LIM JERN JACK 0317139 TUTOR: SHAHRIANNE MOHD SHAH ASIAN ARCHITECTURE [ARC60403/ARC2234] ABSTRACT SUBMISSION

Abstract

Ningbo, a seaside city with its proximity to Shanghai, acts as a major port on the Silk

Road since Tang Dynasty, has been undergoing redevelopment projects to adhere

to the idea of modernity. The architectural intention of erecting Ningbo Museum is

to accentuate the importance of cultural values based on its local context where it

has been compromising under the rapid development in China.

Objectives of this study are to investigate and comprehend the cultural conservation

in Ningbo city through the usage of sustainable building materials in Ningbo

Museum as well as the spatial planning strategies to achieve green architecture. The

methodology is to review data from the Internet and thesis written by Wang Shu

who proposed his ways of architecture.

The analysis on local cultural heritage is conducted and translated into

comprehensive information to facilitate Ningbo Museum which owns a few of the

significant features as a cultural conservation and landmark. In order to substantiate

the conservation elements, this paper will emphasise on the salvaged materials and

vernacular construction method that applied on the building by the local workers.

The building envelope of Ningbo Museum employs the local traditional Wapan

tiling. It is a construction practice that proceeded as a method of building walls

rapidly using salvaged materials in a region, which is subject to frequent typhoons.

The old bricks and tiles used on the Wapan wall were collected entirely from the

ruins of villages that once occupied the site. Moreover, cavity walls are created as an

excavation to help it stay cooler in summer and warmer in winter. This not only

reflects the aspiration to reinstate traditional materials in their architecture, but also

has an additional benefit of making the structure inherently sustainable for its use of

recycled materials.

The museum built by local artisans and craftsmen is a way of honouring and

preserving vernacular construction methods. In the meanwhile, it became a

commentary on the Chinese cities’ erasure of the past in the name of progress.

Nonetheless, by combining the tradition with modern industry, it enables the urban

vernacular to grow and yet, still keep the area's traditions in innovative ways.