Study On The Ecological Energy-saving Design Of Traditional Dwellings In Hunan

Ancient style architecture in China, to some extent, can be said to have evolved from its traditional dwellings. As globalization paces up, the traditional architectural culture, however, has increasingly been submerged by the trend of “cultural convergence”. In the meantime, with the constant development of economy, come the severe problems of natural environment deterioration and high energy consumption of buildings. Confronted by such a situation, architects must undertake the obligation to address the impact of globalization on China’s traditional architecture and hence accelerate the development of ecological building design. Therefore, this paper is intended to demonstrate the ecological energy-efficient design strategies reflected in Chinese traditional dwellings, which is an endeavor both to advocate effective means of reserving and inheriting the culture of our traditional architecture and to provide implications for modern ecological energy efficient architectural design.The ecological energy efficient design strategies embodied in traditional dwellings are the result of our ancestors’ enduring attempts to approach the nature and to adapt to the local climate. Despite the drastic changes that have taken place in our living conditions, the accumulated experience of our forefathers can provide undeniably significant implications for contemporary building design. What is distinctive with this research is that a case study of Hunan traditional dwellings has been conducted in light of a combination of factors, such as the regional geography, local climate and culture, which determines the regularities and characteristics of the evolution of the local architecture. On the basis of extensive literature review and expansive field work, the author endeavors to analyze in great details, from both macro and micro perspectives, the ecological energy efficient strategies reflected in the settlement and location, building distribution, road systems, space creation and detail treatment of Hunan traditional dwellings.The author also takes into consideration architectural creation and displays the application of the strategies discussed above and problems rested in it, and then points out their implications for modern architectural creation, including the recognition of harmony and integration; the principles of flexibility, moderation and practicality. Two practical projects are selected as examples for illustration in this regard. The author hopes that the paper could helpful to render establishing a system of theoretical applications of the ecological energy efficient strategies incarnated in Hunan traditional dwellings and hence providing some implications for modern architectural creation.