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 oc- cupation. 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 re- turn (1922-1937) In 1922, the Chinese government regained power and sovereignty over Qingdao and sustained a peaceful and prosperous en- vironment. 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 pro- moted 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