Contextual design : the Chinese community planning and design

Abstract

The MDS is about a translation of traditional Chinese courtyard space into modern housing typologies and public space. Traditional buildings normally have cultural and regional characters, while modern buildings in China are missing them. The project concentrates on contextual design, exploring whether the traditional courtyard space structure could be translated into modern urban design and meet the requirement of high density. The project is a prototype design experiment, embedding both research and design. The design intends to unite traditional culture and modern life, and be in Chinese spirit but modern in form.