China. This
system distinguished the particular types of housing in a particular area. The variety of
the surrounding courtyard houses which defers in covered as well as opened areas can
also help illustrate the residential needs of supplying to their families difference in
sizes.
However in relevance to the Spring House, the characteristics of a vernacular
courtyard spatial layout has been redesign to fit a more modern criteria. The compact
urban composition with a limited number of storeys helps in defining open spaces and
ensuring privacy to semi-public and private areas in the building. As illustrated, the
building can be seen separated into two parts in wishes of the user, one for the user to
address guest when they visit, and the other is a complete private area for the user to
enjoy when she retreats to the countryside. Furthermore one of the obvious elements is
the general elements of the the buildings being bilaterally symmetrical, and using the
axis of symmetry along the main hall(sacred space). Thus using this as an axis to
create secondary spaces around its context. This was moderately evident in Taian, as
it being an agricultural area, hence most of the form are more dated and have the
same tinge of vernacular uniformity.
The courtyard dwellings that was adopted into Taiwan when the Southern
Chinese community immigrated over, was structured heavily on the belief of Feng Shui.
Feng Shui is the principle of harmonizing people with their environment which in turn
ensure prosperity in traditional Chinese belief. Hence, the idea of having elements of
nature penetrate into the owner's housing would harmonize the dwellers with nature
and came forth a structure like the vernacular courtyard house. In a more practical
perspective, this essentially allowed the house to be supplied with natural light and
ventilation, thereby it reduces the amount of energy used compared to non-courtyard
typologies.
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The Fusion of Traditional Taiwanese Courtyard Dwellings and Modern Bioclimatic Technology
Figure 8 A traditional Chinese courtyard house, constructed around symmetry and an axis.
This relatable spatial layout from traditional Chinese layouts is visible in Spring
House through its historical, cultural and social connections that it was structured from.
The front or first hall, most traditional Chinese houses have space that accommodates
visitation and in many cases it is the first introduced space in its layout. The courtyard,
this is the space that makes this typology unique and it also acts as a buffer zone or
transition area to the more private areas of the building. The living quarter, here is
where the rooms for the family is located and has a prioritized arrangements that it
follows. One of this arrangements are the unmarried daughters room, just like in most
case, this is structured accordingly due to belief of helping women get married in Feng
Shui.
Figure 9 G
rouping of courtyard houses isnt as abundant in Taiwan
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The Fusion of Traditional Taiwanese Courtyard Dwellings and Modern Bioclimatic Technology
The Spring House also adopts this traits, it has a front where the user
welcomes guest which is separated away from the private areas with an inner
courtyard and is superimposed to separates the two spaces. The rooms are then
layered vertically instead of horizontally like most Chinese vernacular courtyard
houses, this is due to its lack of space and the architects way to maximise space in the
design.
Taiwanese architecture has branched out from Chinese architecture, not in a large way
but more specifically due to its materiality, orientation to geographic and climatic
locations.
The spring house being surrounded by modular forms consisting of two to three storeys
is based around practicality. Due to the regular earthquakes that occur, the lower and
more flat approach of residential, commercial and economical construction is the
solution as there lower chances of a two to three storey to be affected by the forces of
an earthquake as compared to a taller building, however building materials and
characteristics come into play, for instance, the spring house uses steel beams, and
load bearing brick walls to give the structure its rigidity in comparison, much of the
other neighbouring forms, are more dependant on the use or reinforced concrete.
All in all, majority of the concepts, form and architecture of the Spring House, has not
been derived directly or entirely from modern day Taiwan architectural forms,
especially locally. However, the dating back to its roots and adaptation to the site
context is what made the Spring House a pinnacle of balance achieving, equilibrium in
majority of its considering factors, such as climate, modern technology, form and
design as well as vernacular blending .
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The Fusion of Traditional Taiwanese Courtyard Dwellings and Modern Bioclimatic Technology
17
The Fusion of Traditional Taiwanese Courtyard Dwellings and Modern Bioclimatic Technology
rooms and walls, the spatial layout provides for private secluded yet open space that
acts as a source for natural sunlight, ventilation, and heat. Aside from Spring House,
Courtyard House by Dotze Innovations Studio illustrates traditional courtyard housing
in a new light.
The result of Dotzes design is a structure with shared common areas with
individual living units, separated by light wells and connected by a looped corridor. Sky
voids has been placed on each corner of the building to allow natural lighting and
ventilation to penetrate through the structure - acting as small courtyards. While Spring
House pushes natural ventilation through the use of its courtyard as an airwell to
achieve stack ventilation, Courtyard House has each bedroom equipped with
ventilation towers on the ceiling, as well as water feature located at the entrance to cool
down prevailing air before it enters the building spaces.
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The Fusion of Traditional Taiwanese Courtyard Dwellings and Modern Bioclimatic Technology
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The Fusion of Traditional Taiwanese Courtyard Dwellings and Modern Bioclimatic Technology
Constructed of steel and natural woods, the architects opted for treating the
building timber with wood oils rather than chemical preservatives for protection against
parasites. Through the use of timber structure, the choice of materials are sourced from
managed forests rather than primary or rainforests. Interior spaces are lined with low
levels bookshelves to prevent blocking sunlight and cross ventilation. Similarly to the
function of a courtyard to provide for sunlight, Beitou National Library has been
equipped with a central atrium with large scale windows in order to substitute artificial
lighting. The windows open to take advantage of the parks natural breeze, which
creates a draft that circulates air and cuts down the need for air conditioning in the
summer.
The architectural metaphor of a tree house is carried upwards to the librarys
green roof, which has been divided into two zones. One, containing solar photovoltaic
cells that converts sunlight and generates up to 16,000 watts of electricity. The other,
supports a sloping lawn and a variety of plants while 20 centimeters of soil has been
laid to provide thermal insulation against the cold in winter and the sun in the summer.
It also acts as a sluice for rainwater, recycled for use in restrooms and watering
systems. The effectiveness of the structure continues to be the recipient of numerous
awards since its establishment.
Figure 13 Beitou Librarys roof equipped with solar panels and soil thermal insulation
(Source: Asia Green Buildings, 2015)
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The Fusion of Traditional Taiwanese Courtyard Dwellings and Modern Bioclimatic Technology
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The Fusion of Traditional Taiwanese Courtyard Dwellings and Modern Bioclimatic Technology
Below are images of the load bearing structure from the faade and the
interior. Besides providing structural support the beams and bricks also provide a
certain aesthetic value which ties back to the concept of the building.
Figure 15 Load bearing structures pictured in the interior and exterior of Spring House
(Source: ArchDaily, 2016)
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The Fusion of Traditional Taiwanese Courtyard Dwellings and Modern Bioclimatic Technology
Figure 18 Spring House: Roof solar exposure and the transfer of rainwater
from the gutters to water storage tanks
At the end of the day, it can be concluded that the Spring House is successful
in using a combination of the vernacular architecture in Taiwan and modern
technological advancements in a step towards achieving bioclimatic architecture.
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The Fusion of Traditional Taiwanese Courtyard Dwellings and Modern Bioclimatic Technology
8.0 Conclusion
In a newly industrialized Taiwan, sustainability on architecture and spatial
planning is vital. While the challenges towards conservation, urban studies and
planning for natural disasters is unavoidable, through careful consideration on the
human impact on nature, there are significant benefits of bioclimatic architecture. Even
though sustainable architecture typically costs 10 to 20 percent more to build, the
amount of energy it conserves far exceeds the initial cost; typically having a payback
period of around two years.
Through new building technology and breakthroughs, it is notable to recognise
the importance of history and cultural conservations. Spring House is an evident
example of the possibility of achieving both culture and technology coherence, setting
an example for future architecture dwellings in the region.
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The Fusion of Traditional Taiwanese Courtyard Dwellings and Modern Bioclimatic Technology
9.0 References
Kwan, H. S. (1989). Spatial Concepts Shown in the Traditional Houses of Taipei. Habitations,
Chiou, S. C., & Krishnamurti, R. (1995). The fortunate dimensions of Taiwanese traditional
architecture (Thesis, Carnegie Mellon University, 1995). Environment and Planning B: Planning
Chiou, S. C., & Krishnamurti, R. (1995). The grammar of Taiwanese traditional vernacular
dwellings (Thesis, Carnegie Mellon University, 1995). Environment and Planning B: Planning and
Edwards, B. (2006). Courtyard housing (1st ed.). Abingdon [England]: Taylor & Francis.
Zhang, D., & Brookes, O. (2010). Courtyard housing and cultural sustainability: Theory, practice,
Almusaed, A. (2011). Biophilic and bioclimatic architecture: Analytical therapy for the next
Solar-powered home in Tainan puts a modern twist on the traditional courtyard house. (n.d.).
Retrieved November 28, 2016, from
http://inhabitat.com/solar-powered-home-in-tainan-puts-a-modern-twist-on-the-traditional-courtyard
-house/spring-house-by-w-l-a-12/
Mak, M. Y., Sun, J., & Chen, F. Y. (2015). Simplicity of Sustainability: A Taiwanese Approach
(Thesis). The University of Newcastle, National Chengchi University.
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