Y. Chen
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28 records found
1
Group work in design education amid pandemic
Observation and reflection
Group work has been used in design-related education programs to train students in handling the complexity of the design process in the built environment through co-operation. Education activities moved on-line when the COVID-19 pandemic started. Students have worked in groups remotely through digital platforms instead of face-to-face on campus. How did design education programs incorporating group work adapt to these changes during the pandemic, and how did the virtual environment influence the design process and outcomes of group work? This paper addresses these questions by examining two master education courses provided at the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, Delft University of Technology. It explores how the group work can be managed online with higher exploitation of digital tools helping interaction and data sharing among group members. The conclusions highlight the distinction between content development via on-line education (and how it can meet certain standards) and the communication dynamics during group work (for example how vocal remarks, separated from body language and shared context, can impact the quality and effectiveness of online group interactions). These findings underscore the importance of considering both aspects when developing group work for online education.
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Group work has been used in design-related education programs to train students in handling the complexity of the design process in the built environment through co-operation. Education activities moved on-line when the COVID-19 pandemic started. Students have worked in groups remotely through digital platforms instead of face-to-face on campus. How did design education programs incorporating group work adapt to these changes during the pandemic, and how did the virtual environment influence the design process and outcomes of group work? This paper addresses these questions by examining two master education courses provided at the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, Delft University of Technology. It explores how the group work can be managed online with higher exploitation of digital tools helping interaction and data sharing among group members. The conclusions highlight the distinction between content development via on-line education (and how it can meet certain standards) and the communication dynamics during group work (for example how vocal remarks, separated from body language and shared context, can impact the quality and effectiveness of online group interactions). These findings underscore the importance of considering both aspects when developing group work for online education.
The research on the quality of natural habitats and human settlements has been paid attention to by academia, design professionals and policymakers in recent years. Most of the concern is driven by rapid spatial transformation of and ecological deterioration in both natural habitats and human settlement globally due to the rapid urbanisation process, climate change, and environmental disasters (Franklin, Anderson, Gutiérrez, & Burnham, 2000; Kareiva, Tallis, Ricketts, Daily, & Polasky, 2011; Zhu et al., 2020). Besides the spatial and environmental changes, various social-demographic and economic factors connected with concerns on gender, age and lifestyle also contribute to the evolution of public space and architectural space that influence the daily life of individuals and communities (Carmona, 2014; Moser, 2017). The questions raised here are, what is the status of habitat quality and the spatial quality in and around the human settlements? How can we assess the status? And to what extent can planners and policymakers develop strategies to better balance the need to sustain the quality of nature and human settlement based on quantitative and qualitative assessment and prediction?
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The research on the quality of natural habitats and human settlements has been paid attention to by academia, design professionals and policymakers in recent years. Most of the concern is driven by rapid spatial transformation of and ecological deterioration in both natural habitats and human settlement globally due to the rapid urbanisation process, climate change, and environmental disasters (Franklin, Anderson, Gutiérrez, & Burnham, 2000; Kareiva, Tallis, Ricketts, Daily, & Polasky, 2011; Zhu et al., 2020). Besides the spatial and environmental changes, various social-demographic and economic factors connected with concerns on gender, age and lifestyle also contribute to the evolution of public space and architectural space that influence the daily life of individuals and communities (Carmona, 2014; Moser, 2017). The questions raised here are, what is the status of habitat quality and the spatial quality in and around the human settlements? How can we assess the status? And to what extent can planners and policymakers develop strategies to better balance the need to sustain the quality of nature and human settlement based on quantitative and qualitative assessment and prediction?
Participatory approaches in the adaptive reuse of two Dutch private-led cultural heritage projects
Role of the local communities
There is increasing debate concerning citizen participation in the reuse and transformation of heritage sites. However, the question of why and how participatory approaches are explored in private-led heritage adaptive reuse receives limited attention. The paper shows why the communities should play an essential role in the adaptive reuse of heritage sites in the two Dutch cases. The article is theoretically based on debates on social sustainability and community participation in the adaptive reuse of heritage sites. The qualitative investigation consisted of interviews with different actors. The study shows that the adaptive reuse ambitions of the two Dutch heritage sites face difficulty in receiving the support of the local communities. The findings show interest, expectations, and needs gaps between the private heritage and local communities. The investigation indicates that the participation of the local community is lacking, and the mutual understanding between the two is problematic, which has led to the stagnation of the adaptive reuse process of the heritage sites. The paper suggests that the multi-stakeholder processes can identify the key stakeholders and address how to activate key stakeholders to collaborate with available means on shared goals and interests.
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There is increasing debate concerning citizen participation in the reuse and transformation of heritage sites. However, the question of why and how participatory approaches are explored in private-led heritage adaptive reuse receives limited attention. The paper shows why the communities should play an essential role in the adaptive reuse of heritage sites in the two Dutch cases. The article is theoretically based on debates on social sustainability and community participation in the adaptive reuse of heritage sites. The qualitative investigation consisted of interviews with different actors. The study shows that the adaptive reuse ambitions of the two Dutch heritage sites face difficulty in receiving the support of the local communities. The findings show interest, expectations, and needs gaps between the private heritage and local communities. The investigation indicates that the participation of the local community is lacking, and the mutual understanding between the two is problematic, which has led to the stagnation of the adaptive reuse process of the heritage sites. The paper suggests that the multi-stakeholder processes can identify the key stakeholders and address how to activate key stakeholders to collaborate with available means on shared goals and interests.
The future of mega-events, post-COVID-19 pandemic
The resilient path towards legacy creation?
Mega-events have been explored by cities for urban reimaging and urban transformation processes. Due to their scale and catalytic effects, mega-events offer great opportunities for cities to showcase their local culture and create opportunities for their local economy, as well as the tourism and retail sectors, while also serving as catalysts for urban regeneration. The current COVID-19 pandemic has created a global crisis of unprecedented scale. Several extreme measures have been deployed to avoid contagion risk, including city lockdowns, subjecting residents to COVID-19 quarantine and social distancing, the closure of tourism attractions and the retail sector, as well as travel restrictions. This global crisis created a temporary shock to large-scale travel, the tourism sector and mass gathering, which resulted in the cancellation or postponement of nearly all mega-events in 2020. This paper identified the various challenges faced by event organisers during the COVID-19 pandemic and examined how relevant stakeholders addressed event risks and uncertainties. This paper suggests the incorporation of resilience in strategies for event legacy creation. Mega-events must incorporate adaptability and flexibility in their design, as well as event legacy planning and capacity building, to address the vulnerability and disturbances that future mega-events may encounter.
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Mega-events have been explored by cities for urban reimaging and urban transformation processes. Due to their scale and catalytic effects, mega-events offer great opportunities for cities to showcase their local culture and create opportunities for their local economy, as well as the tourism and retail sectors, while also serving as catalysts for urban regeneration. The current COVID-19 pandemic has created a global crisis of unprecedented scale. Several extreme measures have been deployed to avoid contagion risk, including city lockdowns, subjecting residents to COVID-19 quarantine and social distancing, the closure of tourism attractions and the retail sector, as well as travel restrictions. This global crisis created a temporary shock to large-scale travel, the tourism sector and mass gathering, which resulted in the cancellation or postponement of nearly all mega-events in 2020. This paper identified the various challenges faced by event organisers during the COVID-19 pandemic and examined how relevant stakeholders addressed event risks and uncertainties. This paper suggests the incorporation of resilience in strategies for event legacy creation. Mega-events must incorporate adaptability and flexibility in their design, as well as event legacy planning and capacity building, to address the vulnerability and disturbances that future mega-events may encounter.
Financialising urban redevelopment
Transforming Shanghai’s waterfront
Chinese cities have experienced rapid urbanisation and attracted massive investment in the central city through urban redevelopment. Developing less favourable urban areas such as former industrial sites along the waterfront is less attractive for investment as these areas usually need to deal with poor environments and complicated land ownership. It is therefore important to understand how these urban projects are carried out and what financial instruments are used. This paper examines four waterfront redevelopment projects in Shanghai in the last three decades and asks how they got financed. The financial mechanism in the examined cases confirmed that land-based capital accumulation is central in the financialisation of these projects, with the important role of the state-owned development companies in each project to mobilise capital and carry out development. The paper also finds that the variety of innovative financial instruments like bonds, public-private partnership or the urban regeneration fund are explored to tap capital from domestic and international investors. These financial instruments are complementary to the land-based finance which facilitates urban redevelopment in less attractive waterfront areas, allowing new financial players to explore the potential for the waterfront.
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Chinese cities have experienced rapid urbanisation and attracted massive investment in the central city through urban redevelopment. Developing less favourable urban areas such as former industrial sites along the waterfront is less attractive for investment as these areas usually need to deal with poor environments and complicated land ownership. It is therefore important to understand how these urban projects are carried out and what financial instruments are used. This paper examines four waterfront redevelopment projects in Shanghai in the last three decades and asks how they got financed. The financial mechanism in the examined cases confirmed that land-based capital accumulation is central in the financialisation of these projects, with the important role of the state-owned development companies in each project to mobilise capital and carry out development. The paper also finds that the variety of innovative financial instruments like bonds, public-private partnership or the urban regeneration fund are explored to tap capital from domestic and international investors. These financial instruments are complementary to the land-based finance which facilitates urban redevelopment in less attractive waterfront areas, allowing new financial players to explore the potential for the waterfront.
Een vervuild bedrijventerrein, een verlaten haven: gemeenten die een moeilijk stedelijk transformatieproject willen uitvoeren, ondervinden onvermijdelijk problemen met de financiering ervan. Gelukkig bieden innovatieve vormen soelaas, stelt TU Delft-onderzoeker Yawei Chen. Zij keek naar de financiering van vier moeilijke herontwikkelingsprojecten in Shanghai, zoals via private leningen en aandelen, en bespreekt de mogelijkheden hiervan voor de Nederlandse praktijk.
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Een vervuild bedrijventerrein, een verlaten haven: gemeenten die een moeilijk stedelijk transformatieproject willen uitvoeren, ondervinden onvermijdelijk problemen met de financiering ervan. Gelukkig bieden innovatieve vormen soelaas, stelt TU Delft-onderzoeker Yawei Chen. Zij keek naar de financiering van vier moeilijke herontwikkelingsprojecten in Shanghai, zoals via private leningen en aandelen, en bespreekt de mogelijkheden hiervan voor de Nederlandse praktijk.
Exploring the Many Cities in the City
Seeing the City: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the Study of the Urban, edited by Nanke Verloo and Luca Bertolini, 2020, Amsterdam University Press
How should we study the city? While there is diverse literature on research methodology, it is not easy to find a book that addresses the increasingly complex urban context and provides a comprehensive overview of current research methods applied in urban studies. Seeing the City: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the Study of the Urban goes a long way to meet that need. The book presents a variety of research methods that help in understanding the complexity of the urban environment, from space, people, environment, and housing to institutions, co-creative process, and data use.
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How should we study the city? While there is diverse literature on research methodology, it is not easy to find a book that addresses the increasingly complex urban context and provides a comprehensive overview of current research methods applied in urban studies. Seeing the City: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the Study of the Urban goes a long way to meet that need. The book presents a variety of research methods that help in understanding the complexity of the urban environment, from space, people, environment, and housing to institutions, co-creative process, and data use.
Het is nog maar vier jaar geleden dat Stef Blok aan het einde van zijn termijn als Minister van Wonen verkondigde dat de woningmarkt af was. Deze conclusie mag als voorbarig beschouwd worden. Immers, de huizenprijzen zouden blijven doorstijgen tot de dag van vandaag, zelfs tijdens de pandemie. We stonden aan de vooravond van een dubbele aanbodproblematiek. De woningmarkt werd prioriteit van de nieuw te vormen regering.
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Het is nog maar vier jaar geleden dat Stef Blok aan het einde van zijn termijn als Minister van Wonen verkondigde dat de woningmarkt af was. Deze conclusie mag als voorbarig beschouwd worden. Immers, de huizenprijzen zouden blijven doorstijgen tot de dag van vandaag, zelfs tijdens de pandemie. We stonden aan de vooravond van een dubbele aanbodproblematiek. De woningmarkt werd prioriteit van de nieuw te vormen regering.
Unravelling Decision-Making Processes on Location Choices for High-Speed Railway Stations in China
A Comparison of Shenzhen, Lanzhou and Jingmen
Most High-Speed Railway (HSR) station areas in China can be found at the urban periphery or in suburban areas, a phenomenon that has often been criticised. While debate about the influence these location choices have on the economic and sustainable development of cities rages on, little attention has been paid to the decision-making processes leading to these locations. This paper investigates these processes by comparing HSR stations in three cities: Shenzhen, Lanzhou and Jingmen. Our findings can help actors involved in making location choices develop awareness of different interests and create the conditions for successful development of HSR station areas.
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Most High-Speed Railway (HSR) station areas in China can be found at the urban periphery or in suburban areas, a phenomenon that has often been criticised. While debate about the influence these location choices have on the economic and sustainable development of cities rages on, little attention has been paid to the decision-making processes leading to these locations. This paper investigates these processes by comparing HSR stations in three cities: Shenzhen, Lanzhou and Jingmen. Our findings can help actors involved in making location choices develop awareness of different interests and create the conditions for successful development of HSR station areas.
Not just “Better City, Better Life”
Creating a sustainable urban legacy beyond World Expo 2010 in Shanghai
In recent years, creating an urban legacy has gradually become the focus of event-led development or regeneration in cities. World Expo 2010 Shanghai, held under the theme “Better city, Better life” was organised to emphasise the concept of “city of harmony” and to promote the sustainable development of the city. The event itself is considered one of the most successful World Expos, attracting more than 200 international participants and more than 73 million visitors. But to what extent has Shanghai achieved its sustainable urban legacy?
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In recent years, creating an urban legacy has gradually become the focus of event-led development or regeneration in cities. World Expo 2010 Shanghai, held under the theme “Better city, Better life” was organised to emphasise the concept of “city of harmony” and to promote the sustainable development of the city. The event itself is considered one of the most successful World Expos, attracting more than 200 international participants and more than 73 million visitors. But to what extent has Shanghai achieved its sustainable urban legacy?
Book review - High speed Rail and China’s New Economic Geography: impact assessment from the regional science perspective
Edited by Zhenhua Chen, Kinsley E. Haynes with Yulong Zhou and Zhaoxin Dai, Cheltenham, UK and Northampton, MA, USA, Edward Elgar, 2019, 328 pp., Web: £81.00 (hardback), ISBN: 978-1-78536-603-1(cased), ISBN: 978-1-78536-604-8
The rapid growth of high-speed rail (HSR) in China has impressed the world. Following the admiration, critics also raised a series of questions arranging from financial consequence to environmental, spatial and social issues. HSR and China’s New Economic Geography: Impact assessment from the regional science perspective, edited by Zhenhua Chen, Kinsley E. Haynes with Yulong Zhou and Zhaoxin Dai, provides a comprehensive overview as well as in-depth explanation of the regional effects of HSR development on China’s economic geography.
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The rapid growth of high-speed rail (HSR) in China has impressed the world. Following the admiration, critics also raised a series of questions arranging from financial consequence to environmental, spatial and social issues. HSR and China’s New Economic Geography: Impact assessment from the regional science perspective, edited by Zhenhua Chen, Kinsley E. Haynes with Yulong Zhou and Zhaoxin Dai, provides a comprehensive overview as well as in-depth explanation of the regional effects of HSR development on China’s economic geography.
Projects to redevelop waterfront areas have emerged in many cities
around the world over the last three decades. Many of those cities
expected such urban interventions to create higher land-value with
the change of use from industrial to commercial or residential.
However, attempts to revitalise urban waterfronts have encountered
various challenges. Historically, most waterfronts were inaccessible
to the public, and besides the spatial, environmental and social challenges,
fragmented and complex structures of jurisdictional involvement
in waterfront projects have led to long periods of implementation,
high investment and high risks to all involved stakeholders.
These are the same challenges Chinese cities like Shanghai encounter
in the waterfront redevelopment process. ...
around the world over the last three decades. Many of those cities
expected such urban interventions to create higher land-value with
the change of use from industrial to commercial or residential.
However, attempts to revitalise urban waterfronts have encountered
various challenges. Historically, most waterfronts were inaccessible
to the public, and besides the spatial, environmental and social challenges,
fragmented and complex structures of jurisdictional involvement
in waterfront projects have led to long periods of implementation,
high investment and high risks to all involved stakeholders.
These are the same challenges Chinese cities like Shanghai encounter
in the waterfront redevelopment process. ...
Projects to redevelop waterfront areas have emerged in many cities
around the world over the last three decades. Many of those cities
expected such urban interventions to create higher land-value with
the change of use from industrial to commercial or residential.
However, attempts to revitalise urban waterfronts have encountered
various challenges. Historically, most waterfronts were inaccessible
to the public, and besides the spatial, environmental and social challenges,
fragmented and complex structures of jurisdictional involvement
in waterfront projects have led to long periods of implementation,
high investment and high risks to all involved stakeholders.
These are the same challenges Chinese cities like Shanghai encounter
in the waterfront redevelopment process.
around the world over the last three decades. Many of those cities
expected such urban interventions to create higher land-value with
the change of use from industrial to commercial or residential.
However, attempts to revitalise urban waterfronts have encountered
various challenges. Historically, most waterfronts were inaccessible
to the public, and besides the spatial, environmental and social challenges,
fragmented and complex structures of jurisdictional involvement
in waterfront projects have led to long periods of implementation,
high investment and high risks to all involved stakeholders.
These are the same challenges Chinese cities like Shanghai encounter
in the waterfront redevelopment process.
不只是“城市，让生活更美好”
创造2010 年上海世博会后的可持续城市遗产
Legacy research has become an important part in mega-event studies. It was first raised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to assess the longer impact of the Olympic Games on host cities, after witnessing how a mega-event could drastically transform host cities like Barcelona, an industrial city in the midst of a deep economic crisis. Host cities have the intention of creating a series of physical, economic and social benefits. These benefits include boosting the urban economy, permanently repositioning the city in the global tourist market, facilitating regeneration, allowing the revamping of transport and service infrastructures, creating a cosmopolitan urban image and vibrant cultural quarters, and establishing a network of high-grade facilities to serve as the basis for future bids.
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Legacy research has become an important part in mega-event studies. It was first raised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to assess the longer impact of the Olympic Games on host cities, after witnessing how a mega-event could drastically transform host cities like Barcelona, an industrial city in the midst of a deep economic crisis. Host cities have the intention of creating a series of physical, economic and social benefits. These benefits include boosting the urban economy, permanently repositioning the city in the global tourist market, facilitating regeneration, allowing the revamping of transport and service infrastructures, creating a cosmopolitan urban image and vibrant cultural quarters, and establishing a network of high-grade facilities to serve as the basis for future bids.
The rapid development of Chinese megacities in the last decades have been mainly characterized by top-down planning and large-scale urban development and redevelopment, as well as by using place-making as a tool for city branding. This approach has also been used in other countries and has been constantly criticized for replacing old neighborhoods. In recent years, alternative development modes and participative approaches in urban regeneration practices have emerged in cities such as Shanghai and Shenzhen. This paper investigates participative urban regeneration cases in Yangpu District, located in Shanghai, and the Dalang subdistrict in Shenzhen. Both case studies are located at the urban-rural interface, where past industrialization processes have resulted in complex sociospatial conditions. The primary focus was to analyze the governance aspects in the cases, such as the enabling factors that allow the participative approach to emerge in these projects and their governance model. This paper concludes on the importance of civil society organizations and the incorporation of social objectives in emerging participative regeneration practices.
...
The rapid development of Chinese megacities in the last decades have been mainly characterized by top-down planning and large-scale urban development and redevelopment, as well as by using place-making as a tool for city branding. This approach has also been used in other countries and has been constantly criticized for replacing old neighborhoods. In recent years, alternative development modes and participative approaches in urban regeneration practices have emerged in cities such as Shanghai and Shenzhen. This paper investigates participative urban regeneration cases in Yangpu District, located in Shanghai, and the Dalang subdistrict in Shenzhen. Both case studies are located at the urban-rural interface, where past industrialization processes have resulted in complex sociospatial conditions. The primary focus was to analyze the governance aspects in the cases, such as the enabling factors that allow the participative approach to emerge in these projects and their governance model. This paper concludes on the importance of civil society organizations and the incorporation of social objectives in emerging participative regeneration practices.
To understand and deal with real urban development problems, urban planners, designers, and managers need to combine and synthesize a variety of academic and professional knowledge. As our urban challenges grow more complex, learning how to do this effectively becomes ever more important. For educators, this means teaching students how to work in interdisciplinary settings, i.e. how to jointly discover the different disciplinary dimensions of an urban problem, and how to reflectively design courses of action. In this paper, we explore and evaluate the components of such interdisciplinary experiential learning, develop a framework to design and analyse this type of courses, and use it to position and evaluate a specific urban development management course. Results show that, by performing and reflecting upon specific professional roles, the course stimulates students to both integrate different disciplines and reflect on an array of academic and practical insights. Based on our evaluation, we discuss several didactical aspects that may help lecturers to improve their interdisciplinary teaching in urban planning, design, and management courses—particularly when creating learning experiences in an increasingly diverse professional, societal and educational setting.
...
To understand and deal with real urban development problems, urban planners, designers, and managers need to combine and synthesize a variety of academic and professional knowledge. As our urban challenges grow more complex, learning how to do this effectively becomes ever more important. For educators, this means teaching students how to work in interdisciplinary settings, i.e. how to jointly discover the different disciplinary dimensions of an urban problem, and how to reflectively design courses of action. In this paper, we explore and evaluate the components of such interdisciplinary experiential learning, develop a framework to design and analyse this type of courses, and use it to position and evaluate a specific urban development management course. Results show that, by performing and reflecting upon specific professional roles, the course stimulates students to both integrate different disciplines and reflect on an array of academic and practical insights. Based on our evaluation, we discuss several didactical aspects that may help lecturers to improve their interdisciplinary teaching in urban planning, design, and management courses—particularly when creating learning experiences in an increasingly diverse professional, societal and educational setting.
Cultivating the next generation designers
Group work in urban and regional design education
This article will contribute to filling the knowledge gap about learning from group methods in (urban and regional) design education, with action research results based on real teaching activities in TU Delft, Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment (A&BE), conducted and coordinated by the authors. Constructive alignment of the teaching triangle and feedbacks from students are used to assess the necessity and effectiveness of group work in achieving learning objectives in the chosen courses. The conclusions of the article focus on pros and cons of group-working in urban and regional design education, with highlighted common challenges in implementing group work, such as proper distribution of workload among group members and assessing individual performance, as well as specific challenges of certain courses, such as stimulating ‘out of the box thinking’ in the setting of ‘role play’ and supervising interdisciplinary groups in the setting of research and design studio.
...
This article will contribute to filling the knowledge gap about learning from group methods in (urban and regional) design education, with action research results based on real teaching activities in TU Delft, Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment (A&BE), conducted and coordinated by the authors. Constructive alignment of the teaching triangle and feedbacks from students are used to assess the necessity and effectiveness of group work in achieving learning objectives in the chosen courses. The conclusions of the article focus on pros and cons of group-working in urban and regional design education, with highlighted common challenges in implementing group work, such as proper distribution of workload among group members and assessing individual performance, as well as specific challenges of certain courses, such as stimulating ‘out of the box thinking’ in the setting of ‘role play’ and supervising interdisciplinary groups in the setting of research and design studio.
Book review: China in the local and global economy: history, geography, politics and sustainability, edited by Steven Brakman, Charles van Marrewijk, Peter J. Morgan and Nimesh Salike, London and New York, Routledge, 2019, 338 pp., £115.00 (hardback), ISBN: 978-1-138-30798-8, from £17.50 (eBook), ISBN: 978-1-315-14273-9
...
Book review: China in the local and global economy: history, geography, politics and sustainability, edited by Steven Brakman, Charles van Marrewijk, Peter J. Morgan and Nimesh Salike, London and New York, Routledge, 2019, 338 pp., £115.00 (hardback), ISBN: 978-1-138-30798-8, from £17.50 (eBook), ISBN: 978-1-315-14273-9
Not just “Better City, Better Life”
Creating sustainable urban legacy beyond World Expo 2010 in Shanghai
Event-led urban development or event-led regeneration has become part of a deliberate urban policy to position the host cities on the world agenda. Most cities stressed exploring the re-imaging effect of these mega-events, like the construction of iconic flagship projects or large-scale facilities and infrastructures. However, many expo host cities have mainly focused on the preparation of the event sites but often have limited strategic intervention to benefit urban development beyond the event site. Besides, expo sites, especially those located in the periphery of the host cities, encountered various challenges during their transition process to grow into part of urban fabric of host cities. In recent years, creating urban legacy has gradually become the focus of event-led development or regeneration. Shanghai, the host city of World Expo 2010, used the motto “better city, better life” to emphasize the concept of “city of harmony” and to promote the sustainable development of the city. The event self is considered one of the most successful world expo event, attracting more than 200 nations and organizations to participate and more than 73 million visitors to visit the expo. But to what extent has Shanghai built its sustainable urban legacy? This paper suggests that Shanghai has created four important post-event legacies in relation to its host city. First, Shanghai used expo event to realise its important urban restructuring process, serving as the catalyst for a number of strategic regeneration projects to improve the quality of space and urban life for citizens. Second, the focus of sustainability and legacy creation in event preparation allowed new planning concepts, new planning methods and new technology to be applied to local planning regime. Third, the city paid special attention to the citizens living in the city. Such focus ensured a more people-centred approach and support increasing public participation during the event preparation, relocation and post-event development. Four, expo served as a catalyst for the regional integration of the Yangtze River Delta (YRD), aiming at the long-term benefit for Shanghai and its surrounding cities in economic and social perspectives.
...
Event-led urban development or event-led regeneration has become part of a deliberate urban policy to position the host cities on the world agenda. Most cities stressed exploring the re-imaging effect of these mega-events, like the construction of iconic flagship projects or large-scale facilities and infrastructures. However, many expo host cities have mainly focused on the preparation of the event sites but often have limited strategic intervention to benefit urban development beyond the event site. Besides, expo sites, especially those located in the periphery of the host cities, encountered various challenges during their transition process to grow into part of urban fabric of host cities. In recent years, creating urban legacy has gradually become the focus of event-led development or regeneration. Shanghai, the host city of World Expo 2010, used the motto “better city, better life” to emphasize the concept of “city of harmony” and to promote the sustainable development of the city. The event self is considered one of the most successful world expo event, attracting more than 200 nations and organizations to participate and more than 73 million visitors to visit the expo. But to what extent has Shanghai built its sustainable urban legacy? This paper suggests that Shanghai has created four important post-event legacies in relation to its host city. First, Shanghai used expo event to realise its important urban restructuring process, serving as the catalyst for a number of strategic regeneration projects to improve the quality of space and urban life for citizens. Second, the focus of sustainability and legacy creation in event preparation allowed new planning concepts, new planning methods and new technology to be applied to local planning regime. Third, the city paid special attention to the citizens living in the city. Such focus ensured a more people-centred approach and support increasing public participation during the event preparation, relocation and post-event development. Four, expo served as a catalyst for the regional integration of the Yangtze River Delta (YRD), aiming at the long-term benefit for Shanghai and its surrounding cities in economic and social perspectives.