Re-Designing the Traditional Residential House in contemporary China Using a re-interpreted dou-kung to develop a new vernacular typology

This thesis was undertaken to examine traditional wood construction in China. It attempts to reinterpret the traditional bracket set (tou-kung) and translate if this type of timber structures can be built using new modes of fabrication. The goal of the new Tou-kung is to construct a medium height timber structure residential tower to deal with China's growing population. The traditional tou-kung was developed to support the 'flying eaves which protected the structure from inclement weather and reduce the load of the adjacent beams. New wood materials such as glued laminated timbers and the 'camber, a technique for glued laminated beam to counter deflection, is used for the reinterpreted the tou-kung.;The layout of the new medium height timber structure residential tower is designed to retain the traditional courtyard and multi-generational dwelling and deal with the new family structure resulted from one child policy.