Exploring the Spatial Preferences of Plant Landscape Dynamics around the Buildings in the Humble Administrator’s Garden, China

Abstract:

The Humble Administrator’s Garden is not only the topmost classical private garden south of the Yangtze River in China, but a member of the World Culture Heritage List. Its rich plant landscape patterns around housings have valuable effects on today’s building environment. This study tried to explore the spatial preferences of plant landscape dynamics of the garden. The 13 sample plots, each of which centered about a building and 12m outward radiation, were investigated in February and August 2010. We recorded totally 53 tree species and 325 individuals. Tree height, defoliation, direction (relative to building) and spacing (distance from building) were divided into levels of 6, 2, 8 and 4 respectively. Each level was encoded in order. Thus a tree had a four-digit code including the four factors. There were 4 evergreen gymnosperms which had only a little effect on building daylighting. Both the defoliation ratio of 0.69 and dominant species of most deciduous species showed primary deciduous trees were valuable to realize the balance of daylighting, ventilation and seasonal beauty. The result of small evergreen trees and large deciduous trees is valuable for both sunshine and green in winter as well as shading in summer. Most small trees on the west can be barrier against the hot sun on summer afternoon. Most large trees on the south are beneficial to southern shading and ventilation. Finally, the open space before window is necessary for daylighting and ventilation.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volumes 174-177)
• Pages: 2997-3001
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.174-177.2997
• Online since: May 2012
• Authors: Hong Bing Wang, Jun Qin, Yong Hong Hu, Li Dong, Jia Kuan Chen
• Keywords: Building Environment, Defoliation Ratio, Importance Value, Plant Richness

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