Week 7, China, India, Cambodia, and The Americas

 

]What I Learned


This week we explored the regions of Asia and the Americas. Asia includes China, India, and Cambodia, and the Americas include the Pre-Columbian civilizations. 

China reflects a 4,000 year period of continuity. Chinese buildings used a lot of symmetry and balance with nature. The courtyard house was a popular cultural symbol of order and family unity. The great wall of China was a mastery of engineering and endurance. They used a lot of traditional materials like lacquered wood and bamboo. These materials were valued for simplicity and craftsmanship ability and were used in furniture pieces like the yoke-back chair and kang tables in Asia. In Cambodia, they produced monumental temple complexes like Angkor Wat. These were influenced by both Hinduism and Buddhism, and used beautiful geometry and symbolism towards the cosmos


The americas indepentntly developed out of the old world, and created new architectural and art systems. The Olmecs, Mayans, Aztecs, and Incas created beautiful structures, from mayan pyramids to Machu Picchu, an Incan stone city. The types of homes were very different. They had a variety of underground dwellings, reed huts, and cliffside villages. The Incas got really good at stone cutting and trapezoid doors and windows to withstand earthquakes.

In both places, China and the Americas, design proved the creativity of people and their spiritual beliefs, from Asian spiritual patterns to American smart engineering.

Favorite Examples


Liuhe Pagoda, China is a towering pagoda combining Buddhist and traditional Chinese architectural techniques.


Courtyard Houses, Beijing, represent harmony, balance, and family order.


The Great Stupa at Sanchi, India, is one of the oldest stone structures in India! It symbolizes enlightenment and the cycle of life.



Machu Picchu, in Peru, was built by the Inca Empire. It showcases great stonework and harmony with mountainous/nature.




The Temple of the Jaguars, in Chichén Itzá, Mexico, includes carved jaguar thrones and intricate reliefs displaying great craftsmanship and power.

Current Applications




Asian-inspired Interiors are seen in modern homes today with open courtyards, symmetrical layouts, and natural materials.


Zen Minimalism furniture uses clean lines, warm wood tones, and bamboo details, It is rooted in the simplicity of Ming and Japanese styles.


Stupa-inspired Architecture is used in many museums and memorials adopt domed forms inspired by the Great Stupa of Sanchi


Sustainable Stonework by designers look to Incan building methods for earthquake-resistant structures and sustainable materials!




Cultural Fusion Furniture has contemporary pieces that combine Asian lacquerwork with carved detailing. Ity is inspired by the Pre-Columbian motifs.

One Step Further: The Incan Civilization


The Incan civilization of Peru had amazing engineers who blended landscaping and architecture wonderfully. The capital, Cusco, and the mountain citadel, along with Machu Picchu use stone without mortar. Somehow they are able to display it perfectly, and it's a technique that modern builders are still curious about. A lot of structures were trapezoidal and not square, which made it stronger during hurricanes, and they were visually interesting as well. Beyond architecture, the interiors were pretty simple yet intentional. They used textiles, pottery, and natural colors to match physical colors with their spiritual connection with the land. The incas were known for using both symbolism and functional design. Their influence still remains in today's design movements.




Trapezoidal door highlights engineering and earthquake resistant shape


Incan Stone wall, mortar free stone construction



Incan textiles—artistic



Incan Pottery was hand-painted for, oftentimes, home visits or ceremonies.

Reflection


This week I learned that culture can shape design in any and every part of the world. Asia emphasized order and symbolism, while the Americas used natural forms and engineering. Both used great craft and had a deep respect for nature!

 

 It is pretty neat to see how ideas born thousands of years ago are still modern principles for today's architecture and interior design majors. Design should always tell a story!

Comments

  1. Professor VanderNoordaaOctober 19, 2025 at 6:12 AM

    Allyssa,
    This is a beautiful Blog post. I loved the images you presented. You also presented the most important information pertaining to design elements from these countries. 50/50 points

    ReplyDelete

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