A parametric approach to connectivity relations in the planning of traditional Chinese private gardens

This research describes the production of a parametric sys-tem for generating spatio-typological and connectivity features de-rived from the Traditional Chinese Private Garden (TCPG). The re-search commences with an analysis of three historic TCPGs using connectivity graphs, a space syntax technique. Three measurements derived from this analysis – total depth, mean depth and integration – are then extracted to capture essential connectivity patterns in the TCPG. This data is then used to shape the rules of a parametric system to generate new TCPGs. Three new TCPGs connectivity and spatio-typological systems are then generated and tested against the original mathematical properties of the historic cases. Through this process the paper demonstrates a method for capturing social and spatial proper-ties in a parametric system and possible new insights into the proper-ties of these important heritage sites.