China City Planning Review (No.4, 2021)

♦Community Building and Community Regeneration 

Author: Yin Zhi, Zhou Jian, Huang Ling, Wang Lin, Liao Zhengxin, Tang Yan, Cao Yujun

Edited and translated by Liu Jinxin / Proofread by Liu Jiayan

Introduction: The 2021 Annual Conference of the Housing and Community Planning Committee of the Urban Planning Society of China (UPSC) was successfully held in Beijing on Jun. 5, 2021. Under the guidance of the UPSC, the conference was hosted by the Housing and Community Planning Committee of the UPSC, and jointly supported by the Beijing Tsinghua Tongheng Urban Planning & Design Institute and the Specialized Committee of Community Building, Science and Technology Committee, Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development. Taking “Community Building and Community Regeneration” as its theme, and focusing on the major strategic policies of “implementation of urban regeneration action” and “promotion of urban old community renovation and community building” proposed in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021 – 2025) for national socio-economic development, the Conference brought together experts and scholars from universities and scientific research institutes, heads of relevant departments and institutions, as well as representatives of the fields of housing studies and community planning, to jointly discuss the ideas and measures of sustainable regeneration, planning and building of urban communities. CCPR (China City Planning Review) was a media supporter of the Conference. After obtaining the consent of keynote speakers, we collected the keynote speeches and condensed them into the following articles, which have been proofread by the speakers.

♦Sustainable Urban Expansion: Lessons from Three Cases in Europe

Author: Paulina Schiappacasse, Bernhard Müller, Jiang Mengfan

Edited by Li Caige & Liang Sisi

Abstract: The article deals with sustainable urban expansion of cities in Europe and China. The guiding question asks how planned urban expansion can promote urban sustainability and which perspectives this provides for future urban development in China. The authors analyze three good practice examples in Europe. The analytical framework includes five factors, i.e., strategy, environment, diversity, connectivity, and involvement. As a result, they derive six factors for successful sustainable urban expansion: ① strategic planning guidance, ② active participation and engagement, ③ quality-oriented master planning and design codes, ④ integrated and coordinated planning and implementation, ⑤ strong local government involvement, and ⑥ a strong drive towards innovation. They correspond with recent trends in urban China and may help to make unavoidable urban growth more sustainable in the future.

Keywords: urban sustainability; integrated planning; participation; collaboration; good practice

♦Data Sharing and Innovative Utilization: A Study on Shenzhen’s Multi-Actor Interaction Mechanism of Smart City Construction

Author: He Jing, Yuan Xiaohui, Zhou Kai, Guo Chen

Translated by Li Caige / Proofread by Liu Jian

Abstract: Data is not only a key production factor but also an important foundation and strategic resource that drives economic growth and social progress in the era of digital economy. Data sharing and innovative utilization in an ethical and responsible manner is a focus of the current studies on smart city construction. Taking Shenzhen as an example, this paper analyzes the three typical cases of data legislation, data sharing and utilization, and data-based anti-epidemic action in its smart city construction and explores the respective role of the four actors of the government, enterprises, research institutes, and the public in innovating data utilization to serve the public interests through data sharing. By studying Shenzhen’s multi-actor interaction mechanism of smart city construction, the paper tries to provide a useful experience for the construction of smart cities in China from the perspectives of data management, data sharing, and innovative data utilization.

Keywords: data sharing; data utilization; sharing city; smart city; multi-actor interaction mechanism; data factor market; Shenzhen

♦Mechanism for Building Child-Friendly Communities Based on Multi-Party Co-Construction: A Case Study on Community Practice in Changsha

Author: Shen Yao, Jin Ranran, Liao Yuhui, Xie Chang

Translated by Li Min / Proofread by Tang Yan

Abstract: Based on the interpretation of the Child-Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI), this paper empirically demonstrates an effective action mechanism for building child-friendly communities in the policy context of multi-party co-construction by taking urban communities in Changsha as a long-term practice base. Through analyzing the characteristics of roles and action mechanisms of participants in three different types of child-friendly communities, namely Fengquan Gujing Community, Xingfuli Community, and Baziqiang Community in Changsha, it finds that social forces, such as the community Party organization, enterprises, universities, social organizations, elementary and secondary schools of the community, and mass organizations, are “participants” in building child-friendly communities and mobilizing residents (including children). In addition, the three necessary conditions for building a child-friendly community are “core guideline,” “awareness consensus,” and “action coordination.” All parties involved need to act together based on one platform, with one party playing a central role in connecting the top and the bottom and integrating resources. Among the three communities which have benefited from Changsha’s child-friendly city policy environment, Fengquan Gujing Community stands out in terms of the effectiveness of multi-party co-construction by giving full play to the central role of the community Party organization and the university’s role in improving awareness consensus.

Keywords: multi-party co-construction; child-friendly communities; building mechanism; the Child-Friendly Cities Initiative

♦Regenerating Communal Place and Housing Rehabilitation: The Building of a Community Public Space in Beijing’s Former Socialistic Public Housing Area

Author: Hui Xiaoxi, Li Jingsi, Xu Huiying, Zhang Jian, Li Alin

Edited by Qian Fang / Proofread by Mao Qizhi

Abstract The rehabilitation of former socialistic public housing areas is one of the most important challenges to Chinese cities nowadays. In Beijing Chaoyang District, a pilot project for housing rehabilitation has been implemented recently by rebuilding community public space in a former

socialistic public housing community. As a small-scale and bottom-up initiative, the project introduced the innovative measures, including resident participation, human-centred design and financing of sharing, in order to regenerate communal place in old housing area. The effects of the project are positive, and the local government has accordingly promoted its successful experiences. Moreover, this latest case of the attempts also offers an opportunity for revealing and rethinking the existing challenges to the housing rehabilitation.

Keywords: community public space; housing rehabilitation; former socialistic public housing; Beijing

♦Land Economic Density in China: Regional Differences and Influencing Factors

Author: Huang Kaidi, Zhu Chasong, Xu Wangtu

Edited by Li Min / Proofread by Tang Yan

Abstract:With the help of the Theil index, this paper analyzes the regional and intra-regional disparities in the Land Economic Density (LED) of the provincial-level regions in China from 2008 to 2017. The Pearson correlation coefficient is also employed to reveal the relationship between

influencing factors and the LED of the empirical regions, so as to further identify differences in the LED of different regions. The paper finds that firstly, the average LED on the national scale has grown gradually from about 787 million yuan/km2 in 2008 to around 1,396 million yuan/km2 in

2017. Secondly, the intra-regional disparity in LED shows a decrease trend. Conversely, the regional disparity in LED has increased year by year. Thirdly, the LED of different regions has different correlations with their influencing factors. Finally, both education and technology input have a significantly positive correlation with the LED, and a negative correlation with urban-rural consumption ratio, which indicates that improving the education and technology input could balance regional development and narrow the development gap between urban and rural areas.

Keywords: Land Economic Density (LED); regional disparity; intra-regional disparity; Theil index; influencing factors

♦Newborn and Transformation: The Formation of Chinese Urban Planning Knowledge in Early Modern Times (1840 – 1911)

Author: Gao Xing

Translated by Qian Fang / Proofread by Liang Sisi

Abstract: This paper focuses on urban planning knowledge and its formation in the early modern China, comparing the urban function framework defined in the Athens Charter with Chinese city development in the late Qing Dynasty, selecting “road,” “park,” and “commercial port” as keywords to analyze the construction practices and historical documents, in order to sort out the basic characteristics of the formation and development of urban planning knowledge. Based on the database of Airusheng Shenbao, this paper conducts keywords-frequency statistical analysis, and verifies the public acceptance of various planning knowledge in early modern times, expecting to reveal the origin and connotation of modern urban planning in China.

Keywords: history of urban planning; knowledge system of urban planning; road; park; commercial port; early modern times of China; the late Qing Dynasty