Protective Designing Research Of Traditional Dwelling Houses Built In ShanXi

Shanxi merchants' traditional houses are the best preserved residential area in China. These buildings are unique and most of them are courtyards which have a high research value. By combing local climatic conditions, geographical environments, its customs and Feng Shui characteristics, these unique style residential buildings were constructed. Most of the merchants' traditional houses are post-and-lintel construction and the long and narrow yard has become the most special character of Shanxi houses. The single slop roof means every miller draws water to his mill. The high wall represents a defensive mentality and it has the wind and fire proof function, which is a representation of the strict feudal hierarchy. Different directions and sizes also have different functions. If just looks from outside, these buildings are brick tiles, tall and unadorned, while the internal decorations are exquisite and luxury. The construction materials are bricks and earth, sands and wood. The decoration is the elegant brick carving, wood carving and stone carving art which not only show the richness of the Shanxi merchants and also reflect the superb level of architectural art. However, these beautiful buildings have become vicissitudes because of long time disrepair. The street shops surrounding the main buildings have become messy and lost its characteristics as unreasonable plan. A good building needs our protection and preservation. However, it is a contradiction between how to protect it and how to make a sustainable development. It is also the research center of this essay.This essay aims to solve this problem through protective design research. "Protective" is not only keeping constant of the original buildings, but more about how to continue historical buildings. It is the heritage of living environment, material culture and intangible culture. We should not only just know how to protect it. The more important is to make use of the original buildings' character to design a better current building. Thus we can construct a real historical cultural city, not just a simple slogan. In this way, the protective design research has become the best way to protect traditional buildings. That is to bring out its former glory and make a sustainable development of the Shanxi merchants' traditional houses without undermining its original buildings. The purpose is not just to protect the antique, but to join the modern design concepts to protect all the values carried by the Shanxi merchants'houses. By protective design, the incongruity between the original buildings and the surroundings can be connected and the overall style of these buildings can be kept alignment.Firstly, based on relevant theories, the author analyzed some certain conceptions on protective design of Shanxi merchants' traditional houses and current development status of protective design at home and abroad, and made detailed investigation and research on these houses. Secondly, the author gave a brief introduction on their architectural styles and characters, and summarized that Shanxi merchants' traditional houses, as one of the most complete areas, have great numbers and research values, and it's very necessary to research the sustainable development and protective design. Finally, the author made a case study on protective design of Qujia Grand Courtyard and its surroundings, concluded that protective design shall be used for Qujia Grand Courtyard and business streets around it for their continuous development and cultural inheritance.