China City Planning Review (No.1, 2015)

♦A Study on Several Issues Concerning the Modern History of Urban Planning in China

Author: Zhang Song

Abstract: Since its modernization, China’s New Deal of the late Qing Dynasty have brought about municipal administrative reforms in such aspects as town autonomy. This article reviews the modernization and westernization process of China’s modern urban administrative system, based on which it explores the municipal administrative system’s reform and changes in urban form, the construction of laws and regulations concerning antiquities preservation, as well as modern urban plans in relation to city wall demolition in traditional Chinese cities. Finally, the article reflects on a series of historical facts, including the publication of the Encyclopedia of Municipal Administration through which the introduction of Western planning theories was reflected, as well as on the modern municipal planning practices carried out by Sun Ke and other historical figures, thus illustrating the practical significance of historical research on China’s modern urban planning.

Keywords: modernization; city transition; antiquities preservation; urban planning

♦Exploring Urbanization Patterns for Counties in Under-developed Mountainous Areas: A Case Study of Hubei, China

Author: Lin Xiaoru

Abstract: In the present work, features of urbanization of 24 underdeveloped mountainous counties (UMCs) in Hubei Province are analyzed and summarized, which includes low rates of urbanization, significant nonlocal urbanization, undeveloped three industries, and a homogeneous spatial layout of underdeveloped towns. Moreover, our analysis reveals that driving forces originating from favorable macro policies, medium economy, and micro elements are needed to speed up the urbanization in such areas. Based on the case study, we proposes a new path pattern for urbanization of these UMCs in western & central China. In principle, this pattern mainly consists of two important strategies which are driven by a simultaneous development of industry and trade and the exploitation of local characteristics in both economics and culture. In addition, the practice of such a new urbanization path should be carried out through incremental development together with the construction of node-centralizing towns.

Keywords: underdeveloped; mountainous county; urbanization; path pattern

♦Research Progress of the Application of Big Data in China’s Urban Planning

Author: Dang Anrong, Xu Jian, Tong Biao, Li Juan

Abstract: The arrival of the big data era facilitates the reform on related research and its application in the field of urban planning from the mode of thinking to the technical method, which provides a technical foundation and platform for supporting the demands of residents as micro subjects in the process of city development. Beginning with analyzing the changes in urban planning thoughts under the influence of big data, this paper then summarizes the major reforms in urban planning research methodology and a city’s plan formulation process caused by the application of big data, such as thinking mode, researching method, and planning process, based on which relevant issues like publicity and sharing of data, authenticity of data, and security of data that need to be further discussed and solved are analyzed, with the expectation of promoting the development of urban planning research and application in this new era.

Keywords: big data; urban planning; urban planning research; city plan formulation

♦Research Progress of the Application of Big Data in China’s Urban Planning

Author: Dang Anrong, Xu Jian, Tong Biao, Li Juan

Abstract: The arrival of the big data era facilitates the reform on related research and its application in the field of urban planning from the mode of thinking to the technical method, which provides a technical foundation and platform for supporting the demands of residents as micro subjects in the process of city development. Beginning with analyzing the changes in urban planning thoughts under the influence of big data, this paper then summarizes the major reforms in urban planning research methodology and a city’s plan formulation process caused by the application of big data, such as thinking mode, researching method, and planning process, based on which relevant issues like publicity and sharing of data, authenticity of data, and security of data that need to be further discussed and solved are analyzed, with the expectation of promoting the development of urban planning research and application in this new era.

Keywords: big data; urban planning; urban planning research; city plan formulation

♦Application of Spatial and Temporal Entropy Based on Multivariate Data for Measuring the Degree of Urban Function Mix

Author: Li Miaoyi, Shen Zhenjiang, Yang Tao, Wang Jingyuan, Kobayashi Fumihiko

Abstract Quantifying the degree of urban function mix has great significance to both urban planning practices and studies. This paper, first of all, based on the data of points of interest (POIs), analyzes the spatial distribution patterns of urban functions in Beijing. Then according to the taxi GPS data with the origin and destination points (taxi-ODs), we identify the spatial and temporal pattern of the degree of urban function mix in Beijing. Finally, based on the information entropy model of the POIs and taxi-ODs, we establish a spatial entropy and a temporal entropy to quantitatively assess the degree of urban function mix, confirming by virtue of correlation analysis and regression analysis that the spatial entropy of POIs is closely associated with the temporal entropy of taxi-ODs, which proves that it is reasonable to assess the degree of urban function mix via these two entropies. As a result, the degree of urban function mix in Beijing is characterized by slowly decreasing from its core area along the 3rd and 4th Ring Roads to its periphery. In detail, there is the highest degree of urban function mix in Beijing’s traditional core areas, including Zhongguancun, CBD (Central Business District), the Old Dongcheng District, the Old Xicheng District, and the area within the 2nd Ring Road; a higher degree in Wangjing area; and a low degree in Tiantongyuan and Huilongguan communities. The analytical results have initially achieved a more accurate identification and quantitative evaluation on the degree of urban function mix, and can be taken as a supporting tool to analyze the comprehensiveness of urban functions.

Keywords: the degree of urban function mix; POIs; taxi GPS; OD; Beijing

♦A Crowd-Sourced Data Based Analytical Framework for Urban Planning

Author: Li Dong, Long Ying

Abstract: Aimed at the challenges faced by the current urban development and urban planning, along with the research opportunities brought by “big data,” this paper proposes an analytical framework based on crowd-sourced data for urban planning by reviewing related literature and practice. The framework is mainly oriented towards three major requirements of analysis in urban planning: the physical spaces, the user communities, and the social relationships. This analytical framework can be regarded as a preliminary attempt for future data-intensive applications in urban planning and assessment.

Keywords: location-based services (LBS); crowd-sourced; natural language processing; quantitative urban study

♦Separating Citizenization and Land Requisition: New Urbanization in Beijing’s Rural-Urban Fringe Area

Author: Cui Xianghua

Abstract: Through rapid urbanization, Beijing is entering into the advanced stage of industrialization and urbanization, while it, like many other cities, is faced with issues of low-quality urbanization and citizenization. Under the influences of both urbanization and suburbanization, the sprawling rural-urban fringe area becomes a tough issue to resolve. The reconstruction of 50 key villages in Beijing’s rural-urban fringe area that was started in 2010 has initially changed the citizenization-land requisition coupling model through recombining land use right, household registration, and social security to make farmers become new-type citizens with land use right. The practice in Beijing reveals that the fringe issues are caused by the new and old dual structures which are formed as a result of the urban-rural dual land system, and that the path to new urbanization in China is to separate citizenization from land requisition, so as to achieve the transformation towards a proactive urbanization.

Keywords: rural-urban fringe area; urbanization; citizenization; land

♦Features of Dongjing’s Commercial Space in the Northern Song Dynasty: An Interpretation Based on Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival

Author: Zhu Jin, Pan Jiahong, Zhu Xiaofeng

Abstract: With an analysis on the city image presented by the painting of Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival, as well as other relevant documents, this paper explores the factors that caused the market system reform in the Northern Song Dynasty. It also explores the features of Dongjing, the capital city’s commercial space prompted by the reform, revealing that the growth of urban population, the rise of its commercial status and the emergence of citizen class were the essential factors contributing to the market system reform. It concludes that Dongjing’s commercial space shows the following characteristics: developing in a linear form, gradually forming a commercial network system by integrating various shops, markets, and warehouses, expanding to the Outer City to combine the prosperous grassroots markets, and hosting commercial activities with longer business time.

Keywords: Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival; Dongjing in the Northern Song Dynasty; market system reform; commercial space; development features