The Unconventional Village model and its application as a computational design method for compact communities in rural China

This paper addresses the tension between standardized planning and vernacular adaptability in the unified development of rural communities in China. Drawing on case analyses of community open-design models and rule-based computational design approaches, it proposes the “Unconventional Village” design model. Grounded in the shape grammar theory, this model develops a multi-level rule system by integrating diverse computational design methods across two scales: community planning and residential buildings. This framework enables the generation of compact rural community planning solutions that reconcile standardization with local adaptability. Taking the newly constructed mass housing community in Shanli Chenjia Village, Zhaoyuan, China as an experiment, the model produces diverse planning layouts that harmonize with the village's vernacular character. The study reveals the following findings: (1) Technically, the model is compatible with multiple software toolchains, offering a reusable methodological framework for rural community planning; (2) In community planning, it achieves a balanced integration of standardized design and traditional vernacular preservation, providing an expandable solution to the homogenization challenges in rural community planning while advancing both theoretical understanding and practical applications of computational design in complex regional contexts; (3) At the residential building, the model enables residents to independently select functional modules, effectively addressing diverse household needs.