Identification of rural vernacular building character and conservation strategy from the perspective of rural tourism -- a case study of Yayou Gou Village in Shandong Province, China

Abstract

Rural vernacular building is a traditional dwelling house with the characteristics of the time and regions, which is now greatly impacted by urbanization and modernization. This research takes the rural vernacular building of Yayou Gou Village as the study case and uses document analysis, observation, and interview method to investigate the character and conservation strategies of rural building. The paper suggests that the building site characters are greatly influenced by topography and living conditions, followed by village traffic. The architectural forms represent the rural style of southern Shandong province with the unique roof shale covered. The layout of the building helps to maintain kinship and improve the local microclimate. Under the background of rural tourism development, effective protection methods for traditional buildings include function revitalization, museum transformation, homestay transformation, and local residents’ living are identified. Through the analysis of rural characteristics and conservation methods exploration, it is beneficial to further research on the character of rural architectural elements, promote the utilization and protection of rural building landscape, and provide enlightenment for rural development.