Urban Renewal in Historical Cities in China: Exploring Methods based on Urban Form Studies

With unprecedented urban extension in China, issues concerned with urban renewal have drawn wider attentions than ever before especially in historical cities. However, an unreasonable short-term process including investment, demolition and redevelopment which accords with neither the status quo in China nor the objectives of urban renewal, has taken place in many Chinese cities for years. The main purpose of this paper is to find a solution to problems during the urban renewal in historical cities in China. By utilizing a morphological approach based on historic-geographical environment which is developed by Conzenian Schools, this paper first conducts a series of urban form analysis of three figures involving ground plan (including sites, streets, plots and the groundfloor plan of the buildings), building fabric (especially building types) and land use in the case study of Ayidun area in Yi’ning of China. Then, a composite map of urban landscape units is drawn based on the three figures above and historical maps (i.e. 1958, 1978, 2003, and 2013). The hierarchy of priority for conservation is delimited by studies upon the landscape unit map afterwards. Moreover, a series of recommended management for urban renewal about each landscape unit is tentatively laid out, which can be adopted by the authorities in future managing affairs. In the end, how to involve more public participation in the process of urban renewal is also discussed.