The sequence of the supreme and mundane : case studies of the Chinese urban order

Abstract

After decades of urbanization and growth, Chinese cities are experiencing rapid renewal and redevelopment. The revolutionary changes in city form are accompanied by not only prosperity and wealth, but also chaotic environment and life. On the one hand, the current international style of urban design, which is largely copied from abroad, applies homogeneous grids and modern buildings without much concerns of the context. On the other hand, the past traditions have been forgotten or frowned upon. It is time for planners and urban designers to reflect on the question: will there be any relevant components from the past tradition which will prove to be valuable for contemporary Chinese cities? In what follows I want to explore an appropriated model of urban design which provides attractive environment and strengthened identities for contemporary Chinese cities. Different from previous approaches, my study focuses on the urban sequence which refers to the ordered configuration in a succession along urban routes. There are five chapters in this thesis. I start with a brief introduction to the definition and categorization of urban order and sequence. Then I looked at the vocabulary of sequence in pre-modern Chinese cities, including walls, gates, urban routes, paifang archways, the fabric of module, and landmarks. The application of sequential principles from the courtyard house to the plan of a capital is examined, and the basic features of Chinese sequence are summarized. Afterwards, the transformation of urban sequence is reveal through contemporary cases. Here I looked at how Chang'an Street and the danwei space in contemporary Chinese inherited the political and social sequence of the past with new architecture language and larger scales.

(cont.) An additional discussion on contemporary Chinese urban design models are provided, including stylistic architecture, urban conservation, and the international style of urban design. Further, I proposed the model of sequential design based on reinvented principles from traditional urban sequence. These principles, which originated from the authoritarian politics, Confucius hierarchy, and urban control, were adapted to match modern democratic society and market economy. Lastly, I conclude that the model of sequential design will create livable and attractive urban environment. And it is capable of bring consistency to large urban projects.