Poetic architecture - Diaojiaolou
At the intersection of the Yangtze River and Jialing River and along the coast, a unique local architectural wonder - Chongqing Diaojiaolou blooms.
Since ancient times, Chongqing has been a place where the Ba people live. In the struggle against nature for generations, the Ba people rely on mountains and rivers, live by water, and climb cliffs to build houses. According to the "Huayang Guozhi" of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Chongqing's "terrain is rigid and dangerous" and "all the buildings are surrounded by houses with beautiful views", which shows that stilted buildings have existed since ancient times and have a long history.
The stilted buildings are balustrade-style buildings that are completely built on the mountain. From a distance, some of them are overhanging, and some are staggered. They are light and strong yet majestic. They follow the trend and rise and fall. Stand proudly at the mountains and water amid the whirling green shadows, and enjoy the beauty of nature.
When building a stilted building, wooden piles were erected according to the terrain, and the floor slabs were placed on them as the foundation of the house. The front half of the house was held up, and the cliff for the second half was dug into the flat. The structure uses smaller fir trees, which are directly connected to the purlins and rafters on the capitals, and are planted densely into rows. Slots are made to connect the falcon, and wood is inserted through the canopy. The walls are surrounded by wooden boards, stone slabs, or bamboo fences and plastered with plaster. The structure of the house is simple, the bays are flexible, and the shape is amorphous. The random architectural symbols are full of simplicity and natural meaning, and the outlines of the lines are subtle and beautiful.
The group of stilted buildings that follow the slope form a wonderful linear road space, which is narrow and deep, like a maze. Wandering in it, you will see different scenery and various styles as you step. Inside the alley, it seems to be the end, but when you turn around, it turns out that there are dark trees and bright flowers, and there is another world.
The lower part of the stilted building is elevated to form a void, and the upper part is enclosed to form a solid body. According to the ancient Feng Shui aesthetic theory, the void is yin and the solid is yang. , an architectural form that balances hardness and softness. Therefore, stilted buildings are native to the natural landscape and spread out on the slope walls. The layers are stacked on top of each other to form a continuous piece, which does not occupy the dampness and allows you to enjoy the bright sunshine and full of vitality.
Chongqing stilted buildings do not follow the construction rules of official architecture. They are not constrained by the shape of the frame. There is no primary or secondary distinction between "main room" and "side room". They follow the slope and ridge, follow the curve, and are functionally satisfactory. The usage requirements are that the structure meets the needs of firmness, the space is compact, the opening and closing is random, the division is natural, the layout is flexible, the scale is pleasant, and it is ever-changing in the "Tao follows nature", forming a diverse style.
The Diaojiaolou originated from the countryside. It was originally in its original color without red paint. Although it is rough but delicate, it is simple but light in appearance, simple and generous, dignified and elegant. The building materials are locally sourced, and the original ecological landform and vegetation environment are maintained during construction. This makes them like lines of beautiful lyrical poems, randomly scattered among the mountains and rivers, shining with people and architecture, architecture and nature. The brilliance of harmony and unity.
Living poetically is the highest state of modern living concepts, so the vernacular stilted building is a good example of this pursuit.
Author: Fang Jingyuan