Beijing Central Axis Building Survey Atlas

Author: Editor-in-Chief of the Architectural Creation Magazine, Beijing Municipal Institute of Architectural Design
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: All survey drawings in this book were completed in the 1940s, representing the largest-scale survey of the Beijing Central Axis architectural project. The key features of this set of survey drawings are: systematically surveying all buildings along the Beijing Central Axis from south to north. In addition to each individual building being drawn with plans, elevations, sections, and detail drawings, courtyards or plazas were also surveyed with general plans, general elevations, and general sections, providing both a detailed view of individual trees and a broader forest perspective. All drawings are annotated with three sets of dimensions—axis, partial, and overall—according to design drawing standards. Important buildings also include rendered elevation drawings. For large courtyards and plazas, in addition to perspective drawings to express their spatial composition, general rendered elevation drawings are also provided. The survey drawings reveal that the layout and individual designs of the buildings are controlled by a modular grid system. This provides a scientific basis for studying the inheritance and development of ancient Chinese urban planning and architectural design. The historical and scientific value embodied in these survey drawings remains among the top-tier in the field of ancient architectural surveys even today. This set of survey drawings is complete in terms of drawings, precise in data, and exquisitely drafted, making it a prime example of Chinese ancient architectural survey drawings.
The author of this book has meticulously organized and arranged the survey drawings as follows: A concise and comprehensive introduction to the characteristics of the Ming and Qing Dynasty Beijing City, which is traversed by a 7.8 km central axis running through three concentric city circles, is provided in brief text, accompanied by illustrations of the three concentric city circles and the central axis, as well as historical photographs. This enables readers to gain a relatively comprehensive understanding of the ancient capital of Beijing before delving into the survey drawings. All survey drawings are arranged in a spatial sequence from south to north along the central axis. To ensure readers gain a thorough understanding of the plan combinations, spatial composition, architectural forms, detailed features, and historical evolution of each group of buildings and individual structures, brief introductions are provided before each set of survey drawings. To recreate the historical ambiance of each group of surveyed buildings, historical photographs are specially included, adding a sense of historical depth and weight to these drawings. This book serves as a reference for researchers and designers of ancient architecture, as well as faculty and students of relevant disciplines in architectural institutions.