Kaiyu Cheng

Scientific and technological developments have led to gradual abstraction in architectural research and design. People no longer interpret spatial meaning simply through external forms, rather, the emphasis is put on the essence of design thinking. This change has given rise to analysis and expression methods at the level of the architectural attribute, which scientifically summarize the attributes shared by different architectural types through investigating the literature data and professional phenomena. They improve the architects’ level of awareness and provide a guiding framework for subsequent design work. However, rapid social progress and regional cultural differences make it difficult for previous methods to reflect the real-time and in-site expression of the attributes. This paper proposes a new attribute study approach based on Event Structure Analysis (ESA) in combination with social science theory. This approach provides architects with a reference for more comprehensive attribute expression by coordinating the social information at the pre-design stage. Meanwhile, with openness and operability as its technological advantages, it forms a cross-disciplinary research and exchange platform, thereby allowing public participation. The study verifies its feasibility through the structured analysis of specific social events in Beijing, discusses this interdisciplinary approach’s practical significance and positive impact at the professional and societal levels, and points out the direction for future research.

The development of society enriches the connotation of various professional concepts and leads to ambiguity in their interpretation. With the increasing comprehensiveness of human exchange activities, this uncertainty has become a common phenomenon present in multiple fields. In the field of architecture, the long-standing over-emphasis on imaginative and instinctive creation has led to a tendency to rely on the judgment based on the architect’s personal experience when confronted with ambiguous concepts. Besides, the “black box” in the professional field has made it difficult for other professions and the public to reasonably express their demands. “Eclecticism” is such a divisive architectural concept that has emerged from cultural exchange. This paper aims to develop a modeling tool that could grasp complex concepts in a clear and comprehensive way. The study constructs the “Eclectic Attribute Models” as a visual translation by using the Cartography of Controversies based on Actor-Network-Theory (ANT). Then tested and enriched models by intuition studies. As a result, this research clarifies the contemporary interpretation of eclecticism: a design concept encompassing the essential attributes of Pluralism, Historicity, Elitism, Decoration, Innovation, and Symbolism. Finally, this paper also discusses the advantages, limitations, and prospects of controversy mapping in future interdisciplinary research practice.