China City Planning Review (No.1, 2011)

♦Urban Formation in China Since 1950 Seen from Afar 

Author：Peter G. Rowe

Abstract： Urban formations at the national, regional and urban district levels in China are discussed. Observations at the national level concern spatio-temporal distributions of regional and county-level cities, as well as designated towns, since 1950, and references to comparable western patterns of urbanization are made. At a regional level and especially for the Yangtze River Delta Region, less well-controlled development appears primarily in conurbated areas between relatively well-managed cities and towns, often causing adverse environmental consequences and economic inefficiencies. At local urban district levels, characteristics of large-block developments are compared with western counterparts, as well as with earlier conditions of Chinese urbanization. Although future adaptation appears possible, problems include a relative inflexibility in prevailing building types, inefficiencies of coarse-grained infrastructure distribution, and potential isolation from relatively high degrees of selfcontainment. 

Keywords： levels of urban formation; urban spatio-temporal distributions; urban block characteristics; cross-cultural comparisons

♦A Holistic Conserving Approach on Heritage of the Grand Canal, China: Cultural Values Assessment of the Canal Under Historical Context of Jiangnan Civilization 

Author：CHAI Yangbo, DONG Wei, WANG Shenyu, CHEN Yi

Abstract： This paper presents the development process of the Jiangnan Civilization under the specific condition of the Yangtze River Delta, where numerous rivers and waterways have worked together as a natural and cultural matrix of the canal for thousands of years. To preserve it as a heritage, it is crucial to recognize that the local civilization has very much benefited from the flourishing natural and artificial network of waterways that is an indivisible part of the Grand Canal. This significant characteristic makes the canal as a heritage different from the present concept of “cultural route.” 

Keywords： Grand Canal; Jiangnan Civilization; World Heritage; heritage conservation

♦Study on Social Planning Strategies in China’s Urban Planning 

Author：LIU Jiayan

Abstract： Unbalanced with its rapid development in urban construction and economy, China’s social development is lagging behind a fair amount. As an important policy means to guarantee social equity and public benefit, urban planning should play its inevitable role in solving social problems and promoting harmonious social development, while at the same time it exposes certain limitations of traditional Chinese urban planning mainly focusing on physical planning in both theoretical and methodological aspects. Aimed at the relevant social problems caused by simple physical planning at present, this article attempts to study out a research framework of social planning suitable for China’s urban planning as a monographic study, so as to introduce a people-oriented view of social development into the key contents of urban planning, and to provide ameliorative strategies to supplement and improve the planning concept, procedure, contents and methods. This article also briefly introduces the perspectives and key contents of social planning. 

Keywords：social planning; urban planning; supplementary framework; socio-spatial dialectics

♦Towards Sustainable Neighborhoods: The Role of Social Planning in China – A Case Study of Ningbo, Zhejiang Province 

Author：John Friedmann, CHEN Fan

Abstract：This paper argues for a strengthened form of neighborhood planning designed not only to improve the quality of life but also to promote the social inclusion of disadvantaged groups and a more ecologically sustainable development. Empirical focus is the municipality of Ningbo from 1990 onwards, and the most dynamic dimension of this demographic is the net in-flow of rural migrants from across China, and its implications for social policy are traced. The new infrastructure of local governance affords a unique opportunity for a new approach to solving the critical urban problems of ecological sustainability, social inclusion, and quality of life at the neighborhood level. After showing how neighborhood planners might contribute to local initiatives for neighborhood improvement, the paper concludes with some comments on the implications of this approach for planning education. 

Keywords：neighborhood planning; ecological sustainability; social inclusion; quality of life; Shequ (SQ)

♦A Discussion on the Phenomenon of Non-Dependency of Community Facilities and Its Planning Countermeasures 

Author：XU Xin, YU Wenbo, YANG Yuren

Abstract：The dependency of community facilities is a concept in contrast to concentration and socialization. It is not only a primary principle for the operation of community facilities, but also an important manifestation of the humanistic and social values of a community. In this paper, the authors outline the phenomenon of non-dependency of community facilities in China, analyze its possible causes, and then put forward the primary principles for the construction of dependent community facilities, as well as the supply modes and planning countermeasures. Keywords：community facilities; sociality; community participation

♦Planning Methods Considering Social Transition: A Study on Urban Community Space 

Author：JIANG Hongqing

Abstract：The study of urban planning has been expanded from physical to economic and social dimensions these years. This paper introduces a study on community space based on the achievements of multiple disciplines, especially social studies, and puts forward the method of community-oriented design. 

Keywords：value; structure; form; establishment; design; method

♦Step out the Paradox of Livable City Studies: Conceptual Model and Path Choice 

Author：WANG Shiying, ZHU Dajian, ZANG Mandan

Abstract：Based on a comparative analysis on the concepts and standards of livable city in China and abroad, the paper creates a conceptual model and a fundamental formula for livable city development with economic development as the foundation, and the social and cultural conditions, the ecological status, and the city governance as three pillars, so as to provide a theoretical explanation for the two paradoxes of livable city. The paper suggests that China should choose Path C, which combines economic development with city livability. It also analyzes the development rules of livable city under Path C, and talks about the fundamental ideas of livable city construction under the current circumstances in China. In the end, the paper puts forward related planning strategies in terms of spatial structure, ecological environment, cultural construction, transportation system, and housing system, in order to establish a livable city development model that is suitable for China’s practical conditions. 

Keywords：livable city; conceptual model; path choice

♦Research on New Urban Area Planning Based on TOD Mode: A Study on Binhu New District of Hefei City 

Author：GU Dazhi, YAN Ping

Abstract：As an urban development mode, the TOD (Transit-oriented Development) mode, targeted at energy-saving and based on the public transportation system, has positive significance for solving problems like disordered urban sprawl and traffic congestion in Chinese cities. This article takes Binhu New District of Hefei as an example to illustrate the practice of the TOD mode in the urban design of large and mediumsized cities. The paper analyzes the relationship between the new district, central urban area, and public transportation development, and puts forward that the TOD mode is suitable for Bihu New District. It states that the TOD mode can be realized through methods such as the building of a “double-rapid” comprehensive public transportation network, the setting up of decentralized-compact urban clusters and TOD communities, the mixevd land-use, as well as the scenery design with complete walking space. The paper also proposes that certain flexible methods can be adopted in order to promote the TOD mode, including making full use of bus transit when rail transit is lacked, setting up TOD communities surrounding the transport hubs, etc. 

Keywords：TOD; new urban area; road system planning; “double-rapid” comprehensive public transportation network; decentralized-compact urban cluster