This dissertation examines the traditional residential buildings of different ethnic groups, using the examples of the Uyghurs, Xibe and Tadjiks in Xinjiang (formerly Eastern Turkistan), in North West China.<br />The work has two main aims: firstly to analyze the architecture, culture and way of life of the Uyghurs, Xibe and Tadjiks; and secondly to compare their endangered ways of life and forms of architecture, and identify their respective tendencies and prospects. Thus the goal of this scientific work is not only to address questions that concern the particular circumstances of a small region, but also to reach a general architectural understanding through research and analysis, and to show the influence of trade and traffic routes on the region. These results should not only refer to the past but also describe the contemporary situation. This study is also concerned with humans and their habitat, as well as their traditional architecture, which is regarded as both ugly and impractical by a large part of the population, and is consequently disappearing and falling into oblivion. It is not to be overlooked that these communities are developing and striving for innovation. However a way must be found to synchronize modernization with traditionalism, in order that these people can enjoy the benefits of both.<br />This study is composed of five parts: * Firstly the region Xinjiang is described in terms of its topographic circumstances, climate, settlement zones and historical development, up to the present day. This is followed by an examination of the nomadic and sedentary economic systems that are prevalent in this region, as well as its economic development, which historically has been influenced by Russia, the Soviet Union and China. Economic development arrived as the region became a trading corridor and buffer zone for neighbouring countries. The "Silk Road" was not only a centuries-old trade route for material goods, but also a melting pot of spiritual and cultural ideas. * Following this, the different resident population groups are described in terms of origins; ethnic, religious and cultural composition; and attributed and self-ascribed identities. Also explored is the emerging trend of families with one or two children residing in scattered dwellings, as opposed to large families living under one roof or in the same hamlet, as was previously the norm. The research - or rather its limits - is structured around the different population groups examined:<br />each is analyzed in terms of its architectural and cultural peculiarities. The study also investigates the effect of changing values on local architecture. * This is followed by a description of the oases: their expansion, their historical and economic development, and their political significance.<br />Comparisons of unpremeditated construction with planned, Chinese cities forms part of this analysis. The study moves on from settlement structures to an investigation of dwellings in the different oases. This chapter is subdivided into the traditional dwellings of the Uyghurs, Tadjiks and Xibe. The buildings are described in terms of their shape, orientation, rooms, arrangement, entrance areas, and their positioning in relation to their garden, nearby streets, and neighbouring sites. The respective construction methods, choice of building materials and roof shapes are also components of the analysis. Special constructions and decorations for festivals, religious holidays and weddings are also discussed. * The next section is a discussion of the archeological excavations of earlier settlements, and a comparison of these discoveries with existing dwellings. The building expertise of the region is based on 30 case studies, which provide a deeper insight into the residential constructions and specific ways of life. * In its conclusion, the dissertation examines the change of architecture and urban planning in Xinjiang as well as planning concepts in China.<br />The central research questions were: * How are the traditional forms of architecture of these ethnic groups changing, and how do they influence each other? * To what extent is architecture a cultural expression, and how is it perceived and valued by the denizens themselves, as well as members of other ethnic groups? * How are the identities of inhabitants expressed through dwellings, their development and wider local communities? * What adjustments have taken place within society and in the field of architecture over recent decades? Which architectural and social biases become apparent? * Does the rapid technological development of China undermine the values of the local population? Are they welcomed, or at least partially instigated, by the indigenous people? * What measures are necessary to ensure the survival of the culture and architecture of the groups studied, in light of China's continuing industrialization and political upheaval? The initial research for this thesis was made through academic study, while architectural data is based on two field studies made in 2004 and 2006. In the course of the first trip, the oases of Yili, Kuqa, Korla, and Kashgar, as well as the mountain town of Tashkurgan were observed.<br />In the second study, in 2006, further traditional dwellings, particularly along the southern edge of the Taklamakan-desert, Artux, Yarkand and Khotan, were selected, measured, photographed and documented. During both research trips, several sites of earlier civilizations, including Buddhist monasteries, were visited, to enable precise descriptions of the architecture and urban planning in the region over the last two millennia.<br />In addition, adapted interviews with inhabitants were carried out, in order that familial modes of living, as well as the history of the houses, could be ascertained. Conversations with experts, artists and students were carried out on the subjects of social history, self-ascribed and attributed identities of the communities, and ethnic and generational conflicts. Further focal points were urban development and concepts, as well as traditional and modern architecture. The interviews were translated into English by four different interpreters of the respective languages (Uyghur, Xibe, Chinese, Tadjik). In all, 32 buildings in different districts of Xinjiang were examined, of which 30 were ultimately included in the study.