MIT Libraries logoDSpace@MIT

MIT
View Item 
  • DSpace@MIT Home
  • MIT Libraries
  • MIT Theses
  • Graduate Theses
  • View Item
  • DSpace@MIT Home
  • MIT Libraries
  • MIT Theses
  • Graduate Theses
  • View Item
JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

Neighborhood design and public life : lessons from Beijing's hutong and superblocks

Author(s)
Akers, Adriana Sandoval
Thumbnail
DownloadFull printable version (17.09Mb)
Other Contributors
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Urban Studies and Planning.
Advisor
Dennis Frenchman.
Terms of use
M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582
Metadata
Show full item record
Abstract
Beijing's Hutong, centuries-old neighborhoods composed of narrow streets and courtyard housing, are famous for harboring a tight-knit social fabric and a vibrant public realm. Over the past thirty years, large-scale redevelopment of hutong neighborhoods has occurred, and new neighborhoods in Beijing and in much of China have primarily come in the form of high-rise buildings arranged in superblocks. This model of neighborhood design has been criticized for its energy inefficiency, auto-centric nature, and perceived lack of respect for traditional Chinese urban forms. Less explored to date is the fact that residents of superblock neighborhoods often complain about a lack of community interaction and public life, particularly as compared to hutong neighborhoods. This thesis examines this phenomenon and asks the following questions: What accounts for the disparity between community interaction in superblock neighborhoods as compared to hutongs? Can urban design and the built environment play a role in fostering community and public life in contemporary Chinese neighborhoods? What lessons can be drawn for urban designers and planners in regards to the impact of neighborhood design on public life? The thesis begins by reviewing a history of major urban form changes throughout Beijing's history with a focus on neighborhood design. A field study undertaken in Beijing in January 2015 provides the primary data for the research, including resident interviews and observations of public space use in a hutong and two superblock neighborhoods. Using the data generated through the field study as well as secondary sources related to Chinese neighborhood design, a set of conclusions is drawn regarding how the built environment affects public life and community interaction in Beijing neighborhoods. Finally, a series of design recommendations is presented, focusing on the ways that urban design can support an active public life while meeting the high densities required in rapidly urbanizing contexts.
Description
Thesis: M.C.P., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, 2015.
 
This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.
 
Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis.
 
Includes bibliographical references (pages 87-93).
 
Date issued
2015
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/98924
Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Urban Studies and Planning
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Keywords
Urban Studies and Planning.

Collections
  • Graduate Theses

Browse

All of DSpaceCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

My Account

Login

Statistics

OA StatisticsStatistics by CountryStatistics by Department
MIT Libraries
PrivacyPermissionsAccessibilityContact us
MIT
Content created by the MIT Libraries, CC BY-NC unless otherwise noted. Notify us about copyright concerns.