Symbiosis

Abstract

This project is about Baiyangdian lake-wetland system, the largest freshwater lake in the Hebei region, which has developed a productive cultural landscape of lake-village-reed symbiosis under long-term human modification, which is adaptive and resilient to floods.

However, after 1960s, when China entered the modern era with fast industrialization and urbanization, the symbioses of humans and the lake landscape got out of balance. Baiyangdian has been hit hard by drought, industrialisation, pollution, village expansion and over-fishing, which have brought a series of ecological disasters. In 2017, the government placed Baiyangdian within Xiong'an New Area. The establishment of this new city brings opportunities and challenges to Baiyangdian. The government began to treat Baiyangdian with measures. The ecology of Baiyangdian has improved, but the livelihoods of locals have been restricted and the traditional way of life is disappearing.

As for the government to restore the ecosystem of the lake they want to relocation the villages, restrict the industry and fishery, take over the maintenance and so on. Based on the study of the ecological system, the water management, and livelihood of Baiyangdian, this thesis researches from the perspective of landscape design and urban planning if it is possible to keep the island villages in the area as part of a renewed healthy lake landscape. The aim is, by utilising the rich natural landscape resources of Baiyangdian, to provide new vitality for local people and create a new chapter in the era of human-water symbiosis.