China City Planning Review (No.3, 2015)

♦Group of Twenty Four Countries and Three Tiers: An International Comparative Study on China’s Urbanization

Author: Li Hao

Abstract: It is of great significance to conduct an international comparative study on China’s and other countries’ urbanization by taking the concept of “scale” as a crucial study point. This paper puts forward that countries with an area over two million km2 or a GDP over 650 billion dollars are comparable with China. Accordingly, there are 24 such countries in the world leading the global socio-economic development. For consisting of almost all types of countries, they can be considered as basic references for international comparative studies on China’s urbanization. Based on the relationship between urbanization and economic levels, the 24 countries can be divided into three tiers. The first tier countries are mainly developed countries at high urbanization and economic levels; the second tier countries are later starters yet urbanized at a rapid speed, thus have fallen into the “middle-income trap” because of an imbalanced urbanization and economic development; the third tier countries including China and India are still in the starting phase of urbanization, and the key to their future development is a steady economic growth and a balanced urbanization and economic development.

Keywords: urbanization; China; international comparative study; group of 24 countries; three tiers

♦Understanding Urban Spatial Structure of Shanghai Central City Based on Mobile Phone Data

Author: Niu Xinyi, Ding Liang, Song Xiaodong

Abstract: Taking Shanghai Central City as its case study, this paper presents an approach to exploring the urban spatial structure through mobile phone positioning data. Firstly, based on base station location data and mobile phone signaling data, the paper analyses the number of users connecting to each base station, and further generates the maps of mobile phone user density through kernel density analysis. We move on to calculate the multi-day average user density based on a time frame of 10:00 and 23:00 at workdays and 15:00 and 23:00 at weekends for Shanghai Central City. Then, through spatial aggregation and density classification on the density maps of 10:00 at workdays and 15:00 at weekends, we identify the ranks and functions of public centers within Shanghai Central City. Lastly, we identify residential areas, business office areas, and leisure areas in Shanghai Central City and measure the degree of functional mix by comparing the ratio of day and night user density as well as the user density at nighttime of workdays and weekends.

Keywords: mobile phone data; urban spatial structure; Shanghai Central City; big data

♦Improving the Quality of Urban Space and Shaping the Characteristics of Urban Culture: Under the Rapid Urbanization Phase of Jiangsu Province

Author: Zhou Lan, Yu Chun

Abstract: China is currently undergoing the most influential urbanization phase in its history, and this process will probably last for a few decades to come. Along with the accelerated urbanization, the quality of development has been elevated to an equal position with the quantity. Being one of the most developed and best urbanized provinces in China, Jiangsu has achieved an urbanization rate of 57%. Dealing with large construction scales, Jiangsu is presently striving to improve the quality of its urban space, and to elevate human settlements to a higher level. By contextualizing Jiangsu’s urbanization within a certain development stage and a specific historical era, the paper proposes the overall idea and action strategies for improving the quality of urban space, on the basis of the analysis on contemporary cultural pursuits. It aims at changing the current situation of “one outlook for thousands of cities,” improving the quality of urban space and the competitiveness of urban culture, and eventually creating better human settlements and a harmonious society.

Keywords: urbanization; urban space; quality; cultural characteristics

♦Constructing a Practice-Oriented Education System of Urban-Rural Planning

Author: Yin Jie, Luo Xiaolong

Abstract: As China’s urbanization accelerates, there is an increasing demand for urban-rural planning at both national and local levels, making it become an independent first-level discipline. Currently in China, the teaching and research system of urban-rural planning is facing some problems like the uneven education level among various universities, improper knowledge system that hardly meets the actual social demands, and insufficient theoretical research. This article argues that, in order to train qualified planners capable of satisfying socioeconomic development and urban-rural construction, the teaching and research system of urban-rural planning should be practice-oriented and meet social needs. The healthy development of urban-rural planning discipline should be based on the mutual promotion of teaching and research system.

Keywords: urban-rural planning discipline; first-level discipline; teaching and research system

♦Public Policy Literacy Development in Basic Course Teaching of Urban Planning

Author: Xu Lan, Duan Degang

Abstract: Given the context that the disciplinary attribute of urban planning is changing from technicality to public policy and based on a case study on the reform practice of the basic course teaching of urban planning in Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, this paper discusses how to scientifically and skillfully introduce the primary content of public policy into the pre-professional courses to develop students’ public policy literacy and to enforce the students’ cognition of urban planning, so as to bring the planning professional education back to the essence of urban planning.

Keywords: urban planning; public policy attribute; basic course reform

♦Integrating Real Estate into China’s Planning Education: Paradox and Prospect

Author: Zou Yonghua, Zhao Wanxia, Zhong Ruijun

Abstract: The booming real estate sector in China demands for more planners with real estate knowledge and skills, but real estate training has been marginalized in the existing physical-dominated planning education system. After reviewing the related international experiences, this paper examines the necessities and benefits of integrating real estate into China’s planning education. It also explains the paradox embedded in the existing planning education system and considers how to restructure the planning education paradigm, so that it will provide better real estate training. The objectives here are to strengthen the curriculum, diversify students’ and faculty backgrounds, seek effective ways to interact with the real estate industry, and differentiate the planning programs. The integration of real estate into planning education can cultivate more interdisciplinary professionals and should be a concern for more planning educators.

Keywords: planning education; real estate; professional development; curriculum; planning programs

♦Analysis on Topic Selection of Urban Planning Social Investigation Report and Its Pedagogical Exploration

Author: Zhao Liang

Abstract: Social investigation is an indispensable skill of urban planners, while “topic selection” is the first step of it. With the award-winning social investigation reports of Chinese colleges and universities with undergraduate program in urban and rural planning from 2000 to 2009 as samples, this paper conducts statistical and cross analyses on the characteristics of topic selection to grasp its development tendency, and explores teaching ideas in terms of topic selection, thoughts, and awareness.

Keywords: social investigation report; analysis on topic selection characteristics; teaching ideas

♦A New Step for a Sustainable and Balanced Urban Policy in Asian Living Historic City Conservation: The Case of Qufu, China 

Author: Roland Lin Chih-Hung

Abstract: Taking the case of Qufu (birthplace of Confucius), China, a world cultural heritage site and a Chinese living historic city, the author analyses the current situation/issues of culture heritage assessment and the planning of urban conservation, renewal and development. The objective of this article is to explore related issues to generate guidance for selecting appropriate methodologies (strategies) and principles (tools/planning/tasks/action) to assess cultural heritage values and cultural significance in the Asian living historic city context as part of an integrated culture-oriented development planning. The author calls for the necessity of an interdisciplinary approach to realize such development planning, with the participation of researchers and specialists from interdisciplinary areas: city planning, transportation, housing, territory studies, tourism, cultural heritage preservation, history, sociology, economy, archaeology, architecture, anthropology, museum studies, art/aesthetic studies, etc., for a new step in a sustainable and balanced urban policy.

Keywords: cultural heritage; urban conservation; urban policy; Asia; Qufu; historic city

♦Strategic Planning Approaches for Creating Resilient Cities: A Case Study on Hangzhou City

Author: Liu Dan, Hua Chen

Abstract: In the twenty-first century, the population in China will be increasingly urbanized – focusing the sustainability challenge on cities and raising new challenges to address the urban resilience capacity. During the past two decades, China’s urban policies are state institution-directed, growth-oriented, and land-based, imposing unprecedented challenges on sustainability. Strengthening the capacity of cities to manage resilience appears to be a key factor for cities to effectively pursue sustainable development. The aim of this paper is to explore strategic planning approaches for creating resilient cities in China through a study on Hangzhou City in an integrated framework. Firstly, the paper gives a systematic insight into the structure of Hangzhou City. Secondly, the development trajectory of the urban system is analyzed to understand how the past has shaped the present and to get a broader perspective on its evolution. Thirdly, scenario planning is conducted to explore the adaptive capacity of Hangzhou City under different future conditions. At last, having analyzed the past, present, and future of the urban system, the paper discusses the strategies for resilient planning, which helps to identify factors and trends that might enhance or inhabit the adaptability.

Keywords: urban resilience; scenario planning; strategic planning; Hangzhou City