SENSE Preservation and Reconstruction: Potential Ways to Develop Areas around New Large-scale Constructions in the Inner City of Beijing, China. Ying Hao Master of Urban Design program 2007 College of Environmental Design University of California, Berkeley Sense Preservation and Reconstruction: Potential Ways to Develop Areas around New Large-scale Constructions in the Inner City of Beijing, China. by Ying Hao B. Arch (Tsinghua University, Beijing, China) 2004 A thesis submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Master of Urban Design in Urban Design in the Graduate Division of the University of California, Berkeley Committee in charge: Professor Micahel Southworh, Chair Professor Renee Chow Professor Elizabeth Macdonald Fall 2007 The Thesis of Ying Hao is approved: Chair Date Date Date University of California, Berkeley Fall 2007 Dedication To No. 17 Shibei Hutong -- my forever home To my parents and grandparents ... ... i Table of Contents c. Urban Typology Dedication i d. On the Conservation Plan Preface iv II. The Site Acknowledgement vi 1. History 2. Transportation and Streets Chapter One: Introduction 1 3. Functions I. Sense 4. Building Types 1. Traditional senses 5. Open Spaces 2. New senses 6. Natural Quality 7. Existing plan II. Loss of Sense : Confl icts and problems 8. New Roads and Demolished Courtyards III. Current ways of dealing the problems III. S.W.O.T. Conclusion IV. Thesis of Thesis V. Site Overview Chapter Three: Case Study 47 I. Renovation of Traditional Neighborhood Chapter Two: Site Analysis 10 Yandaixiejie Renovation I. Context II. Redevelopement In Traditional Neighborhood 1. Location Ju’er Hutong Redevelopment 2. Surroundings III. Transition a. Historical and Cultural Quality Shanghai Xintiandi b. Functions Hangzhou Xinxihu ii Chapter Four: Proposal 55 III. Detailed Plan 1. Transition Partition 1 I. Goals a. Sections II. Master Plan b. Building types 1. Main Structure 2. Transition Partition 2 2. Sense Preservation a. Section a. Function and Density b. Building type b. Architecture 3. National Grand Theater Improvements c. Hutongs d. Open Spaces IV. Perspective Renderings 3. Sense Reconstruction a. Partitions Chapter Five: Conclusion 87 b. Transition Partition 1 c. Transition Partition 2 Bibliography and References 89 d. National Grand Theater Partition 4. Future Redevelopment Suggestions a. South Area b. Area Along Changan St. 5. Master Plan Summary iii Preface As a Beijing native, I spent almost all my life living in the the other side of Shibei hutong were demolished. inner city. I love my hometown. No matter how crowded Even now I can still clearly remember the confusion it may get, no matter how expensive it is to live in, no and fear I had as a little girl from losing her loved and matter how bad the air quality is in the spring when sand familiar places. storms come, Beijing in my heart has and always will be always a wonderful and beautiful city. I believe many people who have lived in Beijing have personally experienced the pain of losing their famil- However, I have to admit that during my lifetime, the iar surroundings. When I came to Berkeley in the fall of city has changed dramatically, sometimes in ways that 2006, one of my strongest desires was to understand are very disappointing to me. When I was a little girl, my ways to help get rid and even prevent this pain. Later neighborhood known as Shibei was a typical traditional during the semester, almost spontaneously, I decided hutong with beautiful Sihe courtyards on both sides. In on my thesis topic: sense preservation and reconstruc- the summer, trees spread their branches out and over the tion. courtyards, dropping picturesque shadows on the gray walls. In the winter, the red or carmine color of doors in At the beginning, I thought very hard to answer this the snow looked as vivid as the blush on a child’s cheeks. question: What is Beijing’s sense? At fi rst, I tried to Unfortunately, in early 1980’s, the courtyard homes on interpret the city’s sense with some of universally iv agreed vocabularies such as historical, cultural, or orien- had a history of almost 100 years. It was where my tal. However, while none of these were necessarily wrong, grandparents had been living for 60 years, and was my all of them were too concrete to explain where my love home for most of my life. The very next day, the house as well as my pain for the city came from. In spring 2007, was demolished. The only reason for this was that a I returned to Beijing for a fi eld trip. Instead of only inves- new proposed service road for new National Grand tigating the site, I spent a lot of time wandering around Theater required the land. The physical environment in the inner city. The neighborhoods around the palace, that had existed for so long was suddenly gone, as well especially in the hutongs or courtyards give me plenty as the history, culture and the people’s love for this ur- of resonance. I suddenly started to understand the city’s ban harmony. sense which brought me strong emotions - most impor- tantly harmony. The harmony present in the traditional Thus, this thesis, academically speaking, will seek ways city that I could feel is deeply rooted in Chinese history of protecting and recreating the harmonious senses of and culture, in Beijing’s urban environment and most im- the inner city of Beijing. On the other hand, emotion- portantly in people’s hearts. ally, this work is expected to be a panacea to soothe the pain of losing my beloved home. However, the harmony I adored since i was a child was broken fi nally. On April 23rd, 2007, my family moved out December 12th, 2007 of my home courtyard - No.17 Shibei hutong. This place Astoria, New York v Acknowledgement Great thanks to my thesis members: Michael Southworth, Renee Chow, Elizabeth Macdonald. The MUD faculty, the CED faculty. Special thanks to Peter Bosselmen, Donlyn Lyndon, Louise Mozingo, John Kriken, Allan Jacobs, Rene Davids, Nicholas DeManchaux , Richard Bender, Stefan Pellegrini, Neil Hrushowy, Paul Peninger, Yehuda Kalay, Jason Hayter ... ... Special thanks to Ken Greenberg Sincere thanks to Benjamin Feldmann, Bei Jiang, Ivan Lopez, Linda Roberson, Mahesh Waghdhare The MUD Staff. Many thanks to Juergen Steyer, Yong No ... ... Special thanks to Stephen Robert Miller, Thaddeus Pawlowski, Asa Prentice, Jia Zhang, Qing Wei, Meng Sun, Chisato Shimada, Yipeng Ding ... ... Sincere thanks to all family members and friends Many thanks to my colleauges from SMWM, NYCDCP and THUPDI ... ... vi Chapter One: Introduction Introduction I. Sense It highly represents the essence of traditional Chinese 1. Traditional Senses culture and is widely considered as a symbol of China. Beijing has been the capital of China for several hun- dred years. Today, it also serves the country as a signifi - From a universal understanding, the inner city’s senses cant political, cultural, and economic center. The inner mostly come from the historical wonders as Forbidden city of Beijing, whose history can be traced up to 700 City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, temples, impe- BC, has been built up, accumulated and developed by rial gardens and etc. All these cultural heritages are bril- various peoples along with almost the whole history liant pearls, shining over the city and identifying various of China. The main structure of Inner City we see today parts of the city. Moreover, all pieces, being built follow- is inherited from the last three dynasties of the Yuan, ing the Fengshui theory, contribute to keep the city’s Ming and Qing. It has a wonderful historical continuity integration, thus together making the city holistically which seldom has any other ancient city in this world. one larger wonder. Forbidden City (photo by author) 1 Introduction As a masterpiece of urban design and study sample, the stunning heritage, and more importantly create a won- inner city of Beijing is also widely noted for its symmet- derful stage for the local people’s everyday lives – where rical layout, axes, spatial hierarchy, a clear orientation, the most lively senses come from. For a local person as and the fi ne urban fabric, which not only represent the myself, these senses could be described with words as cosmic city’s identity but also shows a sense of balance peaceful, vivid, or humanistic. and congruence. Humanistic hutong (photo by author) The wholeness, balance, congruence, peacefulness, viv- idness and humanism of Beijing, all to some extent, can Inner City layout be included into one word – harmony. Although this (Source: Lu Xiang, Wang Qiming (1996), Beijing si he yuan, Beijing, Zhong guo jian gong chu ban she) could be a controversial choice of words, the word har- Senses also come from ordinary things as traditional mony will be chosen in this thesis as a key word for in- Sihe courtyards, hutongs, and other urban landscapes. terpreting the essence of traditional sense of the Inner They together form a perfect background for the city’s City of Beijing since it is generally the most expressive. 2 2. New Senses Introduction Since 1980’s, with a series of policy shifts, China has easy communication, multiple entertainment facilities, changed dramatically from a undeveloped conserva- and a comprehensive transportation system. There is tive country to a open and amazingly fast develop- no doubt that Beijing has become a contemporary city ing nation. These incredible needs make the country a with the ability to support people’s modern lives. Thus huge market for the whole world. Today, China is much many more words can be added in the vocabulary for more than a mysterious oriental nation or a politically describing the city’s sense, such as modern, internation- sensitive one; China is widely considered as a modern al, energetic, welcoming and so on.