Extension Theory for the Reconstruction of Traditional Villages: case example in Dawa Village

Abstract Extenics refers to an auxiliary method used to find strategies for complex and contradictory problems. It has been applied in many fields such as architecture, landscape architecture and urban planning, and has also been gradually applied to the renewal and transformation of traditional villages. This paper explains the basic theories of the extension analysis methods such as divergent tree, conjugate pair, correlative net, implied system and split-merge chain. It then utilizes these methods and thinking modes to evaluate the renovation of traditional village residential buildings using the reconstruction of Zhang Shibin’s former residence in Dawa village as a case study. This paper presents the first application of Extenics in this context and makes a significant contribution not just for the application of the extension methods for the built environment but also within the context of architectural and preservation of historical contexts and heritage.