"Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay"
Re-imagining a Sustainable Future for Jinchang, a Resource-Based City in China
Y. Wang (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
M.M. Dabrowski – Mentor (TU Delft - Spatial Planning and Strategy)
N. Katsikis – Mentor (TU Delft - Urban Design)
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Abstract
Jinchang City, as a typical resource-based city in China, has long relied on the extraction and smelting of non-ferrous metals such as nickel and cobalt, resulting in a single-industry economic structure, environmental degradation, and social fragmentation. Against the backdrop of global resource price fluctuations, climate change, and regional economic transformation, the traditional resource-dependent development path faces severe challenges. This study aims to explore a transformation pathway based on ecological restoration and sustainable development, breaking the dependency on single-resource economies and achieving economic diversification, ecological recovery, and socially inclusive development.
The research adopts Scenario Planning methodology to construct three typical future development paths: "Desert Oasis," "Industrial Revival," and "Managed Shrinkage." These three scenarios represent ecological priority, market orientation, and governance-focused transformation strategies, respectively. They are tailored to regional characteristics and social preferences, exploring feasible development pathways under future deep uncertainties.
Through the analysis of river restoration, land rehabilitation, and community revitalization strategies, the study proposes adaptive development solutions for Jinchang, including de-channelization of rivers, mixed-species planting, solar-agriculture integration, and industrial heritage reuse. Furthermore, the project emphasizes social equity during urban regeneration, promoting community participation and social inclusion to prevent social segregation and inequality during the transition process.
The findings present a more resilient and sustainable transformation model for resource-based cities, providing practical insights for policy-making and ecological restoration in similar regions.