ORAL PRESENTATION

Traditional Dwelling SIHEYUAN

SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING & DESIGN

FOUNDATION IN NATURAL AND BUILT
ENVIRONMENT
(FNBE)
Effective
Public Communication
[COM30103]

Name : YEOH SIN YUEN

Student ID : 0323737
Tutorial : Wednesday, 4pm - 6pm
Submission Date : 20 January 2016
Lecturer : MOHD RIDHWAN ABDULLAH

SIHEYUAN( )

What is Siheyuan?
Residence that intergrated with Traditional
Chinese Culture.
Commonly found in China
Si = Four, He = Combination, Yuan = Courtyard
Symmetrical enclosed an open space

Historical Background
Chinas Zhou
Dynasty
(1122 B.C. to 256
B.C. )
- a golden age for
Chinese
Philosophy
- initially
developed
Siheyuan was
dated.

Historical Background
3000 years of
history
became the capital
city during the Yuan
Dynasty (1271
A.D.-1368 A.D.)
good for security
protects dwellers
from the harsh
winter winds

Historical Background
emphasized FengShui & Confucianism
principle of optimize the sun exposure
usually occupied by a single & extended
family (signifying wealth and prosperity)
having intimate lifestyle

Structural & Layout

Biliteral Symmetry
(side-to-side
balance)

Structural & Layout

Moon
d
r
a
Y
Gate
r's
a
l
o
Sch
Eastern Wing
Room
Main
Courtyard
Screen
Door

South Wing

Front
Courtyard

Festoon
Gate

Main
Entrance

Structural & Layout

SCHOLAR'S
YARD

COURTYA
RD

MOON
GATE

Structural & Layout

Rear Row
Back yard
Corner
house
Main Hall

West Wing
Room
Corridor

Wall
Screen

Structural & Layout

CORRID
OR

MAIN
HALL
Wall
Screen

Structural & Layout

Two Courtyard
Siheyuan

=
Courtyard
Three
Courtyar
d
Siheyua
n

Simplest Courtyard

Structural & Layout

Structural & Layout

Structural & Layout

You
nge
st
son
and
his
wife

Elde
st
son
and
his
wife
Composition of
Siheyuan

Structural & Layout

According to Tradition... [REASON]
--- proper order of seniority.
--- distinction between family and
outsiders.
--- superiority of master over servant.

Brightness of Siheyuan
EXPOSED THE
~MOST
Living Room + Bedroom of
Master
* Backside building

LESS
RECIEVED
~Youngest son
& his
wife rooms
*less important
members

SUNLIG
HT

LESS
RECIEVED

~ Eldest son &

his
wife rooms
* Less important
members

RECIEVED THE
LEAST
~ reception
room + servant's
dwelling
~ The main entrance / Festoon

Enginineered Structure
Eaves curved
downward
~So that rainwater will flow
along curve
(Follow with Eight Trigrams)

Northwestern walls
thicker
~to protect inside
buildings
from harsh winds

How They Extended Siheyuan ?

~When the family grows, the extended

family require extended place to live.
The same module was duplicated to the
back, again with a second center court
complete with its own left and right
wing living quarters with its secondary
main hall, yet the secondary module
also share the same kitchen.