Edge And Mainstream

During the first decade of21st century, domestic vernacular architecture has somenew development. Its main focus is no longer the conflict between globalization andlocalization, but the difficult position of country itself brought by urbanization. Thissituation makes the aim of vernacular construction shifted from searching recognition ofregional cultures to solving its own problem. Vernacular architecture has beenconcentrating on school buildings and post-disaster reconstruction, playing an importantrole in rebuilding rural society. The autonomy of architecture started to appear in thesevernacular construction works, causing the rethinking of aesthetic and judgmentalprincipals in the whole architectural world.In this regard, this paper is proposing the concept of “Vernacular Tectonics”, whichis different from the traditional views, putting great more emphasize on programming,design, organization and the whole process of construction. This implies the potential ofvernacular architecture’s modernity.“Vernacular Tectonics” is defined by its specificcognitive perspective and insistence on autonomy. For cities, the theoretical core oftectonics is almost the same.If the urban tectonics cannot provide constructive criticism to its central area, it willbecome nothing but a placebo, stepping back in academic ethics. Urban tectonics needto analyze some significant character of contemporary Chinese cities like high-density,large-scale and high-speed, Thus finding its way in construction practice. This paperwill discuss the starting of urban tectonics from three aspects: social housing, regionalpublic space and institutional guarantee. Architecture should state its position throughethical aesthetic practice instead of moral judgment.Urban material civilization flourished while rural spiritual tradition reserved.Completing the modernity of urban-rural integration is the inevitable transformingprocess in Chinese architecture’s modernization.