A Data-Driven Method for Constructing the Spatial Database of Traditional Villages—A Case Study of Courtyard Residential Typologies in Yunnan, China

Abstract

A digital civilization rising on silicon-based technology is predicted to replace carbon-based spaces with virtual ones, leading to the decline of rural regionalism. Reconciling the benefits of globalization through data-driven methods while preserving the locality of rural areas is crucial. The extensive collection of traditional villages in the Yunnan Province possesses abundant natural heritages and diverse regional cultural resources. However, the existing assessment and identification index system for these traditional villages primarily relies on qualitative measures, which lack a consistent and quantifiable data system that can provide scientific, data-driven analysis. This study focuses on the mainstream types of traditional villages in the Yunnan Province as its research subject. Based on empirical research methods and architectural typology principles, two data acquisition and vectorization procedures are implemented, combining tilt photography and digital mapping technology. This approach addresses the inconsistency problem of the current system’s complex information and multiple data. This study aims to establish an efficient, objective, and consistent method of generating a database that comprehensively represents the environmental and architectural characteristics of the villages. Once established, this database could serve as a consistent and objective basis for subsequent quantitative analyses across different types of villages. Hence, setting up a consistent, quantifiable database is the first step to future data-driven policymaking, which is essential for sustainable preservation. In conclusion, the repeatability and reproducibility of these research findings are intrinsically tied to the meticulous methodology employed in the process of data acquisition and vectorization. The valid result was demonstrated after the verifying of the correlation analysis. Finally, a challenge to the universality came from adding different worldwide villages to the database and revealing underlying patterns.