Various progressive rural renewal programs have been launched in China over the past two decades. What does the future of rural areas and regions look like in China’s Yangtze River Delta Region, and what can we learn from these for other situations such as in the Northern Netherlands? Our aim is to find a new perspective for more sustainable spatial development. By walking we try to discover a new vision for the future developments of towns and countryside, especially in exurban areas at a medium distance from urban conurbations. Instead of only plowing through archives, this research is methodically based on “walking” in which not only the case is physically experienced intensely, but also a discussion is held with as many different people as possible. While walking there is time to see and discuss things from different perspectives. By walking we expect to discover hidden values in the countryside near metropolitan regions. “Walking through the landscape” is also a metaphor, with an assumption that by deliberate slowing down, we can find sustainable alternatives, as opposed to overconsumption and depletion of the planet.@en

This thesis investigates the introduction, adaption, and implementation of the modern concept of heritage conservation in modern China after the opening of its treaty ports. Through an analysis of the different layers of disseminating and receiving knowledge in transnational exchanges, it explicitly points out the divergence between the Eurocentric concept of conservation and the Chinese tradition of treating historic buildings and sites. As a result of the complexity of understanding and adapting an imported idea, the heritage discourse in China is characterised by its own ambiguity. Conservation of modern heritage, in particular those built under colonial power, has seen conflicts of perceptions between conservation planning and interest-led practice. A progressive legislative framework for heritage conservation has had a limited binding effect on stakeholders’ actions to protect listed immovable built cultural heritage sites from artificial damage in China’s contemporary urban practices. By analysing various actors’ interpretations and expressions of the concept of “conservation” (known as “保护” in Chinese) derived from different temporalities, it explores the causes and effects of heritage strategies and approaches created by individuals, groups, and the state apparatus. Theoretically, it challenges the local acceptability of classic conservation principles that are primarily based on European thoughts and cultural background. Practically, it provides adequate clues for a multi-faceted consideration of listed heritage sites in future development. It highlights the significance of creating a powerful local narrative under the authoritative heritage discourse at a crossroads of ongoing globalisation and growing nationalism. @en

Water has served and sustained societies throughout history. Understanding the complex and diverse water systems of the past is key to devising sustainable development for the future with regard to socioeconomic structures, policies, and cultures. Today, past systems form the framework for preservation and reuse as well as for new proposals. In this course, you will learn how to identify the spatial, social and cultural aspects of water heritage in your environment. You will investigate real situations, assess specific issues and evaluate the impact of potential measures, following existing expertise on water heritage and water management traditions as a model for your own practice.@en

The dynamic heritage strategy is an era choice to respond to the “modern monument paradox”. As a highly malleable concept, heritage, whether it is the concept itself or its related practices, has to be discussed, and criticized before recognition in a constant movement. The typical Dutch tolerant society has been facing the impact of multiculturalism and the resulting dynamic identity. The national government therefore proposed a sustainable development concept of “conservation through development” for both heritage protection and regional spatial planning. From the perspective of architects, this paper discusses the dynamic strategies in heritage restoration and transformation from three dimensions of culture, economy and history. Focusing on strategies and specific methods, this paper analyses the dynamic Dutch mode and its positive influence on integrated heritage conservation, evoking sustainable strategies for modern heritage transformation of times.@en

“Densification” is an inevitable trend of modern urban development. The blend and apposition of new extension with historical environment would be an important feature of cities in the next age, which would further bring about the discussion and speculation on historical value and contemporaneity. As a typical representative of high-density countries, in the last decade, the Netherlands has performed outstanding in the adaptive transformation of the built environment. Based on the interview with Prof. Kees Kaan, the founder architect of KAAN Architecten, this paper makes an in-depth analysis of the stand and method of Dutch architects facing the complex historical environment. The interview focuses particularly on transformation and renovation strategies, heritage values and practical experience, with a view to obtaining traceable research clues on design involvement in the issues of preservation and renewal.@en

Since the development of architectural disciplines, Dutch architectural style and architects have played important role in the world. In the wave of local urban renewal in the Netherlands, Dutch architects represented by Rem Koolhass, Francine Houben, Winy Maas and Kees Kaan and etc. have shown rich practices and experiences, therefore, the architectural renovation and urban renewal have show prosperous scenarios. This paper focuses on the four types of architectural and urban transformation practices in the Netherlands, named as Regional renewal, architectural heritage refurbishment, adaptive reuse and industrial building renovation [1], and analyzes typical cases such as Westerpark West, Speelhuis theater, Timmerhuis and Villa Industria project. Exploring the role and spatial stance of Dutch architects, the research tries to sum up the Dutch modes and experiences, and provides a new perspective and method for similar transformation practices in urban renewal of contemporary China.@en

The early introducing process of architectural conservation between 1928 and 1946 is a hint foreshadowing later development in the whole narratives of the Chinese practice. The discipline of heritage protection has never been a tradition in the Chinese socio-culture. As a result of the changing regimes and the movement of domestic ideology in the Chinese society, the architectural conservation of China consists four main phases with broadening scope applied to city-scale conservation strategies. By looking into the introduction, translation of foreign references and the evolution of the concept of conservation by multiple generation architects in China, this paper argues that conservation related issues have always initiated from promulgation of legislation with knowledge abroad throughout the particular history of conservation movement. Both academia and government have utilized such promulgation to ensure hierarchically the discourse authority and the right to speak rather than specific conservation and restoration measures in practices. The missing conservation theory foundation in China have led this particular discipline unlikely being independent from the other common subjects which the public can perceive and learn from. Apart from this, through analysing the cultural and ethical reflections on Chinese tradition and, the transition of conservation theory from blank field to authority centred practices, it also argues that the inherent inaccuracy in Chinese culture for expression has generated diverse interpretations of the term ‘heritage conservation’ and consequent inappropriate activities and approaches which have not been restrained and monitored by current laws and regulations. @en

The Water Heritage in Asian Cities Symposium took place between 29 November and 1 December 2018, in Shanghai. In respond to the increasing water risks of a warming planet, four institutes SASS, UKNA, IIAS and NYU Shanghai organized the symposium drawing on their urban studies network in Asia and beyond. The symposium encouraged diversity in perspectives, approaches and research methods concerning water and water heritage. This report explores presentations on three prominent topics discussed during the symposium: the Shanghai Master Plan 2035 (and the waterfront redevelopment it promotes), changing waterscapes, and water-based cultural heritage. Participants discussed how water utilization and management in the history of urban construction and expansion have accompanied the rise and fall of human societies. They emphasized the importance of thinking from a perspective focused on water and of placing water-related practices, studies and cooperation into global narratives.@en

The educational space of Architecture faculty is used to cultivate architects. At the same time, it becomes the carrier of architectural ideas and teaching methods. The type of architecture and its spatial organization reflect the architectural education philosophy and attitude. Back in history, as early as the Renaissance, there had emerged study places for architects. After the industrial revolution and the modernist process, the types of architectural education sites are more diverse, and their main features are the spatial form of hybrid and box-in-box. This article preliminarily analyzes the evolutionary outline of architectural education buildings and interprets the spatial ideas in each period. The study focuses on the famous Dutch architectural school--BKCity of the Delft University of Technology, analyzing the teaching space logic of its distinctive Why Factory and exploring how the related space could stimulate the vitality of architectural education. By the analogy of some architectural schools, it also tries to compare the differences and characteristics of Chinese and Western architectural academies, finding out the spatial significance in architecture discipline, education method as well as sustainable application.@en

The state has owned most historical buildings since the establishment of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Residents within are entitled to the right to use the house in the form of a lease. After entering a free trade housing market in 1988, residents in historic neighbourhoods of Shanghai have been suffering uncertainty of their identities. Residents’ role, responsibilities and obligations within urban transformation, has always been in suspense and strongly affected by multiple stakeholders’ decisions. Based on an analysis of the relationship between the native residents and the historic Lilong communities they are living in, this paper examines stakeholders’ heritage approaches in three typical transforming project, to explore residents’ mobility and behaviour within varied urban transformation and socio-economic development. Through a literature review, fieldwork and a pilot study in Xintiandi, Tianzifang and Chunyangli districts, urban transformation in historic urban communities from within is found literally rare in China. This paper argues that residents could not clarify their role by living in urban heritage, neither obtaining house-ownership to define their position nor being treated as one component of urban heritage. Government in China has been indeed the character who mediates between all stakeholders and bears the most burden.@en

This paper investigates the unique urban planning history and demographic changes in Sinan Road (also named as Rue Massenet) Area of Shanghai and the socioeconomic impacts on local inhabitants’ living quality led by formal and informal planning dynamics. Examining both tangible and intangible characteristics of this area under five different historical phases, this paper indicates that population density and urban quality cannot always be positively or negatively related. Urban quality can reach the maximum value when area population of concentrated density stays in an ideal state, although, as a result of the qualitative variates, such state (peak value) is in suspense. Through analysing the overarching strategic plan of different periods, it also argues that urban quality is not merely dominated by or directly related to density but more by the population’s social demands and their initial interaction with a specific area, active or passive involvement.@en

There are numerous traditional residential buildings in China, but only in the last sixty years have academics studied historic dwellings. Currently, there are four metropolises, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen in mainland China, and with a number of unique traditional residential areas, such as Hutong, Linong, and Qilou. In 1928, due to Liang Sicheng’s contribution, the first Department of Architecture in China was established and Western theories of conservation were introduced as well. However, due to the Chinese Cultural Revolution, preservation activities were interrupted in the 1950s. Also, beginning in the middle of the twentieth century, because of their ambition to develop the economy, Chinese elites attempted to expand their cities and transformed these places in response to the demands of urbanization. Despite learning from the experiences of other countries, an effective and harmonious development situation has not yet been established in China. The application of preservation concepts began again in the 1980s by the government; however, most contemporary architectural scholars have no clear knowledge about modern conservation theories. Even the researchers who have roots in this field might not appropriately explain and apply these theories in practice. From 1997 to 2008, some residential areas were preserved and listed as World Heritage Sites, such as the Ancient City of Pingyao and the Old Town of Lijiang. All of these sites are located in rural or suburban areas. Comparatively, in urban areas, some inhabitants are suffering from poor living conditions in high-density neighbourhoods. Indeed, this has become a common phenomenon in China’s cities. Development of modern cities is a process of capital operation. If residents who live in these historic dwellings or inhabitants who are affected by the circumstances and sites of those old buildings do not pay attention to protection issues of the traditional dwellings, then our common culture and history will eventually be eroded. The significance of protection lies not simply in displaying these historic residences, but in continually using sustainable renovation methods, and maintaining their own characteristics. Moreover, in the developing process, because of shortage of issues of funding, housing property and ambitions from governments and capitalists, attention to inhabitants’ real lives in the remaining residences will not be seriously concerned. Accordingly, in this research, answering how to support the sustainable development of traditional residential areas will include an overview of the history of heritage, dwellings, and neighbourhood preservation, its shifting values, goals, tools, and techniques, and their influence on preservation activities over the last sixty years in China. First, this study will make an argument about the specific implications of the theories, principles and values of preservation and their changes. It will also analyze case studies— mainly in Shanghai, Pingyao and Yangzhou — to record and classify different obstacles in preserving processes and the sustainable development of historical dwellings. With these steps, this study aims to strike a balance between the preservation of historic dwelling structures and recreating approaches for continuous use in order to benefit both the economic growth in cities and inhabitants’ lives in historical dwellings.@en