Advanced Materials Research Vols. 671-674

Abstract: Biological NanoArchitecture is to build natural spaces that contribute to the biological-system and integrated with the surrounding environment, and as healthy as the womb for an embryo to grow. It should have a positive effect on the health of its occupants while enriching the ecosystem of the planet by consuming zero resources and producing zero waste. In this paper, I will try to introduce the myriad potentials of advanced technologies in the 21st century to architects and builders. Advances in Biotechnology and Nanotechnology will change the way we think, design and construct our buildings, and transform our inorganic buildings into synthetic organic structures that can behave like living species and merge with the biological cycle of the planet. This change of thinking can be achieved through adopting bionic systems in our buildings and mimicking nature the way it builds life forms. After 3.8 million years of evolution, it’s nature that does it best to adapt for survival, and the more our buildings look and function like natural systems, the more we are likely to find solutions to our contemporary global problems like overpopulation and climate change. This requires that we should look at nature as a source of learning and inspiration rather than a source of materials and energy.

Abstract: Today's architectural pedagogy follows a very conventional curriculum, which doesn't account for contemporary challenges. Therefore architectural schools need to reconsider the foundations of their design programs, focusing on experiments in architectural education, which are essential to raise new questions in relation to the contemporary world. During the 1960's, experimentation brought the creation of the Radical Movement in which all around the world, different academic groups have tried to redefine the foundation of architectural pedagogy, by eradicating the Modernist historical and formal bases from academic and institutional contexts. In Florence this process was facilitated by the sustained efforts of two great professors, Leonardo Ricci and Leonardo Savioli. The two are in fact the fathers of the new avant-garde architectural adventure, prioritizing social problems and architectural design inspired by intellectual creativity, thus a focus on this period can inspire new academic projects.

Abstract: With a rapid increase of the urban elderly population in China, it has become more and more important that suitable outdoor environment should be constructed for the aged. This paper puts forward some ideas and suggestions on how to create space for various outdoor activities for the aged in their neighborhood to meet their life, physiological, psychological and social needs of outdoor activities, as well as analyses a varied and multi-leveled environment for outdoor activities beneficial to their physical and mental well being and their capability of independent living, and there is a hope that it will be good to their health and longevity. In order to promote the sound development of the society, it is necessary to appeal for people's attention to the construction of outdoor environment for the aged.

Abstract: This paper briefly elaborates the evolution of research on Chinese vernacular dwellings from 1930s to now, puts forward the objective evolution process of Chinese vernacular dwellings by analyzing the change process of three limitative factors of research—space definition, research method and time scope, and concludes the new development trend of vernacular dwellings research in the next stage. Meanwhile, in order to verify the outwardness of evolution of research on Chinese vernacular dwellings, Suzhou and Changzhou are chosen for analogy to make analysis on the status quo and development of research in the two cities.

Abstract: Through introduction to five cases of traditional residential house of Shanxian at Henan in China, the writer wanted to define it’s characters and features in architecture and construction. They were deferent to other traditional residential house in Henan. From analysis to the reasons and conditions, this paper try to call for more deep research to focus them.

Abstract: The development of ecological architectural theory in China and the revival of traditional feng-shui theory have become a huge driving force for the development of eco-building today. In this paper a comparative study of ancestral halls in east Hubei province is made from the perspective of building orientation, topography, building space and building materials and other elements related to both eco-building and feng-shui theory and a conclusion is reached that the essence of feng-shui theory is consistent to the ideology of contemporary ecological architectural theory, which the author hopes will provide some references and a scientific basis for the sustainable development of ecological buildings with Chinese characteristics in China.

Abstract: Architecture is the second space for human survival. Green building is proposed as a new type of architecture in the construction industry targeting at the increasingly serious ecological problems. The fundamental attributes of green building are low energy consumption, low pollution and sustainable development in harmony with the environment. The basic characteristics of this new type building are environmental priority, energy saving, healthy living and harmonious coexisting. The realization of green building not only depends on science and technology, but also needs the cooperation of cultural concept. The cultural values of green building are to inherit traditional building wisdom, establish the scientific development, and motivate potential development, which are essential for green building to be widely accepted.

Abstract: Located in mid-southern part of Guangdong Province and southwest of the Pearl River Delta, Kaiping County stretches over an area of 1,659 sq. km. It comprises more than 2,700 villages, with a total population of 0.68 million. There are also 0.75 million Kaiping people residing abroad in 67 countries and regions (including Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan). Kaiping people started to make a living abroad after the Opium War (1860), when China was forced to open their doors to the Western world. Most of them went overseas to North America, Latin America, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Those people came back to their hometown area to build houses for their families during the later Qing Dynasty and the Republican Period (c.1900-1949). They combined new ideas with their traditional village planning principles when they established new villages. This article attempts to focus on local planning regulations and tries to explain how Western planning ideas were brought back and used in local village planning.

Abstract: Old community renovation is an important project about the livelihood of people, and the nation is catching the work. This paper firstly analyzes the definition of livable community and the livable condition of old community renovation, establishing the livable index system and the livable evaluation model of old community renovation. The paper employs Analytic Hierarchy Process to determine the index weighs and takes use of Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation Method to analyze the case.

Abstract: Based on collecting literature and investigating the examples of modern architecture being existed in Shanbei. It is discussed in the paper that the special regional environment influences on modern architecture in Shanbei from three aspects including the site and layout, the application of space vocabulary and the traditional culture infiltration. The paper reveals the unique characteristics of modern architecture in Shanbei. The research will fill the vacancy of Shaanxi modern architecture research in some way, and at the same time this study will provide the beneficial enlightenment and reference on the local modern architecture research as well as architecture design in future.