The development and changes of vernacular architecture: exemplified by stone houses in north-eastern Taiwan

This study investigated the changing process of traditional Taiwanese stone houses from the perspective of vernacular architecture in order to supplement the cultural contexts of ordinary people’s self-construction and extensions. On the one hand, materials and constructions could reflect the charac...

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Main Authors: Nan-Wei Wu, En-Jia Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-05-01
Series:Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13467581.2025.2500701
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author Nan-Wei Wu
En-Jia Li
author_facet Nan-Wei Wu
En-Jia Li
author_sort Nan-Wei Wu
collection DOAJ
description This study investigated the changing process of traditional Taiwanese stone houses from the perspective of vernacular architecture in order to supplement the cultural contexts of ordinary people’s self-construction and extensions. On the one hand, materials and constructions could reflect the characteristics of social culture and the limitations of the natural environment. On the other, the material uses and construction methods adopted in the adjustment and repairs of common residences would also represent the specific characteristics of social culture. This study therefore took 11 traditional stone houses of villages in north-eastern Taiwan as empirical works to reveal their meanings for architectural spheres and also the significance of their changes in vernacular architecture. According to our comparisons of these 11 stone houses between their old and their most recent status, it might be possible to suggest that in the process of the change in the construction methods from master craftsmanship to self-construction, the social organization and the meanings of cultural symbols in the original spaces interacted with traditional environmental wisdom and the employment of contemporary construction materials. This would then gradually form the vernacular characters of stone houses in north-eastern Taiwan.
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spelling doaj-art-abaeabe07feb4ad8b28ebe01bb96e7d12025-08-20T02:58:43ZengTaylor & Francis GroupJournal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering1347-28522025-05-010011910.1080/13467581.2025.25007012500701The development and changes of vernacular architecture: exemplified by stone houses in north-eastern TaiwanNan-Wei Wu0En-Jia Li1National Taipei University of TechnologyNational Taipei University of TechnologyThis study investigated the changing process of traditional Taiwanese stone houses from the perspective of vernacular architecture in order to supplement the cultural contexts of ordinary people’s self-construction and extensions. On the one hand, materials and constructions could reflect the characteristics of social culture and the limitations of the natural environment. On the other, the material uses and construction methods adopted in the adjustment and repairs of common residences would also represent the specific characteristics of social culture. This study therefore took 11 traditional stone houses of villages in north-eastern Taiwan as empirical works to reveal their meanings for architectural spheres and also the significance of their changes in vernacular architecture. According to our comparisons of these 11 stone houses between their old and their most recent status, it might be possible to suggest that in the process of the change in the construction methods from master craftsmanship to self-construction, the social organization and the meanings of cultural symbols in the original spaces interacted with traditional environmental wisdom and the employment of contemporary construction materials. This would then gradually form the vernacular characters of stone houses in north-eastern Taiwan.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13467581.2025.2500701stone houses in north-eastern taiwanvernacular architectureconstruction history
spellingShingle Nan-Wei Wu
En-Jia Li
The development and changes of vernacular architecture: exemplified by stone houses in north-eastern Taiwan
Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering
stone houses in north-eastern taiwan
vernacular architecture
construction history
title The development and changes of vernacular architecture: exemplified by stone houses in north-eastern Taiwan
title_full The development and changes of vernacular architecture: exemplified by stone houses in north-eastern Taiwan
title_fullStr The development and changes of vernacular architecture: exemplified by stone houses in north-eastern Taiwan
title_full_unstemmed The development and changes of vernacular architecture: exemplified by stone houses in north-eastern Taiwan
title_short The development and changes of vernacular architecture: exemplified by stone houses in north-eastern Taiwan
title_sort development and changes of vernacular architecture exemplified by stone houses in north eastern taiwan
topic stone houses in north-eastern taiwan
vernacular architecture
construction history
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13467581.2025.2500701
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