HANDMADE | CHINESE VILLAGE CULTURE AND CRAFTS IN DAKOU, CHINA

Abstract

Many villagers pursue a better life in cities nowadays due to urbanism in China, leaving their village home with farmland and seniors. Tourism is a double-edged sword. It salvages these villages economically but ignores the value of tradition and crafts. To protect and promote village traditions and financially benefit local people, architecture can establish a theme where people learn about craft-making and celebrate craft-related tradition. A craft-focused cultural center can be a first step towards rejuvenating the villages. It can also elevate the significance of crafts as intellectual property. This thesis will focus on how architecture treated as a craft can interpret the spirit of craftsmanship, encourage learning through hands and practice and eventually celebrate authentic Yellow River basin village life and northern Chinese traditional architecture.