REGULATION OF URBAN CHARACTER: STYLE, COLOUR AND HISTORIC CHARACTER IN A MODERN CHINESE CITY - THE CASE OF HARBIN A thesis submitted to The University of Manchester for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Humanities 2013 By Zhenbo Yu School of Environment and Development University of Manchester LIST OF CONTENT LIST OF CONTENT ............................................................................................ 3 LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................. 9 LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................... 12 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................. 13 ABSTRACT ......................................................................................................... 14 DECLARATION ................................................................................................. 15 COPYRIGHT STATEMENT ............................................................................. 15 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................. 16 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................... 19 1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE RESEARCH .................................................................................. 19 1.2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ...................................................................................................... 23 1.3 STRUCTURE OF THE THESIS .............................................................................................. 23 CHAPTER 2 SENSE OF PLACE, CHARACTER AND DESIGN ............. 29 2.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 29 2.2 WHAT IS CHARACTER? ....................................................................................................... 29 2.2.1 Roots of Character .................................................................................. 30 2.2.2 Essences of Character ............................................................................. 32 2.2.2.1 Connection ..................................................................................... 32 2.2.2.2 Tangible configuration .................................................................. 34 2.2.3 Expression of Character .......................................................................... 35 2.3 COULD CHARACTER BE CHANGED? ............................................................................... 37 2.3.1 Designability ........................................................................................... 38 2.3.2 Acceptability ........................................................................................... 40 2.4 CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................ 41 CHAPTER 3 REGULATIONS AND INTERNATIONAL PRACTICES ... 47 3.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 47 3.2 GLOBAL PLANNING FOR URBAN CHARACTER ............................................................ 47 3.3 CONTEXT OF INTERNATIONAL PRACTICES ................................................................... 49 3.3.1 Attitudes towards Conservation, Regeneration and New Development . 49 3.3.2 Principles and Guidance ......................................................................... 52 3.3.2.1 Principles ....................................................................................... 52 3.3.2.2 Guidance ........................................................................................ 53 3.3.3 Character Mapping, Zoning, and Statements .......................................... 54 3.3.4 Urban Coding Systems ........................................................................... 61 3 3.3.5 Components and Regulating Elements .................................................. 68 3.4 LESSONS AND EXPERIENCES ............................................................................................ 71 3.4.1 Planning Contexts .................................................................................. 71 3.4.2 Urban Coding System ............................................................................ 76 3.4.3 Components of Urban Character............................................................ 77 3.4.4 Contents of Regulation .......................................................................... 79 3.5 CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................ 82 CHAPTER 4 RESEARCH METHOD AND CASE STUDY SELECTION87 4.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 87 4.2 RESEARCH QUESTIONS ...................................................................................................... 87 4.2.1 Aims and Objectives .............................................................................. 87 4.2.2 Conceptual Framework .......................................................................... 89 4.3 RESEARCH STRATEGIES .................................................................................................... 92 4.3.1 Documentary Analysis ........................................................................... 92 4.3.2 Case Studies ........................................................................................... 94 4.3.2.1 Selection of the case study city .....................................................94 4.3.2.2 Selection of urban sites ..................................................................95 4.3.3 In-depth Interviews ................................................................................ 97 4.3.4 Observations ........................................................................................ 102 4.4 CONCLUSION ...................................................................................................................... 102 CHAPTER 5 POLICY CONTEXT - NATIONAL AND LOCAL ............ 107 5.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 107 5.2 EVOLUTION OF CHINESE PLANNING CONTEXT ......................................................... 107 5.2.1 Before 1949: Chinese Cultures and European Theories ...................... 108 5.2.2 1949–1980s: Socialism in Functional and Physical Planning ............. 109 5.2.3 1980s–2000: Technical Planning .......................................................... 110 5.2.4 After 2000: Rapid Economic Growth and Complications .................... 112 5.3 CURRENT CHINESE PLANNING AND FRAMEWORKS ................................................ 113 5.3.1 The Government System ....................................................................... 113 5.3.2 Urban Planning System ......................................................................... 115 5.3.2.1 Urban planning administrative system ........................................ 116 5.3.2.2 Planning legislation system ......................................................... 118 5.3.3 Planning Policies about Urban Character ............................................ 120 5.3.3.1 Comprehensive planning .............................................................120 5.3.3.2 Detailed planning .........................................................................121 5.3.3.3 Planning related laws and regulations .........................................123 5.4 MAIN CONCERNS ABOUT EXISTING CHINESE POLICIES .......................................... 123 5.4.1 Misunderstandings about Urban Character .......................................... 124 5.4.1.1 The aesthetic mainstream of character ........................................124 5.4.1.2 Ambitions and political targets ....................................................125 5.4.2 Deficiencies in Chinese Planning Contexts ......................................... 126 4 5.4.2.1 Simplified ‗physical design‘ ........................................................ 126 5.4.2.2 Potential risks of zoning methods for conservation .................... 127 5.4.2.3 Ex-post regulation ....................................................................... 127 5.4.3 Discrete Hierarchy and Isolated Guidelines ......................................... 130 5.4.4 Incomplete Planning System ................................................................ 130 5.5 CONCLUSION ...................................................................................................................... 131 CHAPTER 6 HARBIN INTRODUCTION AND CASE STUDIES .......... 135 6.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 135 6.2 BACKGROUNDS OF HARBIN ........................................................................................... 135 6.2.1 Geographical Backgrounds ................................................................... 136 6.2.2 Policy Evolutions .................................................................................. 137 6.2.2.1 Russian intervention .................................................................... 137 6.2.2.2 Japanese intervention .................................................................