Tackling Urban Monotony

With the threat and emergence of monotonous cityscapes in a rapidly urbanizing
China, the pressure to preserve local characteristics has taken centre stage.
Central and local governments at the beginning of the 1980s responded by
prioritizing 24 cities with historical value and cultural relics. Drawing on
international standards and experiences of early Chinese architects such as Liang
Sicheng, the concept of ¿Historically and Culturally Famous Cities¿ begins to take
shape. The study delineates three revitalized residential areas in the Jiangnan
region, two of them characterized by splendid private gardens, Ming and Qing period
mansions of historical figures, ceremonial archways, historic wells and trees.
Strictly adhering to international conservation guidelines, the development of the
Pingjiang Historic and Cultural Block in Suzhou came about in the conservation of
its central road. As a pilot site for UNESCO¿s Historic Urban Landscape management
approach, Tongli Ancient Water Town explores its own ¿Tongli model¿ for an
integration of its residential and scenic areas. Contrastingly, the transformation
of factory buildings and lilong architecture into a creative crucible in Tianzifang,
Shanghai, is remarkable for its bottom-up approach. Based on these three areas which
now serve as exemplars for integrated conservation and development, the study argues
and demonstrates how ¿Historically and Culturally Famous Cities¿ developed from
their initial concept into a multi-layered conservation system.