Asian Architecture (ARC 2234 / ARC60403) Project 1: Case Study Paper

Topic & Issue Proposal (10%)

Student Names : Chan Jia Xin
0319565
Evelyn Lai Kah Ying 0322732
Lee Hui Qin
0322991
Leong Yu Shi
0322586
Saw Hwei Ying
0318093
Wong Kai Chiang
0323341
Tutor

: Mr. Koh Jing Hao

Ningbos History Museum In Relation to Cultural Aspects And

Influence Of The Site: Approaches To Achieve Preservation of
Ningbos Heritage

Research Question(s):
Question 1 : What is the cultural context of Ningbos History Museums design?
Question 2 : How does Ningbos site identity affect Ningbos History Museums
design?
Question 3 : How does the materials used help to achieve the preservation of
heritage of Ningbo?
Question 4 : How does the construction technique, wapan assists in the preservation
of Ningbos heritage?
Question 5 : How does the art and history influence the form of Ningbos History
Museum?
Question 6 : What is the impact of Ningbos History Museum towards the
preservation of Ningbos heritage?

Summary of the topic :

Unsystematic appearance of Ningbos History Museum gives a sense of organic that
is underlined by the geologic form of the building which nods to local mountains. The
interpreted idea of mountain is derived from the Chinese traditional art, landscape
painting (Shan-shui). Wang Shus architecture is devoted to tradition, history, a sense
of place, sustainable use of materials and the people who will inhabit in it.
The urbanization in China is sprawling where the old houses and villages are
required to be demolished due to insufficient lands. Because of this, conflicts
between rapid urbanization and the preservation of cultural heritage started to arise
among the architecture practice today. Ningbos History Museum tells a story of the
evolution of Ningbo city from past to present with the use of modern and local
tradition materials. The exterior employs destruction materials which where from
damaged building of the village during the typhoon accident as a reminiscence for
the locals which preserve these materials with traces of time and culture of the area.
Hence, this paper will focus on how the material selection and the traditional
construction technique which is Wapan as it plays an important role in overcome
conflict between modernity and tradition because it is the manual labour that only
known by the Ningbo locals. This idea brings back the ancient workmanship to
surface again. Therefore, its the culture and the spirit of the site which made up the
Ningbos historic museum, where Wang emphasizes on the importance of regional
resources and traditional workmanship against the prevailing widespread
urbanization and homogenous globalization in China nowadays.
Annotated Bibliography
Ningbo Historic Museum.(n.d.)Retrieved 11 September,from
http://archnet.org/system/publications/contents/2381/original/FLS2758.pdf?
1384761752
This website provides general information of Ningbo History Museum.
Wang Shu's Powerful Ningbo History Museum is Made of Rubble. (n.d.). Retrieved
September 11, 2016, from http://inhabitat.com/wang-shus-powerful-ningbo-historymuseum-is-built-from-rubble/
This website explores a number of strategies for cultural preservation by using the
combination of tradition and modern building materials.
Elizabeth, G. (n.d.). TRADITIONAL MATERIALS OPTIMIZED FOR THE TWENTYFIRST CENTURY. Retrieved September 11, 2016, from http://apps.acsaarch.org/resources/proceedings/uploads/streamfile.aspx?path=ACSA.Intl.2012
This website illustrates building materials and construction method used to achieve
preservation of Ningbo. List of materials used and Wapan technique are provided
detailed.