Dongkun Zhang

Chinese Landscape Painting and Architectural Poetics
从中国山水画体会建筑诗意
To Build a Diverse World Following ‘A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains’

This thesis aims to investigate the potential of pre-modern Chinese Landscape Painting, characterized by its unique formats and techniques that achieve depth in space and duration in time, as a means of interpreting and designing architecture. By examining the ‘A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains千里江山图’ by Wang Ximeng, the author will progressively delve into the poetic language of this painting. Beyond pictorial techniques, this language delves into the philosophical realm of comprehension and experience, encompassing a broader significance of architectural representation. It serves as a verbal medium for expressing narratives and critical semantics, supplementing the visual effects. Ultimately, comprehending such conceptualization processes might offer valuable insights to enhance Western architecture intuitively. Specifically, establishing poetic connections to Chinese cultural traditions can be a practical strategy for preventing Western architecture from succumbing to the pitfalls of empty utilitarianism, iconicism, or mere banality. 

The initial thesis idea aims to translate Chinese Landscape Painting into modern architecture. To promote Chinese culture effectively, the proposed design will take the form of the Chinese National Archives of Publications and Culture for preserving the witnesses of Chinese civilization. The National Archives of Publications and Culture is a comprehensive venue that combines exhibition halls, library, archives, and public engaging spaces. It primarily houses collections of Chinese classics, documents from the mainland era of the Republic of China. This project is a significant cultural project approved and implemented under the leadership of the Communist Party of China with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core. It fully embodies the Party’s strong commitment to inheriting and developing Chinese culture, drawing wisdom from history, and charting a better course for the future. This archive complex will play a pivotal role inversion collection, exhibition, research, and exchange, creating a new symbol that showcases Chinese cultural confidence and reflects the spirit of the times.