The Study Of Low-rise And Compact Residential Morphology

As a traditional residential pattern, low-rise and compact residential morphologyhas demonstrated diversified external features at different times in different places, andagainst different cultural backgrounds. In spite of this, its formal essence of being small-scale andhigh-density has continued to this day. What its essence has reflected is a “poetical dwelling” lifestyle. This paper first of all explores the theoretical foundation of the existence and developmentof low-rise and compact residential pattern from the following three aspects: returning to the lifeworld, humanism and sustainable development. The value orientation of the existence of low-riseand compact residential form is established based on analyzing the residential idealsand practices in different periods of time since the Industrial Revolution.A detailed discussion concerning low-rise and compact residential morphology isconducted in the core chapters from the three dimensions of type, scale and density.The evolution and the design features of the low-rise and compact residentialmorphology is summarized from the perspective of the urban development, as a resultof which a diversity of choices are provided for low-rise and compact residentialdwelling life style. The author also explores the external and internal spatial scales ofthe low-rise and compact residential morphology from the perspective of human scale.In consideration of external spatial scale, the author proposes the organizationalstructural scale appropriate for community contact, a vibrant neighborhood scale thatis small and dense, shared living streets suitable for communications and participativegreen spaces. The neighborhood communication circle focusing on the horizontal visual planethat is near-ground level is put forward. What is more, a minimum neighborhood unit andsecondary neighborhood that is open, small and dense is favored, regarding the participativenessas the design concept for external scales such as green space. In the aspect of internal scale, basedon an exploration of functional spatial standard and housing layout of residential forms at homeand abroad, the author offers a usable area standard for the low-rise and compact housing layoutthat is suitable for the national conditions in relation to the excessiveness of residential areas inour country. In addition, the author sums up the floor design features as well as spatial designstrategies for the small-scale houses at home and abroad. In view of density, this paper presents adensity calculation method that is human-oriented in housing design. Through a large number ofcase studies, the author comes up with a strategy to improve the density of low-rise and compact residential types. Then based on a discussion of residential density standards at home and abroad,a density standard of low-rise and compact residential type is submitted in accordance with ournational conditions.In conclusion, this paper makes a summary of the development process andcurrent development characteristics concerning the low-rise and compact residentialtype in our country. The author analyzes the opportunities that the low-rise andcompact residential morphology in our country faces in the following three aspects:housing policies, human settlements in urbanization, and population structure.Furthermore, the author explores the policy and institutional challenges that thelow-rise and compact residential morphology in our country is confronted with in theaspects of exploitation of land resources, the ratio of residential land use and thedefects of land system. Consequently, a solution of current residential problemsshould be based on raising the proportion of urban residential land use and perfectingthe management system of land ownership so as to create external conditions for therealization of low-rise and compact residential morphology in our country.