Reflexive Regionalism

Starting from the reflection on the contradiction between the theory and thepractice of regionalism, the research has found that the theory contains severalparadoxes. And the dissertation focuses on why these paradoxes exist.Apart from the well-known design methods such as tectonics, Defamiliarizationand Genius Loci, the research focuses on the logical reasoning process behind themethods, or in other words how the design methods are developed from the theory ofcritical regionalism. And the conclusions are:1) the design methods are based onconsumerism associated with Marxism in20th century.2) the theory asserts thatarchitecture should reflect the ‘real’ environment and life in the place, rather than theuniversality of the modern architecture.Based on reflexive theory in the filed of Sociology of Scientific Knowledge(SSK),the dissertation analyzes the crux of the problem in the theory of critical regionalism.The reasons for the problem are:1. Suppose that only in certain historical and cultural environment could weunderstand the truth of the sociology knowledge. Then the researcher cannot reflect the‘truth’ because of the limit of the environment. This is the paradox which KarlMannheim called ‘relativism’。2. The ‘agency’ is that different social groups understand and construct the societybased on their own interest and perspective. Then the sociological study cannotestablish absolute ‘true’ knowledge.Reflexive theory is proposed on the basis of the paradox of ‘relativism’. Throughlogical reasoning, the dissertation points out that the problem of critical regionalism isthe paradox of ‘relativism’ in the aspects of Semiotics, Kitsch and Authenticity. And theparadox is caused by the agency of the society and the mobility of the social structure.Thus, critical regionalism also needs ‘reflective’. Then, the dissertation tries to answer the question how critical regionalism couldbe reflective. Critical regionalism adopts dichotomy in the theory: establish the theoryby comparative case study. However, the reflexive critical regionalism adopts Tzonis’sMOP (morphology, operation and performance) framework. The social agency isincluded in the methodology of case analysis by operation.Case study of Shanghai Tianzifang and Xintian’di is conducted within the MOPframework. The content of the reflective regionalism is organized based on theconclusion of the comparative case study.1. Reconsider the relation between modern rationality and universality, andtradition and vernacularism. The dissertation has concluded that the guidance forarchitecture design nowadays is still modern rationality’s exploration in space, structure,materials and environmental psychology.2. Extend the concept of space of a region. The space design still follows theprinciple of rationalism. However, in the aspect of social use, social design of the spaceand the balance and dialogue between different stakeholders’ interests should all betaken into consideration.3. Instead of criticism, the theory tries to explain the understanding and design ofthe space from different social groups’ interest and position, in order to assist the expertsystem represented by architects to be reflexive.