ARC 4301A
Issues in architectural theory and design
Fall 2004–05

6, The section diagram in extant buildings

Predictions and extant buildings

See last week’s handout.

Sources of information on extant buildings

See last week’s handout.

Writing

Read and discuss assignment 2 (introductions).

Assignment 4

Read Liang (1983), if you haven’t already.

Write class paper, on either plan diagrams or section diagrams. Consult Chen (1993). Refer to primary evidence.

Paper topics

1. Implement a shape grammar for a given language of designs, using software such as Flash or Autocad with Autolisp.

2. Define a language of designs or subdesigns (e.g., plan diagram, plan, section diagram, section, elevation) with reference to extant buildings.

3. Examine one extant building. Compare and contrast with the Yingzao fashi, using shape grammar.

4. Discuss the gaps in the Yingzao fashi and Chen’s (1993) attempts to fill them.

List of references

Chen Mingda 陳明達. 1993. Yingzao fashi da muzuo zhidu yanjiu [A study of structural carpentry in the Yingzao fashi] 營造法式大木作制度研究. 2nd ed. Beijing: Wenwu.

Liang Sicheng 梁思成. 1983. Yingzao fashi zhushi [The annotated Yingzao fashi] 營造法式註釋. Beijing: Zhongguo jianzhu gongye.