Typological Analysis of Vernacular Farmhouses in Zhagana: A Case Study of Dorje’s House

Abstract

: This study is based on fieldwork investigation of the mountainous countryside of Zhagana, Tewo county, Gannan Tibetan autonomous region, where the number of traditional local houses is decreasing rapidly with rural development in recent years. The purpose of this paper is to define and identify the characteristics of traditional dwellings within the local vernacular context, to probe the design principle of “reproductions” from house to house. The research object is an extant traditional Tibetan farmhouse named Dorje`s house, which is still in use and has not been renovated or damaged so far. By the meticulous architectural survey and typological analysis, the features of vernacular farmhouse in form, structure & space, the design approaches and tectonic wisdom pervaded in this region are interpreted. Furthermore, the relationship between this sample and its variations is deeply clarified. This case study sought to provide an architectural base map as historical reference for the cultural preservation and development.