The formal language of Jiangnan classical gardens is characterised by a pervasive curvilinear geometry — flowing across rockery profiles, waterscape edges, and literati robes — constituting what may be termed a "dynamic cultural geometry." Yet the translation of this historical form language into contemporary design practice remains methodologically unaddressed.
This study proposes a three-stage framework — Extract, Abstract, Translate — demonstrated through a hypothetical design case at Yuyuan Garden, Nanjing. Curvilinear samples are first extracted from Wen Zhengming's Eastern Garden Scroll and on-site spatial surveys. These are then analysed through combined morphological analysis and Panofsky's iconographic method across four formal dimensions: curvature variation, rhythmic density, figure-ground relationship, and proportional tension — each mapped to corresponding literati cultural values including naturalness, figure-ground reciprocity, and the principle of perceiving vastness within intimacy. The resulting formal principles are finally translated into design guidelines governing line, colour, and layout, validated through conceptual sketches at selected spatial nodes within Yuyuan Garden. Bridging visual design practice, heritage studies, and iconography, this research offers the first operational translation tool for the historical form language of Jiangnan gardens, with transferable implications for the contemporary visual activation of classical garden heritage.

Authors:
Yimeng Shi, Donghua University, China
Menghe Tian, Donghua University, China

About the Presenter(s)
Yimeng Shi is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Design at Donghua University, Shanghai, China. She is a graphic designer and curator, and a national member of the Design Committee of the China Packaging Federation.

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