Page 28 - JCAU-5-2

Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Style evolution rules of Tibetan dwellings

Figure 12. Changes in the proportion of living, production, and storage
spaces in Jiuzhaigou dwellings. Source: Graph by the authors Figure 13. Changes in the building structure in Jiuzhaigou dwellings
Source: Graph by the authors
for tourism. Against this background, the government
encouraged residents to partially renovate their courtyards area. By around 2000, the individual or collective felling
and provided bonuses based on the number of beds (Hu of trees was completely prohibited in the scenic area.
& Lei, 2014). The specific values of indicator P for each According to interview results with local villagers, since
typical dwelling are shown in Figure 12; it can be observed the end of 1990, modern structures and materials have
that in the early stage, living space accounted for only been extensively adopted in the villages of the Jiuzhaigou
about 20 percent of the entire house, but the development Scenic Area. Owing to these policy requirements and
of tourism has stimulated the replacement of traditional the high cost of purchasing wood, residents began to use
production spaces, such as livestock sheds, storage spaces, modern structures and materials in their homes, such as
and flat roofs, with living spaces. Apart from the space brick-concrete and frame structures, instead of traditional
required for living needs, almost all other spaces were ones. After the 2017 earthquake, reinforced concrete frame
used for tourism reception and further reached about 60 structures were the only choice for safety considerations.
percent of the proportion of living space. Traditional dwellings were mainly 2–4 stories high,
After the 2017 earthquake, new or rebuilt houses supported by nine pillars with a pillar spacing gradually
prioritized safety and comfort, with living spaces increasing from 2.3 m to 3.6 m. As dwellings evolved
accounting for more than 90 percent. The spatial structure from traditional wooden frames to safer, more stable,
is consistent with modern architecture, and some 4-story and simpler brick-concrete and framed structures, the
buildings have begun to appear. However, due to changes building volume increased, and the total opening width
in tourism policies, many bedrooms are now unoccupied, could reach 23 m. The floor height increased from 2.2 m
as tourists are not allowed to stay overnight in the scenic to 3.3 m on the ground and the middle floor with an
area, causing economic losses for the locals. Thus, this average of 2.7 m, and from 2.1 m to 3.0 m on the top floor
problem must be addressed. with an average of 2.7 m (Figure 13). The dwelling form
ratio expressed as W: D:H for each typical dwelling was
4.2. Evolution of building structure—adaptation to calculated; it changed from 1.7:2.6:1 to 1.1:1.2:1, leading
the environment to an imbalanced building form according to the box-like
Jiuzhaigou is located in a forest area. Before 1984, traditional models of dwellings of the four types of styles based on
dwellings were mainly simple Tibetan dwellings with the above data of the building plan and their plan ratios
“rammed earthen walls and wooden structures,” which (Steiniger et al., 2008) (Figure 14).
created a high demand for wood. Between 1984 and 2000, 4.3. Evolution of building construction—self-
Jiuzhaigou gradually became a World Natural Heritage selection
site, a national key scenic spot and national nature reserve The roof forms of traditional Jiuzhaigou dwellings have
in China, and a world biosphere reserve, resulting in strict transformed from gable roofs to flat roofs and then back to
environmental protection regulations within the scenic gable roofs. Before 1984, traditional dwellings were mainly

Volume 5 Issue 2 (2023) 11 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.0880