Traditional Asian Architecture

[hkskyline]

[ishtefh_03]

architecture in asia is one of the best!!! especially those that is traditional...

[Modernization]

stunning pics!

[duskdawn]

Homesick~~~

[Principes]

i love ancient asian architecture looks unique

[Little City]

Thai Architecture

[hkskyline]

[Manila-X]

Guilin has some nice looking pagodas

[hkskyline]

[Slartibartfas]

Can anyone tell me, if there still exist places somewhere in China or at least in Asia, where one can see not only singular sights of traditional Asian architecture (which I find allready amazing enough), but whole "ensembles" it?

I mean something comparable to most of the European cities, but in an Asian way. Not small rundown cities, who simply could not afford to tear down their old buildings yet to replace it by skyscrapers, but an ensemble, a quarter that shows how large and proud cities (or even better city centers) have looked like before modern architecture conquered the whole world.


If such a thing exists I would love to see pics of an example.

[duskdawn]

Originally Posted by Slartibartfas

Can anyone tell me, if there still exist places somewhere in China or at least in Asia, where one can see not only singular sights of traditional Asian architecture (which I find allready amazing enough), but whole "ensembles" it?

I mean something comparable to most of the European cities, but in an Asian way. Not small rundown cities, who simply could not afford to tear down their old buildings yet to replace it by skyscrapers, but an ensemble, a quarter that shows how large and proud cities (or even better city centers) have looked like before modern architecture conquered the whole world.


If such a thing exists I would love to see pics of an example.

You mean this?
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=386290

[Slartibartfas]

Originally Posted by duskdawn

You mean this?
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=386290

Yes, thats an amazing example. Thank you very much for sharing the link with me.

It seems to me that the traditional Chinese architecture was to a large extend wood based. There are example of this in some European cities too (esepcially in Scandinavia), allthough more commonly there was a mixture of wood and , ie timberframed houses (at least in the German speakins sphere, during the medieval age).

Normally our architecture heavily relied on stones of all kind though. It seems yours not, at least if that small town is representative for larger ones. That leads me to the question I would be keen to get the answer to.

Is there anywhere a larger town to find with a ensemble of traditional architecture? It does not need to have that amazing river atmosphere, if that makes the search for it easier.

I mean the Chinese empire has such a giant history, and a country of that size must have had impressing huge cities with large architecture of grandeur in whole city quarters and centers. What happened to them? Have they become victims of the communist modernisation and industrialisation, or victims of the fast uprise duringthe last decades (ie making place for skyscrapers)? Or perhaps they have been destroyed in WWII? Or do they still exist in certain cases?

[duskdawn]

Very good question.
As far as I know, it is very hard to find a large city of traditional architectures anymore. The exceptions are like Lijiang, Fenghuang and Pingyao etc. They are hottest travel spots due to the old styles preseved very well within the town.
In many historical cities like Xi'an etc, the old city walls and some building remained.But the majority of the old buildings have been replaced. I don't relate this to communists. It is just pure modernization. It is almost impossible to lead a modern life (electrocity and gas etc) in the old architects and furnitures. And the old buidlings took too much space, not as efficient as skyscrapers.
China needs to preserve some hitorical spots, but the larger scale of the nation is under modernization.
That's just my opinion. Hope you can get any insight from other people.

[nazrey]

Four seasons, Langkawi, Kedah



Pangkor laut island, Perak







Melawati Palace, Putrajaya, Selangor







Istana Kenangan, Perak



Redang island, Terengganu





Sultanate Palace, Melaka

[Ohno]

Beautiful, another style of asian architecture.

[Slartibartfas]

Originally Posted by duskdawn

Very good question.
As far as I know, it is very hard to find a large city of traditional architectures anymore. The exceptions are like Lijiang, Fenghuang and Pingyao etc. They are hottest travel spots due to the old styles preseved very well within the town.
In many historical cities like Xi'an etc, the old city walls and some building remained.But the majority of the old buildings have been replaced. I don't relate this to communists. It is just pure modernization.

Thank you for your response. China is so far away from Europe, its so different, I really appreciate to hear the opinions of someone from there.

From my perspective its a pitty that you sacrifice your architectonical heritage on your way to a better life. But I can understand your point of view. Old architecture with bad infrastructure does not give you jobs, or the perspective of having the pleassures of modernity. It does not edcuate nor attract high tech companies etc. Its modern infrastructure that does.

And you might be right indeed when not relating it to communism. In fact its modernification that you could also find in the western world at least as often
And of course it would be really hard to explain how eg the city of Prague managed to look that amazing after about 45 years of communism otherwise.

It is almost impossible to lead a modern life (electrocity and gas etc) in the old architects and furnitures. And the old buidlings took too much space, not as efficient as skyscrapers.

I dont know what your tradtional architecture featured in specific, but if it was comparable to ours, i have to disagree on this. I guess we can agree on the point that cities like Paris, London, Vienna and co are modern cities with all the advantages that the modernity brings with it. Nonetheless you will find an seemingly never ending sea of historical buildings. Not that you dont find modern buildings there, but the presence of historical substance is still massive, especially the nearer you get to the center.

Have a look at Vienna: (ok that pic is really off topic, but I hope you apologize)

http://www.prombau.at/image/habe47.jpg

Yes those buildings from the Viennese periphery are not the oldest ones, but still built before "modernism" was invented. Nonetheless they feature all the stuff people wanna have. No single person would today by an apartment without electricity, water or something else of that importance lacking. And still, in the baroque inner city today live above 18.000 people. And to be more precise those 18.000 are mostly belonging to the wealthier people here. They certainly have high expectations, that are nonetheless satisfied by those nearly 400 years old buildings. No question, those buildings are adopted to the modern worlds achievements, but that does not need to destroy them or change their appearance nor substance too drastically.

One has not to tear the old substance down to modernize. But keeping the old heritage alive on a broad basis, might be a luxury the Chinese people are not willing to pay for. Many European cities were willing to do so though and they have proven that it is possible to connect the pleassures of modernity with the pleassure of traditioial architecture.

What I would be interested though is, if Europe is really that much of an excemption? I mean, does modernisation everywhere else in the world mean the destruction of the architectural heritage apart from single major sights?

[nazrey]

Oriental Village, Langkawi, Kedah















Four seasons, Langkawi, Kedah

[LordMarshall]

beutiful

[nazrey]

Multimedia Development Corporation, Cyberjaya, Selangor
by Zairi

[YelloPerilo]

Originally Posted by Slartibartfas

Thank you for your response. China is so far away from Europe, its so different, I really appreciate to hear the opinions of someone from there.

From my perspective its a pitty that you sacrifice your architectonical heritage on your way to a better life. But I can understand your point of view. Old architecture with bad infrastructure does not give you jobs, or the perspective of having the pleassures of modernity. It does not edcuate nor attract high tech companies etc. Its modern infrastructure that does.

And you might be right indeed when not relating it to communism. In fact its modernification that you could also find in the western world at least as often
And of course it would be really hard to explain how eg the city of Prague managed to look that amazing after about 45 years of communism otherwise.



I dont know what your tradtional architecture featured in specific, but if it was comparable to ours, i have to disagree on this. I guess we can agree on the point that cities like Paris, London, Vienna and co are modern cities with all the advantages that the modernity brings with it. Nonetheless you will find an seemingly never ending sea of historical buildings. Not that you dont find modern buildings there, but the presence of historical substance is still massive, especially the nearer you get to the center.

Have a look at Vienna: (ok that pic is really off topic, but I hope you apologize)

http://www.prombau.at/image/habe47.jpg

Yes those buildings from the Viennese periphery are not the oldest ones, but still built before "modernism" was invented. Nonetheless they feature all the stuff people wanna have. No single person would today by an apartment without electricity, water or something else of that importance lacking. And still, in the baroque inner city today live above 18.000 people. And to be more precise those 18.000 are mostly belonging to the wealthier people here. They certainly have high expectations, that are nonetheless satisfied by those nearly 400 years old buildings. No question, those buildings are adopted to the modern worlds achievements, but that does not need to destroy them or change their appearance nor substance too drastically.

One has not to tear the old substance down to modernize. But keeping the old heritage alive on a broad basis, might be a luxury the Chinese people are not willing to pay for. Many European cities were willing to do so though and they have proven that it is possible to connect the pleassures of modernity with the pleassure of traditioial architecture.

What I would be interested though is, if Europe is really that much of an excemption? I mean, does modernisation everywhere else in the world mean the destruction of the architectural heritage apart from single major sights?

I understand you too well, but many Chinese won't share your opion, which is sad. This IMO has a lot to do with the historical development of China of the last 150 years. European imperialism, China's cultural decline, civil wars, desastrous socio-economical policies at the infant stage of the PRC and the destruction of much Chinese tradition and absence of any kind of cultural education, which was substituted by a materialist doctrine gave a great part of the Chinese society a seriously low self esteem facing a seemingly far wealthier "Western" society.

Many Chinese seem to be nationalistic when talking about China, but in their every day life they would not mind to destroy what the Cultural Revolution has left and replace it with tacky "Western" imitates (go to any Chinese cities and see all the bloody fake Baroque mansions) and at the same time making silly excuses why old houses cannot be modernised.

There is much radicalism in their thinking: If it's old than it either has to be put/turned into a museum or it has to make space for new "development". The problem lies not in making space for development, but the lack of of refined taste and culture, which lead to monstrosities like the afore mentioned Baroque mansions, a style they have no connections with and 99.9% of Chinese know shit about. A amalgamation of heritage with modernity is not an option for many.

On the surface many Chinese seem to be proud of their cultural heritage, but deep inside not a few of them are insecure and full of blind w(h)oreship of anything that is attached with a "Western" sticker.