Parametric Beijing Siheyuan An algorithmic approach for the generation of Siheyuan housing variants based on its traditional design principles

Abstract

Beijing Siheyuan is a type of Chinese vernacular housing with significant cultural value. During recent decades of economic growth, many Siheyuan houses have been destroyed; preserving the few remaining ones have become a necessity. Based on a historical analysis of their design principles, this paper develops a parametric model capable of representing its known variants. Our findings include a useful design tool able to efficiently represent existing or lost housing types and thus contribute to our understanding of the typology and their preservation.