Page 154 - JCAU-6-4

Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Emotive architecture in China

Figure 16. The dynamic façade ensconcing the original edifice and crafting an outer layer shapes sales windows and al fresco seating for the RouTing
project. Source: Drawings and photos by WEI Architects (2020)

within these constraints, local artisans exhibit remarkable
ingenuity and strategies. This fusion of digital tools with
local craftsmanship has given rise to the concept of digital
craftsmanship (Carpo, 2011; Gourdoukis, 2017; Oxman,
2006; Scheurer, 2012), which not only imparts innovation
and economic viability to projects but also offers a
methodology capable of engendering emotional resonance
from conceptualization to construction.

In the case of Xiaoxi Jia, designing a house that breathes
life commences with understanding the interplay between
humans and their environment. Digital tools are employed
to model the surroundings, allowing designers to scrutinize
the interrelationship between sightlines and dynamic
behaviors, further informing the experiential analysis.
From this foundation, a tapestry of intricate interactive
scenarios is woven, fostering connections between people
and the environment through pathways, sightlines, and
spatial relationships (Figure 9). Embracing traditional
local construction methods, the transformation of the old
house is enacted by local craftsmen, preserving a vanishing
craft. Inspired by the aged eaves of ancestral homes and
the consonance of surrounding valleys, dynamic curved
tile roofs were designed (Figures 10 and 11). This novel
design, coupled with traditional roofing techniques,
necessitates a deep understanding of the craft’s strengths
Figure 17. The dynamic façade ensconcing the original edifice and
crafting an outer layer shapes sales windows and al fresco seating for the and limitations. Digital tools refine both the design and
RouTing project. Source: Photos by WEI Architects (2020) construction methods, translating complex models into

Volume 6 Issue 4 (2024) 13 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.1606