The Reborn Street Life of the Traditional Community in the Urban

- 1 - character and pattern of streets to rebuild the neighborhood? What activities should happen in the streets? How do the elements of the street relate one to another? Can we The Reborn develop the street life into a vertical direction or other multiple directions, instead of its Street Life of the original ground level? In this paper, I will discuss current preservation projects in historically residential communities in Traditional Shanghai, China, and the traditional street life in these communities. In addition to Community in the critically examining the Shanghai model, which cannot accommodate the constant increasing housing demands, I’m going to Urban Reform analyze successful European projects to consider my methods of transforming of the street life in the Shanghai residential community. My research is aimed at preserving the character of the traditional street life within the contemporary needs of economic growth and higher density requirements. How can the public and private spaces of contemporary Shanghai communities be organized to reflect traditional street life that promotes As the forces of globalization sweep across interpersonal and community interaction? the world, many cities, especially in developing countries, rush to catch up with Shanghai Shikumen Residential the opportunity for their economic and social Community development; meanwhile they anxiously dismantle massive traditionally low-density Shanghai, located on the eastern coast, is communities to meet with the ever- the largest center of commerce and finance expanding housing demand and economic in mainland China. Since Shanghai opened growth. When urban heritage gradually dies its doors to foreign trade due to the 1842 out in the disordered urban fabric as a result Treaty of Nanking, western culture has thrust of mass-produced housing projects, policy its roots deeply into the soil of traditional makers recognize the significance of city Shanghai’s culture, which gave the birth of identity, and then cast their eager sights the unique architectural style: the Shikumen upon the historic residential community. Due Residences, which means “ stone gate”. to economic growth and increasing population, urban reform does not stop at the front gate of the traditional community. Is there a possibility of increasing the density of communities, as well as preserving positive aspects in the traditional neighborhood, even though it sounds like: “You can not have your cake and eat it too.” In the study of new neighborhoods, Michael Southworth, professor at UC Berkeley, and Eran Ben-Joseph, Professor at MIT state, “a key element in the shaping of cities has been Fig.1 The community planning and the residence ideas of what the residential street work plan in the Shikumen community, Shanghai, should be, since streets are the public China, Li Zhenyu, “ City. Housing. City”, 2004 by frameworks within which neighborhood life Southeast University Press, p.23 takes place”1. If the public street promotes interpersonal connection in a community, The form of the Shikumen residences came how can neighborhood streets be more than from Chinese southeastern residence, with a a passage for traffic? What should be the front yard, living rooms, bedrooms, a - 2 - kitchen, bathrooms and storage. (Fig.1) at the exterior, the interior design of the Unlike traditional Chinese residential Shikumen residences employ modern design community that arranges several residences and details. The residences altered into surrounding a yard, the Shikumen residences restaurants are specializing in French, are connected along with straight alleys in American, German, British, Brazilian, Italian, the typical mode of townhouses, commonly Japanese, as well as local dishes. They have seen in Anglo-American countries. In the outdoor seating that provides an active early 20th century, the Shikumen residences transforming space from its historic skin to were popular in the upper class to its romantic interior space. At South Block, a demonstrate their social status. When it modern shopping mall that blends of comes to the middle 20th century, the shopping, entertainment facilities, and Shikumen residences became to the main fitness center, stands elegantly as the back type of housing and accommodated curtain to highlight on the “new” Shikumen approximately 60% of Shanghai’s population. building in the front of it. When the past meets with the present here, eastern culture Since the economic reforms of 1990, people also meets west. nationwide have surged into Shanghai for better job opportunities, which resulted in The Shanghai Xintiandi project is successful the housing crunch. To meet the explosive in developing the commercial value of the housing demand, the government approved Shikumen residences, but it is far from the the “sweep-out” reform policy to replace the best solution to deal with the current low-density Shikumen residences with grand, difficulties. Its high construction cost but inhospitable, high-rise dwellings. Then, presents a huge obstacle to its avid the Shikumen residences gradually faded out followers. Furthermore, monotonous function of the historic urban stage. From an of use only preserves the skin of the economic aspect, this reform was extremely Shikumen residences, rather than the successful on investing the minimum capital essence. It’s hard to imagine the affable to satisfy the massive housing demands. neighborhood and vivid street life in the However, viewed from the architectural and surrounding bars and restaurants. urban cultural respects, it decreased the architectural diversity in this historic city, The Bugaoli project, also called “CITE destroyed the original urban fabric and BOURGOGNE”, located in the old French continuity, and changed social lifestyle. The concession, was designed by French historic and culturally influenced architects in the 1930s to host the wealthier neighborhood died out along with the class. Taking into consideration its Shikumen residences. architectural quality, the Shikumen residences here is aimed to preserve its Confronted with this huge cultural loss, residential quality. Specific measures Chinese architects voiced their dissent include: restoring the building’s skin against the ongoing “sweep-out” policy and according to the original design, improving made great efforts to save these traditional the physical properties of the outer wall and residences. However, how to save them the roof, rebuilding the bathrooms, and becomes a Gordian knot. Preserve them as upgrading the electrical system, the historic museums or give them new breath? plumbing system and the fire alarm system. After years of controversial attempts, there have three representative projects With the improvement of the living endeavoring to revivify the Shikumen standards, residents are supposed to enjoy residence: the Shanghai Xintiandi project, their living conditions. Surprisingly, as I the Bugaoli project, and the Tianzifang interviewed some of residents, they project. demonstrated their strong will to move out of that community. One man explained: Shanghai Xintiandi, located at the downtown, residents here are low-income people who has a site area of 128 acres of land. Like cannot afford themselves to new apartments preservation methods generally developed in when the house price in Shanghai soars up European cities, Xintiandi is reconstructed by to 12,000 RMB (1,700 USD) per square preserving the “outer skin” of the residence, meter. It’s so crowed and noisy that people and while altering its structure and functions can hear their neighbors’ television program into commercial use. Antique in appearance clearly when they are going to fall asleep. - 3 - The Bugaoli project considers the historic into the residential community, turning it to and cultural values of the Shikumen a multi-use complexity. However, this residences well, but ignores the local project cosmetically contributes to the residents’ concerns and wishes. It’s still open improvement of environmental quality to discuss whether this project is successful through planting trees, building new parks or not. and other entertainment facilities; at the same time it leads the local community into The Tianzifang project is at Taikang Road, social conflict and chaos. This outcome where artists gather in downtown Shanghai. strays far away from architects’ initially In this project, several blocks in the sweet dreams. Shikumen residential community developed into Creative Art Park that includes galleries, Upon reviewing the abovementioned projects artist studios, art shops and coffee shops, in the Shikumen residential community, while the rest of the community is preserved though all of the attempts are positive, they for the residential use. still cannot meet urgent housing demands. From the urban scale, the Shikumen This idea worked extremely well at the residential communities occupy massive beginning. Since many top Chinese artists prime downtown land with low-density opened their studios there in 1998, accommodation, but from the community Tianzifang developed rapidly from its original scale, considering the fact that several alleyways into a sprawling labyrinth with families share one house, the heavy burden galleries, artist studios and shops. Untill last of the growing population has it “hard to year, Tianzifang Creative Art Park became breathe”. To increase density, it is inevitable one of the foremost creative centers in China to build multiple dwellings or high-rise with 137 art institutes from

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