Mapping China: Urbanisation - 5 Cultural Identity of Chinese Cities: The Historical Urban Neighbourhood

Conservation and revitalisation of the historical urban neighbourhood has also become a key element in shaping the cultural identity of contemporary Chinese cities. If we look at today’s urban renewal strategies, there is a shift from the clearance-relocation principle to a greater emphasis on re-evaluation and conservation.

The Xin Tiandi (literally meaning ‘New World’) project in Shanghai was a key factor in establishing the concept of neighbourhood conservation. A private developer took over a group of old Li Long Houses (an old type of townhouse in Shanghai featuring high brick walls and a narrow front yard), rejected the original clearance plan, kept the houses and turned the crowded and daunting area into boutique shops and bars. Many critics pointed out that the developer merely made the heavy investment here in exchange for a much better deal with the local government in buying the neighbouring blocks for a highly profitable residential development. Others claim that the developer only kept the exterior of the buildings but totally destroyed the architecture from the inside. Nevertheless, at the beginning of the 21st century the Xin Tiandi project managed to showcase how the conservation of physical spaces could become a feast for the economic and cultural development of the city. This even led to the identification of several protected zones in Shanghai, and the rise of conservation regulations in several cities in the following years.

There have been replicas of Xin Tiandi in all city-regions in China, and each has a different architectural flavour and cultural identity. Some are blocks constructed a century ago and some consist of factories that contain memories from the 1970s. After being renovated, they have housed tourist activities, shows, recreation, and in many cases, the creative industry. Some of them are supported and sponsored by local authorities.