Vernacular Architecture of Asia: Tradition, Modernity and Cultural Sustainability | 亚洲本土建筑： 传统，现代与文化的可持续发展

How do we deal with the challenges and threats to vernacular architecture and make sure that it is sustained in this modern urbanized world? This is the key question we will try to answer in this course.

This architecture course takes you on a journey of understanding and appreciating the value of our everyday built environment. In the first two modules, we will explore the deeper socio-cultural meaning of rural vernacular architecture and look at the urban vernacular and challenges of people migrating from villages to live in cities; in module 3, we will focus on what we call ‘informal settlements’ in Asian cities; and in the final two modules, we will explore answers to a few questions that are very relevant to the current status and future development of vernacular architecture, such as:

• How can we conserve and sustain our vernacular cultural heritage?
• How can we reconcile tradition with modernity and originality?

We will also cast our eyes into the future, and discuss how the field of vernacular architecture might evolve and develop in the years to come.

Ultimately, the goal of this 5-week course is to help you establish your own viewpoints about the more complex or even contradictory issues in vernacular architecture, so you can make informed decisions regarding the protection and conservation of your local vernacular environments.

Special note: This course can be taken independently from The Search of Vernacular Architecture of Asia, Part 1.

我们要如何应对本土建筑面临的挑战和威胁？并确保本土建筑在这个现代城市化的世界中持续存在？ 我们在本课程中将解决這些问题。

本建筑课程将带领你理解和欣赏我们日常建筑环境。前两个单元，我们将探索农村本土建筑的深层社会文化意义，并了解城市本土建筑和从农村移居到城市的人们所面临的挑战；第三单元，我们将专注于亚洲几大城市中，我们所谓的“非正式定居点”；最后两个单元，我们将探索与本土建筑当前形势和未来发展相关的几个问题，例如：我们如何保护和维持我们的本土文化遗产？我们如何平衡传统与现代性和原真性？我们也将放眼未来，讨论本土建筑领域可能会往哪个方向演变，在未来几年可能会有怎样的发展。這5周的课程旨在帮助你在本土建筑领域一些更為复杂或更深層次的问题上形成你自己的见解，便于你能夠在本土环境的保护和保育方面做出明智的决定。

特别说明：本课程可独立于“亚洲乡土建筑研究（第一部分）”，单独选修。

Week 1: The Rural Vernacular
In this episode, we will focus on the different aspects of the rural vernacular environment in Asia, and the ways in which these environments communicate meaning. Week 2: Urban Vernacular
Cities are also places of the vernacular. In this episode, we shall advance to examine broader and more complex issues in dealing with people living in cities. Week 3: Informal Settlements and the Vernacular
We continue to observe the urban phenomenon by probing into the so-called "informal settlements", adding another dimension of complexity in our discussion of urban vernacular. Week 4: Architectural Conservation of the Built Vernacular Heritage
We explore the cultural significance of vernacular heritage, and consider ways to make it physically and culturally sustainable. Week 5: The Future of Asia’s Vernacular Architecture
We examine the question of identity and tradition which are embedded in each local community over time, and discuss the future of vernacular architecture of Asia. Week 1: The Rural Vernacular
在这周，我们将重点关注亚洲地區各種不同的农村本土建築以及这些环境所傳達的意義。 Week 2: Urban Vernacular
城市也是本土建築的一部分 。在这一周，我们将会探讨關於城市居民的居住環境以及一些深層次的问题。 Week 3: Informal Settlements and the Vernacular
我们通过探索所谓的“非正式定居点”，進一步观察的探索城市的居住现象，并且拓展我們對城市居住環境的視野。

Week 4: Architectural Conservation of the Built Vernacular Heritage
我们將探讨本土建築遗产的文化色彩，并探索如何在建筑上和文化上延續其发展。

Week 5: The Future of Asia’s Vernacular Architecture
我们將研究不同領域和社区中的隨著時間長河所形成的“地域傳統”和“社區認同”的問題，并一起探索亚洲地區本土建筑的未来。