Your search

In authors or contributors
  • Cantonese opera has a long and profound history and has evolved over 700 years, making it unique and distinctive. In a diversified media and entertainment, Cantonese opera culture in Macao, like many other aspects of traditional Chinese cultures, is facing a general decline. Specific challenges include loss of audience, the decline and disintegration of professional groups, and reduced scope of the active repertoire. How can a new venue for traditional Cantonese opera promote a positive response to the contemporary challenges that threaten its cultural vitality? How can a new design approach respond to local issues and contemporary architectural production? Can programmatic diversification of a performance venue (cultural exchange, art display, education) be a useful strategy? This thesis consists of five parts. Part 1 of this thesis outlines the background of research, describes the purpose and significance of the research, and deal with issues of research method. Part 2 considers the artistic characteristics of Cantonese opera, including the spatial characteristics of traditional Cantonese opera theatres, the characteristics of Cantonese opera costumes, and the changing characteristics forms of performance. Part 3 is focused on the uses of parametric models in architectural design. Part 4 offers three case studies of opera houses in China, the Guangzhou Opera House, the Harbin Grand Theatre, and the Xiqu Centre in Hong Kong. Part 5, the core of this thesis, proposes a design of a new performance venue for Cantonese Opera House in Macao. Overall, this thesis offers an account of main considerations in the transformation process from traditional Cantonese opera venues to modern Cantonese opera houses and situates these considerations in the context of contemporary discussions of parametric architecture

  • In a fast-paced and densely populated city, community activity centers can provide a social place for residents. This thesis is a study of this promise of social life for a new urban development in Macau. Community centers play an important role in promoting community cohesion and resident participation. Yet, public space for Macau residents is increasingly unable to meet growing and diversified needs. In what ways can the development of activity centers improve the quality of life of residents? Can transitional spaces between different functional areas in community centers play a more effective role in promoting social interaction within the community? The principal tasks of this thesis are as follows: (1) an in-depth examination of the impact of shared transitional spaces on the overall design of community activity centers, (2) a discussion of transitional spaces in community centers in terms of the functional efficiency of these centers and the interactive experience of users, and (3) articulation of principles and recommendations for the design of transitional spaces in community centers. Overall, this thesis argues that, by designing efficient and user-friendly shared transitional spaces, architects can better serve the community and its users, and foster a closer connection between architecture, people, and communities

  • In the age of the information society, the prominence of internet communication and social media has meant that the role of face-to-face encounters in public life has been diminished. This trend has been exacerbated by public health concerns in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic. The social role of architecture and its contribution to the sustainability of interpersonal relationships has become a significant issue for architects. As a place to accommodate sporting activities and social space in the community, sports centers play an important role in promoting social cohesion and interaction. This is the focal topic of the present thesis. The principal tasks of this thesis are as follows: (1) This thesis collects and studies relevant literature on sports centers as social spaces. A special emphasis is placed on discussions of social spaces. The intention is to articulate design characteristics of community sports centers that merit further exploration. (2) This thesis selects three representative sports facilities as case studies and considers how they promote the formation of social bonds and interactions. The thesis offers a review of design ideas, planning strategies and specific methods of implementation. (3) This thesis takes the design project for a sports center in New District A in Macau as an example, and puts forward a design strategy of ""vertical intensification + shared application"". This strategy aims to promote the integration of the sports center with the urban environment, while creating a flexible public space that can adapt to the needs of spontaneous and social activities. The intention is to make the sports center a place that promotes community interaction and connectivity. Overall, this thesis argues that community sports centers can become important places to promote social interaction through well-designed architectural space. Specific design factors and strategies explored in this thesis provide useful points of reference for architects. Through on-going processes of optimization and innovation, sports centers can better serve the community of Macau

  • Markets in Macau are not merely places for commercial retail, they are also social spaces. As a centre of communal life, markets are of great significance to the lives of Macau residents. However, with the rise of supermarkets and online shopping, the role of traditional markets has been reduced. At the same time, the messy and unkempt nature of traditional markets has become a negative factor of their social viability. The result has been a downward spiral of poor operation, decline in rental yield and loss of customers. Can the markets be revitalized for Macau residents? Can the social attributes of markets be reactivated? How can the experience of markets be re-imagined for different user groups? The present thesis is organized into 5 parts. The first part deals with the background of research. It also describes the purpose and significance of the research and discusses research methodology. The second part details market pressures in Macau, including insufficient land and space resources, poor sanitary environment, and tourism promotion needs. The third part examines the idea of “walkable cities” in terms of four concerns—usefulness, safety, comfort, and spatial interest—and in terms of specific case studies. The fourth part concerns a design project for a market at ZONE A in Macau. The thesis details the needs of a market in this zone and considers them in the light of the idea of walkable cities. Overall, this thesis attempts to contribute to public discussion of the future of markets in Macau in terms of service, socialisation and promotion

Last update from database: 9/21/24, 1:01 PM (UTC)

Explore

Resource type