New Life in the Countryside: Conservation and Sustainability of Vernacular Architectural Facade Characteristics in the Jiangnan Region, China

The facade form of vernacular architecture is an outward manifestation of the building structure, which can easily give people an intuitive impression of the building. Most of the existing studies focus on analyzing the construction process and building materials of vernacular architecture in detail, but there are few studies on the characteristic elements in the form of architectural facades. The main objective of this study is to propose a new methodology for objectively analyzing the morphological characteristics of architectural facades with complex networks to support the sustainable development of vernacular architecture. The results of the study show that the vernacular architectural facades in the Jiangnan region are characterized by the richness of details and distinctive layers and that the formal elements that can show the regional characteristics are preserved in the process of the sustainable development of vernacular architecture. The most crucial part of this is the roof shape, followed by the simplification of the detailing and how the vertical form elements are laid out horizontally. The article addresses the protection and continuity of vernacular architectural facade characteristics and proposes a strategic plan to strengthen the vernacular architectural facade characteristics in the Jiangnan region, aiming to protect the traditional characteristics and continue the traditional culture.