Revitalizing History in the New Metropolis

REVITALIZING HISTORY IN THE NEW METROPOLIS

Balanced Renewal Strategy of Zhongshan Raod in Qingdao, China

A thesis submitted to the Graduated School of the University of Cincinnati in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of

Master of Architecture

in the DAAP by

Jinhui Huang 2020

B.A. Qingdao University of Technology

Committee Chair: Elizabeth Riorden Michael McInturf Abstract

Qingdao (Tsingtao), a top five coastal city dao, this thesis explores a new possibility of in China, is a new town four times as large balanced renewal strategy for the Zhongshan as the old town with an incredible urbaniza- Road neighborhood. It is not only a symbolic tion speed in the past three decades due to design tool to address the marginalized im- economic boom. With the increasing density migrants’ and older generations’ memories of towering office buildings, shopping malls about Liyuan residences, Zhongshan Road and versatile pavilions in the New Town, Market, and German-style buildings in Old Zhongshan Road historic commercial district, Town, but also an experimental apparatus to the original old center (downtown) of Qing- show the redevelopment possibilities of the dao, had gone through recession in the last Old Town bringing in tourists and citizens in twenty years. other neighborhoods.

Witnessing Qingdao’s modernization history By analyzing the Old Town’s deficiencies and over the past one hundred and thirty years, the New Town’s homogeneous commercial Zhongshan Road currently suffers from a building forms, the new renewal strategy series of critical problems, such as labor aims to revitalize the economy in order to outflow, low-income migrant worker inflow, satisfy the interest of main users and stake- and incongruent urban planning, due to the holders of this area: residents, commuters, lopsided development policies implemented and tourists. Obviously, when capital comes by the local government. Once known as the back to Zhongshan Road, the neighbor- bustling Zhongshan Road market, Liyuan res- hood can restore its former glory instead of idences and German-style buildings hosting plunging into recession. This design focuses elder or low-income marginalized residents on how to balance opposite values: historic have been gradually forgotten by capitalists, value and economic value within a unique the government, and the new immigrants. urban context. Undoubtedly, when Qingdao lost its identity, the area turned into the next “Generic City” As a result, the balanced and revitalized in China. Zhongshan Road can become a great model to bring back old commercial districts and To avoid the tragedy of homogenizing the “Make Old Commercial Center Great Again.” city and to celebrate the treasures of Qing- CONTENTS

5 One: The Story of Zhongshan Road Interweaved History: Germany, Japan, and China Precedent Attempt at Urban Renewal

14 Two: All In Paradoxes Peculiarities of Zhongshan Road All in Paradoxes

23 Three: Research On Renewal Strategy Precedent Case Analysis Core Theory of Urban Renewal

28 Four: Design Strategy Implement Equitable Urban Renewal Implement Strategy ONE The Story Of Zhongshan Road: From Bustling To Decadent Dis- trict Part I: Interweaved History: Germany, Japan, and China

Start: The period of German colonization Qingdao from most organically formed (1897-1914) traditional Chinese cities. Qingdao was also different from Tianjin and Shanghai, whose The story of Zhongshan Road as a historical urban fabrics were shaped by many inter- commercial area began in 1897 when the national concessions without a centralized Germans colonized Qingdao and started the planning and administration concept in the first transformation phase of urban planning. same period. Before the German infiltration, Qingdao was just a remote fishing village on the Jiaodong In 1900, in the planning pattern of military peninsula. After the German army settled and trade undertaken by Germany, planners down and took over the city, the army sub- built two new ports in the north: Big Port and sequently started planning and constructing Small Port. Besides, a road more than 500 the primary urban area of Qingdao based on meters long was built starting from the old the strict implementation of advanced urban southern pier to the north -- Friedrich Street, planning and construction planning theory at which was set up in the commercial district that time(see figure 1.1). This distinguished to serve Europeans. This street shaped a

Figure 1.1: Qingdao Map in 1898 5 rudimentary part of the southern section many other German-style buildings designed of Zhongshan Road. At the same time, the in the German style appeared on the south railway station was constructed in a favorable end, such as Qingdao club, Hengbao Com- position close to the west of Friedrich Street, mercial Building, Jiaozhou Hotel, and Naval and the whole urban infrastructures of Qing- Hotel. dao also spread around the early Zhongshan Road. With the construction of the Governor’s Pal- ace and the Governor’s Residence, Chinese According to the urban planning and devel- people gradually increased and inhabited opment blueprint of 1910 (figure 1.2), the the northern area. A few years later, this site and surrounding roads of the German concentration of people formed a prosper- Governor’s Palace, located on the south end ous commercial street. The Germans named of Friedrich Str, were built following the plan- it Shantung Street (Shandong street), which ning idea of European streets, with geometric constitutes today the northern section of green facilities and street network patterns Zhongshan Road. The construction of the with European characteristics. Meanwhile, Zhongshan Road historical commercial area as an absolutely central area in Qingdao, was deliberately planned and developed based on the geographical location, the climate, other political factors.

Development: The first period of Japanese colonization (1914-1922)

After the outbreak of the first world war, the political situation in Qingdao was modified. On the 7th of November 1914, Japan took over Qingdao which was under German occupation. Following the Japanese occupation of Qingdao, Friedrich Street and Shantung Figure 1.2

6 Street were renamed Shizuoka ding and development of industry and commerce in Shandong ding, and continued to expand Qingdao, the commercial expansion around northward to the vicinity of Beijing Road. Zhongshan Road gradually became mature During this period, the Zhongshan Road and productive, a development supported by commercial area expanded from nine square the improvement of the infrastructure. kilometers to fourteen square kilometers. The commercial nature of Zhongshan Road As the Japanese inhabitants increased from during the Japanese occupation period was about sixty in 1901 to twenty-four thousand stronger than that during the German oc- five hundred in 1919, modern industries like cupation period. The types of shops and the power plant and textile factory were built commercial services increased, but the archi- along the railway. The commercial vitali- tectural typologies remained the same. The ty of the district gradually grew from the center of this commercial area transferred to Zhongshan Road to the surrounding area, the northern section of the street. and gradually formed a larger residential and commercial area in the northern part of Zhongshan Road(see fig 1.3). With the rapid Prosperity: The period of sovereignty return (1922-1937)

In 1922, the Chinese government regained power and sovereignty over Qingdao and sustained a peaceful and prosperous environment. Moreover, Shizuoka ding and Shandong ding was merged to the Shan- dong Road, a predecessor of Zhongshan Road. The introduction of foreign capital, national capital, and bureaucratic capital promoted the rapid development of the Zhong- shan Road business.

In 1929, Shandong Road was renamed Figure 1.3 Planning of Qingdao in 1915

7 Zhongshan Road in memory of Sun Zhong- ern part of the city, new commercial areas shan (Sun Yat-sen), the father of modern Chi- were subsequently established. These areas na. Banks, newspapers, restaurants, and var- started challenging the commercial leader- ious local brands developed, and authorities ship of the Zhongshan Road. Taidong Town put up the first traffic light on the Zhongshan emerged as a result of these developments. Road. These new developments improved Taidong Town transformed from an industri- the urban infrastructure and municipal fa- al zone to a commercial zone, with the intro- cilities in comparison to other surrounding duction of new commercial shops. The com- neighborhoods. mercial circle gradually extended from the north end of Zhongshan Road to Taidong The architectural landscape was also trans- commercial center. formed. Large number of Chinese architects who studied abroad returned to participate in the urban construction of Qingdao. For ex- Stagnation: The second period of Japa- ample, Mr. Zhuang Jun designed the building nese colonization (1937-1949) of Bank of Communications (built in 1931), in the European classical revival style. More During the second world war, the Japanese so, German, Japanese, and Russian architects occupied Qingdao for the second time, residing in Qingdao had more design op- and the development of Zhongshan Road portunities than ever. The Japanese architect reached a standstill. Kojiro Mitsui designed the bank of Korea The war affected the area’s architecture. The (built in 1932), mixing the classical and mod- presence of Japanese soldiers in the area ern styles. The prevailing architectural styles added pressure on housing. The increas- around the 1930s were European classicism ing housing demand led officials to rapidly and traditional Chinese revival. Building types respond by constructing lower-quality apart- included in bank buildings, exchanges, com- ment buildings and homes located near mercial buildings, theaters, hotels, churches, Zhongshan Road. Located within a historic and temples. district, these apartment blocks were constructed with reinforced concrete in the Yet, commercial competition was on the rise. modernist style. As the industrial areas spread to the north-

8 At the end of the war, the United States development of the area. established military bases, headquarters, and the American army club accompanying the stationed American troops in Qingdao. Recession: The modern period of Social- Subsequently, many high-end entertainment ism (1990s-2019) clubs emerged on Zhongshan Road to serve the US military, such as bars, brothels, and In the early 1990s, after the relocation of the dance halls. Zhongshan Road started show- municipal government to the eastern new ing signs of recovery. town, the Zhongshan Road lost its economic strategic location. The old city bank headquarters and commercial center stronghold Revival: The former period of Socialism gradually transferred to the east of the new (1949-1990s) town, and over 80% of the residents moved away from the old district. To some extent, After the establishment of the People’s Re- they destroyed the commercial environment public of China, Zhongshan Road maintained and development model of the Zhongshan its status as the commercial, cultural and Road historic district in Qingdao. The com- administrative center of Qingdao. In 1951, mercial pattern of Qingdao changed from there were three hundred fifty-nine private the single center of Zhongshan Road com- enterprises covering twenty-seven industries mercial center to the multi-centers included in this area. Since the reform and opening-up east commercial center, Taidong commercial policy, the Zhongshan Road stepped into a center, Li Cun commercial center, and other. golden period of development. Large de- Since then, more than a dozen malls in the partment stores and other new commercial Zhongshan Road neighborhood waxed and types emerged on the high north and south waned, but so far, only three of them are still sections of Zhongshan Road. Similarly, one opened in severe condition. It marked the vi- of the top ten snack streets in China -- “Picha tality loss of the Zhongshan Road economy. Yuan” which means wood chopping yard-- formed on the northern end of this Road. It At the same time, the government eagerly attracted residents and lured them into con- saved this legendary commercial neighbor- sumption which helped the tourist economic hood and revived it; four rounds of prof-

9 it-driven renovations were implemented This century-old street, which witnessed the from 1990 to 2010. Although these reforms prosperity of Qingdao city for hundreds of achieved some short-term social benefits, years, is currently in urgent need for a rea- they did not solve the essential problem of sonable revitalization strategy which balanc- the recession of this historical commercial es economic vitality and historic preserva- street and finally failed to reverse its decline. tion. Besides, the original historical features of this neighborhood were severely damaged after four rounds of renovation. A great number of single-story storefront buildings have been built as small retail shops with chaotic but showy billboards, which not only broke down the original street characters but also frag- mented precedent textures of the space and the facade.

Qingdao Zhongshan Road Neighborhood Map in 2019 10 Part II: Precedent Renewal Attempts

Along with the implementation of the Re- demolition and construction destroying the form and the opening-up of policy and eco- distinctive features of this area. Therefore, nomic development starting 1979, Zhong- the Zhongshan Road underwent stagnation shan Road historical district launched its in a later phase once the administrative and modernization process. From 1990 to 2010, commercial center moved to the eastern the area experienced four rounds of differ- section of this city. ent renewal planning designed by Southeast University, Tsinghua University, Canada Sus- In 2001, the Sustainable Research Cen- tainable Development Research Center, and ter of Canada proposed a new plan, which Qingdao Public Architecture Design Institute. introduced an international urban renewal However, the decline of this district was not framework to Qingdao. The renovation idea well addressed. attempted to reuse this whole area with a sustainable method and adaptive develop- At the beginning of 1990, the renewal plan(- ment of green buildings. However, the urban see fig 1.4) of Southeast University focused renewal plan came to a halt due to financial on introducing new commercial develop- problems. ments into the old town. It successfully promoted social benefits in the short term In 2003, Tsinghua University proposed a but implemented the renewal strategy of renovation concept from the comprehensive perspective of regional economic development and overall urban design. It empha- sized the aspects of coastal tourism, cultural tourism, and characteristic trade. This planning was quite reasonable, novel, and comprehensive. However, it did not address the root of the recession of Zhongshan Road, such as the transformation of social organi- zation and population structure.

The Qingdao Public Architecture Design In- stitute provided a detailed renewal proposal Figure 1.4: Persepective view of renewal planning

11 in 2008. It was ingeniously conceived in the renovation concept combined commercial strategy with local features, like the economic revival of Liyuan buildings, the introduction of cultural and artistic projects, and the development of tourist service facilities. However, the single economic profit-driven transformation did not fundamentally help this old commercial district regain its competitive power against other larger and newer shopping malls in this city.

The common problems of these planning were taking economic interests as the core, ignoring the history and culture, and blind demolition and construction in a wide area. Thus, the historical features of the neighborhood were severely damaged.

It is necessary hence to envision and develop a more balanced and comprehensive renewal strategy for the Zhongshan Road historical district.

12 TWO All In Paradoxes Part I: Peculiarities of Zhongshan Road

1. Building density tained, and the living environment is in poor condition. The new residences are separated Most buildings in the Zhongshan Road busi- from the rest of the older buildings. Peo- ness district are traditional enclosed build- ple have deserted these buildings in search ings -- Liyuan in Qingdao. A large number of for better living environments. Due to the buildings create a compact urban fabric and narrow financing and low density, the once unique historical atmosphere in this tradi- overcrowded buildings are fading into mem- tional commercial district. The total building ory. coverage ratio in this commercial area is rela- tively high, and the street face of the block 4. Population outflow is long and narrow. The open public space is limited. The density of the area brings in The living conditions do not respond to peo- poor living conditions. ple’s needs for better living standards and do not fulfil their material and cultural needs. 2. Interweaved culture This situation drives younger generations to leave the older structures in search for better Zhongshan Road is divided into north and living conditions. The older structures remain south sections, each section characterized by inhabited by the older generations or rented different architectural styles. The south is the migrant workers. This devaluates the prices European area, and the main architecture is of the real estate and leads to severe short- dominated by the German style. The north- ages of purchasing power in the area. The ern part is a Chinese area, and it presents an business vitality of Zhongshan Road hence architectural style which integrates tradition- decreases. al Chinese architecture and western design elements -- Liyuan (Inner Courtyard). 5. Homogeneity

3. Dilapidated featured buildings In this “Generic City”, Zhongshan Road was supposed to play the role of a unique com- Currently, most of the Liyuan buildings in mercial street in the homogenized urban- Zhongshan Road are in a dilapidated condi- ization to show its regional characteristics. tion. The existing infrastructure is not main- However, after several rounds of unsuccess-

14 ful redevelopments, the area witnessed the sprawling of a number of retail stores, similar Zhongshan Road is characterized by the to other commercial streets in Asia. diversity of its communities. Their conflicting interests constitute one of the most signif- 6. Single function icant factors leading to the failure of the previous renewal plans. A number of small and low-end retail stores took over the leading commercial functions In renewal projects, the social aspect of the of Zhongshan Road. Meanwhile, living, office, plans constitutes the main focus of any ur- cultural, and tourism functions gradually dis- ban renewal study. In Zhongshan Road, the appeared. An area such as Zhongshan Road residents are the first stakeholders to take cannot rely on a single commercial function, into consideration. as it is necessary to provide a diversity of The resident population grew rapidly as a uses to create a vital neighborhood. result of rapid developments efforts following the relocation of the main urban area of 7. Abundant natural, historical and cultur- Qingdao to the east after 1990. Construction al tourism resources of new areas in the western part of Qingdao started on a large scale after 2008, which A number of natural, historical, and cultural attracted people and industries alike. The lo- attractions are located within the tradition- cation of Zhongshan Road in the middle part al commercial center of Zhongshan Road, of the east and west district is very instru- including the famous Pier, Catholic Church, mental for the whole city. The area needs not Pichai Yuan, and Film Museum. These attrac- only to serve the residents of the Zhongshan tions increase the popularity of the area, pro- Road neighborhood but also to assume the moting the development and construction of responsibility of public service towards the this commercial district. The Catholic church, rest of the city. which was founded during the German colonization period of Qingdao, constitutes the Furthermore, as one of the most famous tallest church tower in northern China. coastal tourist cities in China, Qingdao wel- comes over 80 million tourists every year. 8. The contradiction of served groups This number is ten times the number of

15 urban residents in Qingdao. Since the high- speed railway station is located next to the Zhongshan Road, most of the tourists directly or indirectly pass by the Zhongshan Road. Therefore, the city relies immensely on tourism as a significant economic service. directly or indirectly pass by the Zhongshan road. Therefore, the tourist group is a significant service object.

16 Paradoxes

Preservation is overtaking us! We must preserve the entire Bei- Rem Koolhaas jing City! Liang Sicheng

17 Prospective VS Retrospective

People have been preserving heritages for thousands of years, but now people pre-determine whether a piece of architecture should be preserved even prior to its construction.

18 Exception VS Mediocre

What is exceptional and who defines this condition? If preservation protects things regarded as exceptional, should the mediocre be preserved also? If not, how do both conditions relate?

19 Perservation VS Development

The conflicts of land use caused by preservation and development is difficult to nego- tiate. Due to increasing territory occupation by preservation, development is forced to proceed vertically, which in return is slowing down project developments.

20 All-in-one VS Nothing

All or nothing are two attitudes toward preservation. Buildings are well regulated and restored, meaning literally nothing is done to help the heritage protection. Preservation efforts can salvage the neglected context.

21 Three Research On Renewal Strategy Part I: Precedent Case Study Analysis

Sino-Ocean Taikoo Li, Chengdu, China development strategies incorporating small blocks, historical buildings, flexible pave- Opened in 2015, Sino-Ocean Taikoo Li ments and a diversity of city uses. These Chengdu Project (China) is an open-plan functional elements appear in the successful low-rise shopping complex with a surface development strategy of Taikoo Li. area of about a hundred thousand square meters (about twenty-four acres). Blending The main accomplishments of this design old structures with new developments, Si- were the improvement of trading opportuni- no-Ocean Taikoo Li Chengdu presents an ties, the revitalization of regional economy, innovative architectural design which cele- and the enhancement of the occupied space, brates traditional Sichuan architecture and using the historical and natural features of the nearby thousand-year-old Daci Temple the site. The project supports the innovative while incorporating modern building tech- principles of contemporary sustainable urban niques and materials. By connecting this renovation projects. The Taikoo Li Chengdu historical neighborhood to Chengdu’s new case analysis exemplifies the characteristics downtown district, the open-air complex ac- of healthy urban spaces: small blocks, shared knowledges the history and character of the public spaces, conservation of cultural heri- city while allowing visitors to be immersed in tage blending new and old structures, which a unique shopping experience(see fig 3.1). all contribute to slow down the consumption patterns of the visitors. In this project, the team of designers col- laborated to create a new development In fact, the designer divided the site into two approach, different from the conventional spaces with opposing characteristics: “Fast “Typical Asian Development Mode”1 exhibiting Li” and “Slow Li” (“Li” means lane in ancient large-sized isolated buildings, closed to its Chinese). “Fast Li” consisting of three shop- surroundings. The conventional model and ping streets cutting through an eastern plaza its problematic features were consistent with and a western plaza, captivates residents the emblematic projects so often criticized and visitors with a series of luxury boutique by Jane Jacobs in her book The Death and stores of famous international brands, like Life of Great American Cities (1961). Jacobs Gucci, MiuMiu, and Dior. People who are advocated for more intricate and sensitive fashion savvy target these internationally

1. Liu Bin, Chen Zhongnuan. “Power, Capital and Space- Production of Urban Consumption Space Based on the Trans- formation of Historical Street Area: A Case Study of Sino-Ocean Taikoo Li in Chengdu.” (Urban Planning International. 33, No.1(2018): 75-118. DOI: 10.22217.)

23 branded boutique stores. In contrast, “Slow Li”, surrounding the historical landmark Daci Temple, promotes a more peaceful and re- laxed lifestyle. At “Slow Li,” the combination of fine-dining, luxury boutiques, and local stores provides an invigorating and unique experience to all visitors and shoppers.

Taikoo Li (Chengdu) is considered a landmark in the city as a result of the innovative research and design ideas supported by the design team. The project promotes a solid transition from abandoned historic area to a culturally and commercially vibrant district.

Fig 3.1: Taikool Li, 2004 and 2018

24 Core Theory of Urban Renewal

One 1. The district, and indeed as many of its inter- The American writer Jane Jacobs, in her book nal parts as possible, must serve more than one The Death and Life of Great American Cities, ar- primary function; preferably more than two... gued against large-scale construction developments which altered the American city in 2. Most blocks must be short; that is, streets and the 1950s-1960s. She criticized massive ren- opportunities to turn corners must be frequent. ovation programs which destroyed the city landscape, excluded small and medium-sized 3. The district must mingle buildings that vary businesses, and homogenized its diversity. in age and condition, including a good proportion These unreasonably sized projects constantly of old ones so that they vary in the economic yield drained the city’s resources. they must produce. This mingling must be fairly close-grained. Jacobs advocated for the preservation and development of small-scale buildings in fa- 4. There must be a sufficiently dense concentra- vor of a gradual redevelopment strategy. By tion of people, for whatever purposes they may be adopting this approach, districts promoted there...”2 a healthier relationship between neighbors, communities, and peoples, and maintained Similarly, Ian Bentley claimed some ideas a sense of belonging and ownership among about architecture and urban design in his the users of these spaces. Any urban renewal practical book Responsive Environments: A strategy should incorporate a comprehensive Manual for Designers, which were neglected sociological research. Jacobs proposed four in those failed projects. favorable conditions for promoting urban diversity: mix-used functions, small blocks, “1. Permeability: designing the overall layout of mixed buildings of different ages, and suffi- routes and development blocks. cient population density. 2. Variety: locating uses on the site. “To generate exuberant diversity in a city’s streets and districts four conditions are indis- 3. Legibility: designing the massing of the build- pensable: ings, and the enclosure of public space.

2. Jane, Jacobs. The Death and Life of Great American Cities.(New York: Random House, 1961)

25 4. Robustness: designing the spatial and con- al include: structional arrangement of individual buildings First, designers must find an interme- and outdoor places. diary connection between the past, present and future and a symbiotic relation between 5. Visual appropriateness: designing the external different cultures. image. Second, designers should revalue and revive these elements commonly disregarded 6. Richness: developing the design for sensory in previous urban renewal plans such as tra- choice. ditional culture, regional characteristics and sense of place. 7. Personalization: making the design encourage Third, designers must value the integrity people to put their own mark on the places where of the city by highlighting the existence and they live and work.”3 relevance of urban parts, subsystems, and subcultures when we emphasize the integrity of the city. Fourth, a reasonable planning strategy Two focuses on the connection between people and space rather than the building as an iso- The architects Kenzo Tange and Kisho Kuro- lated entity. kawa supported the “metabolism” theory. They compared the development of urban Three space to the functional activities of organic life. According to the “metabolism” theory, A catalyst is a chemical agent or substance the diverse social functions of cities reinforce which increases the rate of a chemical reac- the continuous creation and expansion of the tion but does not undergo any permanent urban space. The fundamental driving force chemical changes. The urban catalyst, for of spatial development is the interaction be- instance, is an architectural concept first tween humans and space. proposed by Wayne Attoe and Donn Logan in their book American Urban Architecture: There are some significate contents of “me- Catalysts in the Design of Cities published in tabolism” theory about current urban renew- 1989. This concept characterizes the process

3. Bentley, Ian. Responsive Environments: A Manual for Designers. (Abingdon, Oxfordshire: Architectural Press is an imprint of Routledge, 2015)

26 of urban renewal whereby an urban cata- 2. Catalysts positively enhance or replace lyst changes the speed and mode of urban the existing urban valuable elements. Instead development. of devaluing the old parts of the city, the new parts can redeem them. The action principle of urban catalyst is the strategic incorporation of catalyst elements 3. Catalytic reactions can be processed which stimulate the development of sur- under control. rounding elements. As the interaction between each of the elements grows deeper, 4. The context of positive catalytic reac- a larger scale of the catalyst points devel- tions is a significant factor which needs to be ops. Hence, it promotes a larger and more primarily considered and understood. profound urban space renewal, eventually forming a series of chain reactions, which 5. Not all catalytic reactions are the consequently leads to the sustainable de- same. velopment of the city. From an urban perspective, catalysts in urban design operate in 6. Catalytic design is strategic. the following ways: “It is the positive impact an individual urban building or project can 7. The goal of each catalytic reaction is have on subsequent projects and, ultimately, to produce a product better than the sum of the form of a city. It encourages designers, its components. planners, and policymakers to consider the chain-reactive potential of individual devel- 8. The catalyst does not need to be con- opments on civic growth and urban regener- sumed in the process but is still identifiable. ation”.4

The characteristics of Catalysts in the Design of Cities can be summaried as the following:

1. New elements (catalysts) can change the surrounding elements.

4. Attoe, Wayne, and Donn Logan. American Urban Architecture: Catalysts in the Design of Cities.(Berkeley: Uni- versity of California Press, 1989)

27 FOUR Implementation of the Innovative Renewal Strategy Part I: Balanced Urban Renewal Strategy

The problems identified on Zhongshan Road stores did in fact increase the consumption cannot be addressed through any of Jane rate in the area. Yet the damaged infrastruc- Jacobs or Rem Koolhaas’s approaches or by ture and the dilapidated condition of the employing the concept of the Urban Catalyst historic area risks detracting consumers from or Tactical Urbanism. The main objective is returning to the area and reduces any possi- to offer a new urban renewal strategy which bility of future consumption. can revitalize the street and bring back its activities by understanding the underlying The diversity of mixed-use areas provides a principles of the conflicting theories. good balance between the preservation of history and the pursuit of economic benefits. 1. Balance between historical value and It is important to acknowledge the impor- economic value tance of economic revitalization in the context of historic commercial streets and dis- Public officials still debate whether or not tricts which have lost their vitality and public historic buildings are worthy of preserva- appeal. By employing mixed-use strategies, tion in their development strategy of cities. one can address two problems: the de- It is undeniable that people do not want to struction of historical values and the lack of inhabit spaces which lack any historical or strong competitiveness. cultural significance. The unique history defi- nitely provides the city with its unique char- In a historic district, not all buildings are acteristics. However, due to the over-protec- historic structures. It is hence necessary to tion policy on the historical value of Liyuan establish an evaluation framework to select buildings, the residents were prone to move and dismantle the run-down buildings such away, and the buildings lost their inher- as the large number of single-story retail ent functions. The broad area of protection buildings located along the street. Following at the north end of Zhongshan Road was the demolition process, the preservation of doomed to lose its vitality. high-value historical buildings invigorates the area by transforming and redistributing The detrimental effects of rapid economic the uses along the street. The existing his- growth is terribly apparent in Zhongshan toric buildings can attract visitors once they Road. The growth of unregulated retail merge with the new emerging businesses

29 around them. Their historic value would and new construction hence increase because it is coupled with their ability to drive economic growth and attract consumers and tourists. Taikoo Li and many other Asian urban renewal programs depended on the demoli- An important question is worth considering: tion and reconstruction strategy to develop why do we spend money in a historic neigh- its commercial districts. This strategy has borhood instead of new shopping malls? achieved tremendous economic success and In order to address this issue, one needs to has even helped some projects complete a understand that Zhongshan Road business spectacular transformation from an urban district declined because of the absence of wasteland to the commercial heart of the market competition. The revival of Zhong- city. However, it is undeniable that in most shan Road requires defending its market renewal projects, a large number of newly position and building its competitive advan- constructed buildings do not respond to tage. The existing architectural typology in other buildings in the broad regional con- the historic district – first floor retail store in text. This disconnection often occurs when a two or three-story residential building – designers consider the project as an isolated does not attract enough people at any time entity or in the context of a smaller city. In of the day. People drive economic revitaliza- Zhongshan Road, the construction of build- tion. The mixed-use development strategy ings might exacerbate this disconnection builds on the existing scattered commer- and disregard any consideration to local and cial and residential functions and integrate historical characteristics. them with new office, touristic and public functions. This approach attracts people to The detrimental effects of such actions are consume and occupy the spaces, providing a inescapable. Designers need to approach better planning strategy for economic revi- urban renewal strategies with careful consid- talization. eration of its historic qualities. Likewise, the over-protective strategy of historic preservation adopted by the current municipal policy- maker proved to be impractical. The reuse of 2. Balance between historic preservation historic buildings supports the protection of

30 their historic values because they would not street, the safety of pedestrians is most im- lose their original design purpose of serving portant. Once their safety is secured, one has people. The abandonment of the buildings to ensure that a balanced mixture of old and detracts visitors from coming to the district new buildings which fosters a heterogeneous and leads its stagnation. mix of different aesthetics along the street.

In the article Downtown Is for People5, Jane Ja- As a result, pedestrians are more likely to cobs proposed to mix old and new buildings spend more time on the street, which will in order to satisfy the inhabitants. Imagine attract a number of consumers. The presence any healthy urban street and you can notice of people in the street for longer periods the balanced integration of old building with increases the vitality of the street and attracts new structures. This mixture is one of down- further people. town ‘s greatest advantages. 3. Balance planned and spontaneous Some charaters of New Urbanism mentioned by Peter Katz should be refered in Zhong- Koolhaas claimed that global capitalism cre- shan Road furture construction. “New urban- ated dynamic and highly speculative urban ism is a movement of seeking a reliable way to re- conditions, transforming the contemporary store a civil realm to urban planning and a sense city. Koolhaas supports the idea of “Lite of place to our communities. We should propose a Urbanism” which calls for the deregulation vision of the future which combines the best of the of urbanism during the process of urban past with the realities and modern conveniences renewal, instead of empowering communi- of today“.6 ties to determine their own future. However, “Koolhaas bathes Lite Urbanism in liberatory In fact, a protective development strategy and progressive rhetoric, while ignoring the can be applied to Zhongshan Road. In such risks of abuse inherent in restless mobile capital development strategies, the historical val- and short-term interests”7. In the Zhongshan ue of the district is well protected. Historic Road district, the deregulation of urbanism buildings can be treasured within this city, would lead to the release of strict planning but it is necessary to build a number of new restrictions and the destruction of the histor- buildings when the single-used historic ic assets of the neighborhood as developers buildings do not meet the people’s needs for pursue their economic interests. It will ignore new functions. As a downtown commercial the needs and demands of the inhabitants.

5. Jane, Jacobs. Downtown Is for People. (Published in Fortune Magazine, 1958) 6. Peter Katz. The New Urbanism: Toward an Architecture of Community. (Michigan: McGraw- Hill, 1994) 7. Dunham-Jones, Ellen. “The Irrational Exuberance of Rem Koolhaas.” (Places Journal, no. 2013.February 2013) https://doi.org/10.22269/130402.

31 small-scale renovation per cycle. The advan- Yet, strict planning strategies proved inef- tage of this development strategy lies in: ficient in previous urban renewal plans implemented in the area. The reasons behind First, planning policies are amendable. the failure of such planning efforts are the Even if a wrong result is produced in a partic- government’s deficiency in professional plan- ular block of land, such as a conflict between ning, the lack of funding, and the uncertainty old and new buildings, we can reevaluate of policies. and amend wrong guidelines by operating correctly in future projects. Tactical Urbanism can provide some solu- tions. This approach uses short-term low- Second, it reduces the pressure on cost scalable interventions for long-term developers. A large-scale project generates change, which might not be suitable for tedious financial pressure on developers. historic areas such as the Zhongshan Road The financial pressure forces developers to district. Yet, some tactical urbanism ideas can pursue economic interests by building un- be revealing and support the district’s urban reasonable construction products, which renewal: leads to the destruction of the existing street Tactical Urbanism invites new discussions texture. Small scale development can greatly about urban resiliency and promotes a more reduce the pressure on such developers. nuanced approach of “city-making.” It builds on a low-cost iterative development process. 8 More so, this development strategy can attract catalysts into the historic area. The Specifically, the government should collect construction of small-scale projects tightens the opinions of communities, groups, or indi- the urban fabric and is more likely to bring viduals, update the regulations for the whole in highly valued projects. Once one or sever- region, and supervise developers. Then, the al of these small projects succeed, they can development process of the renewal project serve as catalysts to attract more projects is compared to the industrial production pro- in the next development cycle. Like a chain cess operating in factories. It means to think reaction, after several phases of projects, of the whole Zhongshan Road neighborhood a protective development momentum and as a product that needs to be wholly pro- norms are established so that regulators can duced over several product development loosen capital controls to a certain extent. It cycles, with just one or a couple of blocks of introduces invigorating ideas aiming towards

8. Mike Lydon, Anthony Garcia. Tactical Urbanism: Short-term Action for Long-term Change. (Washington DC: Island Press, 2015)

32 the revitalization of the historic neighborhoods and the regeneration of the commercial district.

33 Part II: Implementation Strategy

1. Activate the old buildings: selling local food and products. No specific place is provided for people to review the 1.1 Modular renewal. local history. Therefore, green parks, small vegetable markets, a public library or book- Because the existing buildings have a rela- store are necessary. On the other hand, com- tively uniform structure size (average depth muters need more attractive and creative of 7-9 meters, double-layered structure), the office spaces. The introduction of new office renovation of the old buildings benefit of the developments into the existing buildings modular design. It will be easy to adjust the attracts more companies into the area and spatial design according to the subsequent leads to economic growth and subsequent construction project and it saves time and revitalization. cost. Moreover, it promotes a broad range of renewal in the future while maintaining a 1.3 Discover and apply the features. unified style. To avoid homogenizing the commercial 1.2 Satisfy these demands. street, planners ought to explore local characteristics and engage them into the project Existing buildings and facilities are not suf- development strategy to preserve regional ficient to provide users with an excellent differences and support the growing busi- experience of environment. Cahrles Landry nesses. The local architectural symbols, red has alrealy emphasised the importance of sloping roof, brick wall, stone enclosure, and residents in urban renewal project. “It is a key European style buildings are representative point for a city to be healthy developed that main- features worthy of preservation which can taining the reaction, connection and communica- also inspire innovative approaches in new tion between residents in it”9. On the one hand, projects. residents suffer from a lack of space variety in the neighborhood and a lack of specific use scenarios. For example, high-density 2. Create new attractions: urban fabric does not accommodate enough space to develop green spaces and install 2.1 Landmark. temporary stalls for daily commerce such as

9. Charles Landry. The Creative City: A Toolkit for Urban Innovators. (London: Earthscan, 2000)

34 The economic benefits of creating landmarks are undeniable. The design of a new landmark building needs to respond to local and regional characteristics which capture people’s attention and connect to the surrounding. As a first step, the demolition of the massive retail building in front of the church facilitate the development of green spaces and public spaces for users. It also highlights the position of the Catholic church in the center of the whole street.

2.2 New mixed-use spaces.

Considering the historical and cultural context, the spaces that combine local culture, art, history, and retail grow around the new landmark building and the renovated building. When visitors stroll around such a neighborhood, they inadvertently learn about the local culture and history.

2.3Progressive update.

Starting the pilot renewal project in the heart area of Zhongshan Road is risky, but it is also the most strategic location. Once it establish- es successful results, the implementation of the next phases of the renewal plan becomes favorable.

35 Bibliography

Attoe, Wayne, and Donn Logan. American Urban Architecture: Catalysts in the Design of Cities. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1989.

Bentley, Ian. Responsive Environments: A Manual for Designers. Abingdon, Oxfordshire: Architectural Press is an imprint of Routledge, 2015.

Charles Landry. The Creative City: A Toolkit for Urban Innovators. London: Earthscan, 2000.

Dunham-Jones, Ellen. “The Irrational Exuberance of Rem Koolhaas.” Places Journal, no. 2013 (February 2013). https://doi.org/10.22269/130402.

Jane, Jacobs. The Death and Life of Great American Cities. New York: Random House, 1961.

Jane, Jacobs. Downtown Is for People. Published in Fortune Magazine, 1958

Koolhaas, Rem. S, M, L, XL. New York: Monacelli Press, 1998.

Liu Bin, Chen Zhongnuan. “Power, Capital and Space- Production of Urban Consumption Space Based on the Transformation of Historical Street Area: A Case Study of Sino-Ocean Taikoo Li in Chengdu.” Urban Planning Interna tional. 33, No.1(2018): 75-118. DOI: 10.22217.

Mike Lydon, Anthony Garcia. Tactical Urbanism: Short-term Action for Long- term Change. Washington DC: Island Press, 2015.

Peter Katz. The New Urbanism: Toward an Architecture of Community. Michigan: McGraw- Hill, 1994.