From Vernacular Syntax to Algorithmic Regenerative Design: Semiotic Decoding and Encoding of Kashgar’s Earthen Dwellings

This study explores the traditional adobe dwellings of Kashgar, Xinjiang, through the lens of semiotics theory to conduct a comprehensive analysis of their environmental adaptability. It decodes the architectural language and probes the mechanisms by which modern algorithmic patterns are encoded. Utilizing field surveys, 3D modeling, and semiotic analysis, the research identifies and extracts symbols of environmental adaptation from Kashgar’s residential architecture and establishes an algorithmic translation framework. This framework facilitates the transformation of vernacular architectural grammar into a semiotic encoding for regenerative design. The research identifies core symbols including inward courtyards, Aytowan spaces, parapet walls, Su-pa, sunken courtyards, and arcades. Employing Peirce’s triadic relation, the study develops a meta-model consisting of “symbol extraction, module deconstruction, and algorithmic translation.” This model translates the material forms, functional attributes, and cultural semantics of traditional symbols into computable parametric rules. Such translation enables hierarchical reinterpretation and cross-regional application of traditional wisdom. The study not only deepens the understanding of encoding patterns for environmental adaptability in traditional dwellings but also offers a comprehensive theoretical framework and methodological tools for the dynamic preservation and parametric regenerative design of traditional architecture. Furthermore, it explores innovative avenues for the sustainable renewal and cultural heritage preservation of vernacular buildings within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.