A Train Trip through the Past, the Present and the Future
Revealing and Revitalizing the Chinese Eastern Railway Heritage
X. Cheng (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
E.A.J. Luiten – Mentor (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
W.J. Quist – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
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Abstract
The Chinese Eastern Railway Heritage stands as the largest modern heritage group in Northeast China, a special geostrategic heritage between Russia and China. Since the inception of modern heritage protection in China, this railway heritage has garnered significant attention due to its extensive span, large quantity, scale, and series of heritage buildings. However, with rapid urbanization, heritage areas are inevitably eroded by new urban areas and most railway heritage leaves people with an abandoned and neglected impression. Starting from the current poor condition of the heritage, I analyzed and identified spatial issues from larger scales and contexts. By integrating theories from different scales, deepening the understanding of the historic environment and the readable context of heritage, I propose design strategies for the preservation and development of historic environments and specific landscape intervention measures. These interventions aim to revitalize heritage by opening them to tourists and enhancing the surrounding environment and landscapes. I have chosen an almost abandoned Eastern railway line(Mudanjiang-Suifenhe line) to test these design principles and strategies. This testing also provides feedback for previous theoretical research and insights and guidance for future railway heritage conservation practices.