Abstract:
This report explores the application of Feng Shui in Auckland by studying the houses built
and designed by Chinese people through interviewing Chinese house owners in Auckland, and
Feng Shui experts from both China and New Zealand by using funnel structured interview
model as well as pyramid interview model. Participants all have their own way to use Feng
Shui in Auckland, and the orientation of the house is the key question. Almost all the Chinese
house owner participants chose to change the orientation of the house according to the position
of the sun. Feng Shui experts have different theories to support their answers to this question.
Feng Shui is an original science subject originating from China, which integrates
astronomy, geography, environmental science, architecture, landscape architecture, and
aesthetics. The aim of Feng Shui is to promote ‘happiness’ in the area that people live and work,
which is not just a simple study of environmental optimisation. After nearly five thousand years
of practice in the vast territory of China, Feng Shui has direct application value in the field of
architecture. Feng Shui is closely related to traditional Chinese culture. However, it has rapidly
grown in popularity in the Western world since the 1980s through global cultural exchange and
sharing of knowledge. The main concept of Feng Shui application in house designing in China
is ‘harmony between man and nature’, which is contrary to the Western concept of the objective
cognition theory. Even China's neighbour, South Korea, has applied Feng Shui but in different
ways compared with China. It could be said that the application of Feng Shui is closely related
to the local culture. But the common concern that both Eastern society and Western society
agree on is that where and how a house is built can increase people's ‘happiness’. According to
the literature reviewed, so far there is no systematic summary of how Feng Shui is applied in
architecture in Western countries ‒ especially in the design of residential houses.
The principles of the application of Feng Shui in Auckland house designing of the
participants are summarised in this thesis. As Auckland is in the southern hemisphere and China
in the northern, and considering that Feng Shui has a strong relationship with the orientation,
we expect to see similarities and differences between the application of Feng Shui in Auckland
and traditional Chinese society.