Genotype extraction of traditional dwellings using space syntax: a case study of Tibetan rural houses in Ganzi County, China
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Abstract
This study investigates the spatial genotypes of traditional Tibetan dwellings in Ganzi County, China, using the Justified Plan Graph (JPG) method and a dataset of 12 houses across three historical periods. The analysis focuses on spatial integration ( i ) values and control ( CV ) values, combined with Z-score standardization to ensure comparability. The results reveal changes in spatial layouts driven by social transformations. In early houses, open terraces (OT) (e.g., House 1: Z i = 2.55, Z cv = 2.42) served as key spaces for agrarian lifestyles, while inner yard corridors (C) in aristocratic houses (e.g., House 3: Z i = 3.2, Z cv = 3.7) reflected formal social organization. Later houses shifted to multi-core layouts. For example, in House 4, H (Z i = 1.99, Z cv = 1.74) and OT1 (Z i = 1.99, Z cv = 1.37) jointly serve as organizational cores, balancing traditional and modern functions. In contemporary and modern houses, circulation spaces halls (H) and corridors (C) dominate spatial organization, as seen in House 8, where C (Z i = 3.26, Z cv = 3.13) reflects the trends of functional optimization and spatial homogenization. Spaces such as storage (S), chanting hall (CH), and toilet (T) consistently exhibit low i and CV values, reflecting a historical continuity in the need for privacy. Overall, traditional design principles persisted in houses built as recently as 30 years ago, with significant changes in spatial layouts only emerging in the past decade. These findings reveal the evolution of Tibetan dwelling layouts, providing insights for their preservation and adaptation.
Source: openalex_inverted_index · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Urban Design and Spatial Analysis · Urban Green Space and Health · Land Use and Ecosystem Services
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
References (34)
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