The Theory And Practice Of The Preservation Of American Traditional Settlements And Vernacular Buildings

The dissertation aims at systematically analyzing the theory and practice of the preservation of American traditional settlements and vernacular buildings,then searching for the successful experience and lessons of failure during the development process.'Foreign stones may serve to polish domestic jade',the dissertation could have important reference value to China's similar work.Nowadays,the architectural preservation field has gradually been internationalized,many issues may be confined because of limited scope,so it is wise to learn from other countries' experience.On the one hand,it could broaden our academic view;on the other hand,we can think about the different value systems between West and East objectively.Since Industrial Revolution,the advances of science and technology have not only enhanced social productivity and economic prosperity dramatically,but also exacerbated the destruction of the historic built environment,which finally awakened people's instinct to preserve.The American urbanization process is earlier than that of China,the architectural preservation systems and theories have been relatively mature after two centuries' development,which could have important reference value.Although the American preservation theory was influenced by Europian countries in the early time,but finally formed an unique system due to different historic background and developping process.What is more,America has an absolute dominant role in the establishment,leadership and financial support of international preservation organizations such as UNESCO and ICOMOS.Totally,America is one of the leaders of architectural preservation field,its preservation theory and practice has great reference value.By reviewing the architectural preservation history,preservationists used to care about single buildings but pay no attention to the context.In order to study the evolution of concepts,the dissertation chose traditional settlements and vernacular buildings as research objects.Besides,started from vernacular perspective could perceive the American preservation history more complete and objective,so that we can better understand what is the so-called important value as the ordinary objects seems like a background.By doing so,we can better understand the effects that changing values may act on architectural preservation,this is also the innovation of the dissertation.Firstly,the American preservation history can be divided into three different phases according to major historical events.Secondly,find out representative practice and theories in each phase as objects of case and theoretical study,then seeking the interactions between the two key elements.The research starts from single cases and ends in six major kinds of preservation practice:Historic house museum,Outdoor museum,Historic district,Commercial center,Ordinary landscape and Indian cultural heritage.Phase I includes Chapter 2.Chapter 2 started with the rescue of Mount Vernon,then analyzed the protection of buildings of celebrities in the south,the protection of buildings of civilians in the north,and the mature way to create historic house museums.Phase II includes Chapter 3 and 4.Chapter 3 started from the reconstruction of Colonial Williamsburg,then analyzed the similar museums such as Greenfield Village,Farm Museum and Sturbridge Village to explore the key points in creating outdoor museums.Chapter 4 started from the preservation of the old city of Charleston,analyzed the development of American holistic view and the formation of legal basis,which laid the foundation of American contemporary preservation system.Phase III consists of Chapter 5?6?7.Chapter 5 started from the Main Street program of the national trust,analyzed the practical cases of the pilot period and the mature one,then discussed the revival methodology of urban commercial center.Chapter 6 chose several historic residential districts,suburban residential districts and roadside landscape as objects to probe the value systems in ordinary landscape preservation.Chapter 7 started from Okay Owingeh Indian traditional village,then discussed how to deal with multiculturalism in today's context.Finally,Chapter 8 concluded the development and evolution of American preservation theory and practice,also some extended reference values.Each preservation practice has five key elements:motivation,objects,participants,theories,policies and laws.Firstly,analysing the evolution of the five elements of each practice respectively.Secondly,analyzing these five element in time series.These factors influenced the evolution trend formed a framework that can clearly review the evolution process.Through which several reference points could be found,that is the 'American Experience'.The research aims at helping the public to recognize the value of traditional settlements and vernacular buildings,providing references to China's preservation practice,thinking about the links between preservation and development with a long-term vision.