Urban Events - A Catalyst for Urban Village Renewal in China by GrayLIU

Urban Events - A Catalyst for Urban Village Renewal in China

of Architecture MA Architecture and Urbanism 2021 2022 Lihui Liu 21404048

The Case study Town Shenzhen School

of Nantou Old

Manchester

Thanks to Ms. Kaija Luisa for guiding me to the topic of my dissertation over the last few months. Although this paper is not perfect, I am grateful to Ms. Kaija for his patient guidance and literature recommendation. Thanks to my friend Yu Gao taking my place to take photos and observe in Shenzhen.

China's cities have been reforming and opening up for several years now. Along with the rapid wave of urbanisation in China, the open space resources available for development have been decreasing and a large number of old urban spaces have been created, which has led to urban renewal playing a leading role in the field of urban development. Urban villages are one of the most typical old urban spaces formed during the urbanisation process in China. The particular form of urban villages, with their disorderly spatial layout and lack of infrastructure, is putting increasing pressure on the urban environment. The limitations of the past direct demolition and relocation approach of renovation, which destroyed the diversity of urban form and destroyed the precious memories of the city, are becoming increasingly evident, making the regeneration of urban villages an important topic. From a micro regeneration perspective, the urban catalytic effect is an effective way to address the current plight of urban villages. This paper will take Nan Tou Town as an example and propose the use of 'urban events' as a catalytic element to promote the regeneration of urban villages, bringing them to life and exploring a new model for the regeneration of urban villages in China.

Abstract

Acknowledgements

1.1Research Background/Thesis objective .….…………………………………P.5

List of Figures

……….……

3.1 Background of Nantou Old Town ..P.26

Chapter 2: Urban renewal and catalyst theory

1.2 Methodology . .………………………………….……………………………………P.7

………………………………………….…………...……

....................................................................................................P.4

…………………………….……….……..

……………………………………………....…….

Chapter 1: Introduction

…

2.1 Review of Global Urban Renewal Theory Research Studies

………………

Chapter 4: Discussion and Conclusion…………………………………………….….…………P.39

3.4 Finding a regeneration strategy unique to Nantou Old Town P.29

2.1.3 The theory of sustainable development .P.18

3 6 SZ HK Urbanism\Architecture Bi City Biennale in Nantou Old Town P.31

…………………………….

……………………………………………………………

…………………………………….……...…

3.5 Using urban events as urban catalysts .P.29

2.1.1 Overview of theories related to urban regeneration P.16

1.3 Definition of Urban Renewal………………….…………………………………………………P.8

Reference list ….P.41

2.2.3The application of urban catalyst theory in urban regeneration P.22

Table of contents

1.6 The current models of urban village transformation………………….….…….……P.13

3.3 Reflections on the development positioning of Nantou Old Town P.27

………………

2.2.2 Principles of the Urban Catalyst Theory …P.21

3.2 Review of the last decade of urban regeneration in Nantou Old Town P.27

1.5 Challenges of urban villages P.12

2.2 Review of Urban Catalyst Theory Research Studies

2.2.1 Implications of Urban Catalysis Theory …P.20

Chapter 3: SZ HK Urbanism\ Architecture Bi City Biennale in Nantou Old Town

2.1.2 The theory of "organic renewal" P.18

1.4 Definition and Characteristics of Urban Villages in China…………….……………P.9

List of Figures:

Figure 15: Setting up touchpoints to form exhibition routes. On this scheme what is explained (Source: urbanus, 2017)

Figure 3: The distribution of 1892 urban villages and 6 representative urban villages in Shenzhen. (Source: Lihui LIU, 2022)

Figure 16 18: Biennale event activates urban village (Source: urbanus, 2017)

Figure 1 2: The urban development of Futian district during 1998 to 2020 (Source: Theguardian, 2021: online)

Figure 13 14: 'Wengcheng' is restored by means of a landscape installation (Source: urbanus, 2017)

Figure 10: The Kassel Documenta (Germany). (Source: documenta, 2012)

Figure22 23: 'Cultural and Creative Factory Renovation Project' (Source: urbanus, 2017)

Figure 12: Connecting the north and south axes through the installation of catalysts (Source: urbanus, 2017)

Figure19 21: Old Town Vitality Centre before and after renovation (Source: urbanus, 2017)

Figure 4 5: Urban villages and "handshake buildings" in Shenzhen (Source: cargocollective, 2016: online)

Figure 6: Changes in Nantou Old Town, from Old Town to Urban Village. (Source: Lihui LIU, Figure2022)78: Aerial view and the map of Nantou Old Town. (Source: cargocollective, 2016: Figureonline)9:

Figure 11: The Busan Gamcheon Cultural Village. (Source: dailytravelpill, 2021)

Figure24: 'One of the venues where regular weekly talks and events take place during the Biennale' (Source: urbanus, 2017)

Distribution of buildings from different periods in the ancient city of Nan Tou. (Source: urbanus, 2022)

Figure 1 2: The urban development of Futian district during 1998 to 2020 (Source: The guardian, 2021: online)

1.1 Research Background/Thesis Objective

I live in a city called Shenzhen, located in the Pearl River Delta region of southern China, near Hong Kong, with a warm climate and beautiful coastline. In just 40 years it has grown into one of the most concentrated cities in the world in terms of skyscrapers (Figure 1 2). When I was a child, I had no obvious concept of cities and villages; I had the impression that they were just places where I lived. I remember I used to fish with my friends on the beach not far from home. Gradually, the coastline started to move further and further away from us as the roads got wider and more construction sites were built. Looking back now, I realise that this was the beginning of a village becoming a city.

Chapter 1: Introduction

Thecatalyst.second

This study firstly clarifies the scope of the research problem and conducts effective research around the main issues of urbanisation in Shenzhen. At the same time, the connotations and principles of urban catalyst theory are analysed and summarised, and the principles, strategies and practical methods of urban catalyst theory in the design of urban village transformation are discussed from the perspective of urban

Thesis objective

My parents came to Shenzhen in the 1980s, the first generation of immigrants to the city, and they came to do business and settle here because of the city's special economic policies. Before coming to the UK, I lived and worked in Shenzhen and witnessed the city's transformation from a small fishing village to a metropolis. Having lived in Shenzhen for 29 years, my identity has changed from that of a city dweller to that of a city builder. After graduating from university in 2014, I started working in architectural design and my first job was to design for some local residential areas in Shenzhen. The focus of this work is on how to build commercial housing suitable for urban living on a vacant lot. After five years of work, I decided to move from residential design work to urban regeneration work, focusing on the reuse of old urban and architectural spaces. The reason for this decision is that in my work practice I have come to realise that everything in the world has its own life cycle and that the city as a collection of spaces where people work and live is no exception. After the rapid wave of urbanisation that Shenzhen has experienced, along with the dwindling resources of developable open space, a large amount of old urban space has been created, which has led to urban renewal playing a leading role in the field of urban development. How to preserve and activate these negative urban spaces has become an urgent and long term issue for China's urban development.

step of the study is to summarise the design principles and strategies for the application of the Urban Catalyst theory in the transformation of urban villages, based on the above mentioned practical approach, through the analysis of the current situation of Nantou Ancient Town and the excavation of its potential resources. This study will grasp the application of the tactile conservation and regeneration model in practice at two levels: the shaping of the elements of the Urban Catalyst and the practical approach of the Urban Catalyst model. It is hoped that this project will provide a new way of thinking for urban village transformation in Shenzhen.

A comprehensive study of the environment, history, culture, architecture and transport of Nantong's old town, documenting its problems and opportunities through analysis of historical maps, historical documents and site photographs taken with the help of friends.

Site: Nantou Old Town

With a history of nearly 1700 years, Nantou Old Town has been transformed from a thousand year old city into a village. At present, the current architectural landscape of Nantou Old Town shows a symbiotic blend of buildings from various historical periods. The location of this case is close to my home in Shenzhen and I am familiar with the area for easy 'observation'.

(1) Desktop research

case of urban catalyst theory in Nantou Old Town, summarising the experience and insights to be drawn from the above case when exploring urban village regeneration.

Event: Shenzhen Hongkong Urbanism\ Architecture Bi City Biennale

The Bi City Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture, also known as the Urbanism\Architecture Bi City Biennale (UABB) of Shenzhen and Hong Kong, was founded in 2005. It has been held every two years since. It is considered the world's only Biennale or Biennial exhibition to focus specifically on urbanism and urbanisation. The Biennale is a cooperative cultural event that is shared by the two cities under a similar theme. The selection process of the Hong Kong and Shenzhen curatorial teams are independent processes governed by different procedures and organisations. The exhibition also takes place in different venues in Hong Kong and Shenzhen, with different exhibitors, during similar but slightly differing time periods. Originally organised by the Shenzhen Public Art Centre, the inaugural Biennale took place in Shenzhen and attracted over a million visitors. The Biennale started being organised in Hong Kong in January 2008, with the exhibition "Refabricating City" at the Central Police Station Compound.[1]

1.2 Methodology

Through reading and summarising the literature on urban catalyst theory and urban regeneration and conservation in the global context, we understand the research results and development directions, and seek relevant theoretical support for the (2)topic.Site documentation research

(3) Case AnalysingStudythepractical

urban regeneration, urban revitalization, urban redevelopment, urban rehabilitation are all expressions of urban renewal (Zheng, Shen & Wang,2014)

Urbandevelopment.renewal,

1.3 Definition of Urban Renewal

Urban regeneration has a long history, beginning in a modern sense with the Industrial Revolution. After the two World Wars, in the United States, the 1950s and 1960s saw the decline of central urban areas because of excessive suburbanisation and the launch of the 'slum eradication' movement, followed by a massive urban renewal movement of knock down redevelopment in all countries. After the 1970s, European countries and the United States gradually realised that large scale knock down redevelopment could not solve urban problems once and for all, and began to turn to small scale, gradual, phased urban regeneration. Urban regeneration is now becoming increasingly important as a global urban development strategy. On the one hand, as suburbanisation in Western developed countries has reached a certain point, counter urbanisation has begun to emerge and develop, with more and more people choosing to move back to live in the city centre, especially in older urban areas, evoking the need to rebuild the urban fabric of the old city. On the other hand, urban regeneration is a response and coping strategy to the current problems of urban sprawl and the decay of old urban areas (Couch, 1990)[2]. As a global movement and urban development strategy, urban regeneration is an evolving process that continues to receive attention from scholars around the world, with research perspectives broadening and theories focusing more on people centred thinking and sustainable

[3]. Urban renewal, regeneration and redevelopment involve large scale urban activities. Urban regeneration includes the process of slum eradication and the reconstruction of the physical environment considering various factors. Urban regeneration and redevelopment have the same connotation and refer to overall blueprints and actions to address the multifaceted problems of decaying urban areas, with the main aim of improving their economic, physical, social and environmental conditions. Urban renewal and rehabilitation involve more specific and micro activities, the former usually referring to urban redevelopment activities on specific developed sites, such as the redevelopment of old industrial areas into residential projects, and the latter usually referring to the restoration of dilapidated buildings to a healthy, normal state or the expansion of their capacity. Furthermore, gentrification is a typical spatial phenomenon of urban regeneration, in which urban communities that have experienced capital loss and decline experience trend reversals, capital reinvestment, and the return of a relatively affluent high income and middle class (Smith N,1998) [4] . Therefore, it is also included in the study of urban renewal. In the wake of China's rapid urbanisation process, a large number of old urban spaces have been created.

For example, urban villages are one of the most typical types of urban spaces that have emerged during China's rapid urbanisation process, and their special urban spatial form and complex social nature have gradually become a hot topic of discussion in China's urban regeneration.

Urban villages are a product of urbanisation. The formation of urban villages in China began in the 1980s, starting with some of the major cities in the Pearl River Delta region, where China's economy first developed, and gradually advancing southwards and northwards from the Pearl River Delta region to the Yangtze River Delta and the Bohai Rim, and gradually spreading from the coastal areas to the inland areas. The phenomenon of urban villages appears to have emerged because of the rapid expansion of urban building land, incorporating much of the peri urban farmland into urban building land, thus surrounding the peri urban villages within the city, hence the emergence of urban villages. However, if we look at urbanised cities around the world, we will see that this phenomenon of urban villages never seems to occur. The underlying reason for this is the dual system of urban rural registration and land ownership that has been in place in China for decades and is still in place today. In the early days of China's founding, the government adopted both an urban and a rural household registration system to ensure healthy urban development and prevent excessive urban population growth. Since the reform and opening up, as urbanisation has accelerated, further urban development has required the expropriation of farmland in the surrounding rural areas to gain space for expansion. The Land Law promulgated in 1985 stipulates that urban land is owned by the state and rural land is owned by rural collectives. Therefore, while the state kept expropriating farmers' farmland for production during urban construction, it was not easy to expropriate farmers' residential bases for living. With the passage of time and the acceleration of urbanisation, the only land left under the collective ownership of the peasants were the village house bases where the peasants lived, creating a situation of "urban encirclement of the countryside". There are currently 1,892 urban villages in Shenzhen, some of which are located in the city centre. Examples include Nantou, Guimiao, Baishi Zhou, Shang Sha and Gangxia, which provide cheap housing for migrant laboure

（Figure 3）.

1.4 Definition and Characteristics of Urban Villages in China

(1) Spatial characteristics

(2) Economic characteristics

Not integrated into the unified planning and management of urban land, the urban villages are cluttered with land, with high building density and too little spacing, creating typical "veneer buildings", "kissing buildings" and "handshake buildings" (Figure4 5). The landscape is characterised by a lack of public facilities and poor management. Due to the lack of public facilities and poor management, the public environment in urban villages is "dirty, disorderly and poor".

The urban village is a complex economic and social phenomenon involving economic, social, demographic, geographical, cultural and political aspects. The study of the characteristics of urban villages can reveal the basic attributes of urban villages at different levels. The urban village is characterised by five main characteristics.

The land in urban villages was basically expropriated by the state, but the collective land nature of villagers' residential bases and collective non agricultural construction land and a small amount of reserved land were retained. The collective land in urban

Figure 3: The distribution of 1892 urban villages and 6 representative urban villages in Shenzhen. (Source: Lihui LIU, 2022)

(4) Demographic characteristics

Due to low rents and convenient locations, rental housing in urban villages has attracted a large number of migrant workers, and the mobile population is several times or even dozens of times that of indigenous villagers, and many urban villages have evolved into low income communities or migrant worker ghettos Mengqin (2000) [7] .

villages was mainly used for building shops and hotels for property rental, while villagers in urban villages indiscriminately built houses on their residential bases for rental, thus forming the unique economic characteristics of rental housing in urban (villages.3)Institutional characteristics

Urban villages have received the baptism of urban culture while retaining a strong rural cultural atmosphere, showing the cultural characteristics of urban rural dichotomy. Due to the differences in language, culture, living habits and income, they rarely communicate with the indigenous villagers in urban villages, although they live together day and night

Figure4 5: Urban villages and "handshake buildings" in Shenzhen (Source: cargocollective, 2016:online)

(5) Cultural characteristics

Architect Peilin (2002) was the first to classically summarise the institutional characteristics of urban villages in three main areas: first, the rural land system; second, the rural management system; and third, the "village registration" system linked to the rural land system and management system[5].further specifies the "village registration system" analysed by Peilin (2002) as a rural welfare system distinct from the urban one [6]. Fu (2006) and Mengqin (2000) further point out that the urban village is a rural village in the institutional sense [7] .

1.4 Challenges of urban villages

The land use structure of urban villages is uncoordinated, with a significant increase in residential land, commercial land and industrial land, while the proportion of land for public facilities, green areas and roads and squares is obviously low. The construction of village residential bases and collective land is inadequately managed, buildings are crowded and chaotically distributed, and illegal occupation and construction are repeatedly prohibited. In addition, the building density in many villages is as high as 60%, with chaotic building layouts, small spacing and poor ventilation and lighting conditions, and some houses have become dangerous, seriously affecting the safety of residents' lives and property [8]

(3) Poor environmental hygiene

The demographic composition of urban villages is complex, with both local residents and a large number of foreigners. This is not conducive to their participation in social competition and has even led to unhealthy lifestyles for some residents. Due to the large loopholes in the management system, many urban villages have become major landing points and places for criminals to commit crimes. Fights and brawls occur in urban villages, and there are serious problems with pornography, gambling and drugs,

The urbanisation process in China is now steadily advancing and urbanisation is affecting every aspect of our lives. The most direct and obvious impact of urbanisation is on the villages around and in the cities, which are rapidly being swept into the cities in the tide of urbanisation, but which are not really integrated into the cities due to a range of related institutions and lagging economic development. Due to inadequate management, the lack of overall planning for the construction of urban villages, inadequate infrastructure and dirty, disorganised and poor environmental hygiene have seriously affected the appearance and modernisation of cities, hindered China's urbanisation process and brought about a series of social problems. The problems of urban villages can be summarised into four categories: irrational land use, Inadequate public facilities, Poor environmental hygiene and There are serious safety hazards.

(2) Inadequate public facilities

Due to the lack of planning in the construction of urban villages, the buildings are uneven and there is a strange lack of green space, people's education level is low and their awareness of environmental protection is weak.

Most typically, the road system is inadequate, with narrow roads that are inaccessible to some large vehicles and poor quality road surfaces that restrict access to some vehicles. Cultural and educational facilities are inadequate, with no large public libraries; there is also a lack of sports stadiums.

(1) Irrational land use

(4) There are serious safety hazards

(1) Government led model, development led model and village collective led model. The government led model refers to the government led transformation of urban villages, with top down transformation, unified transformation, unified planning and unified management. The government led model can be further subdivided. One model is where the government is responsible for the renovation process from start to finish, including all matters such as financial support, organising planning, demolition, resettlement and compensation, and construction. In another model, the developer, under the guidance of the government, provides part of the funding and receives part of the proceeds from the renovation. During the whole process, the enterprise is only responsible for providing financial support for the renovation, while other matters remain the responsibility of the government.

which have seriously affected the social atmosphere. It is particularly noteworthy that while urban villages continue to provide housing for the foreign population, they have also become homes for low quality and unemployed people, becoming not only a blind spot in urban planning, urban management and social security, but also a factor that affects the overall level of development of the city. [8]

In 2004, the Shenzhen government introduced a policy name Interim Regulations on the Transformation of Urban Villages in Shenzhen for the transformation of urban villages. At the time, the informal state of urban villages was considered a flaw in "perfect urbanisation" and was once referred to as "the cancer of the city" by Wei & Yan (2005) [9] . In 2012, for the first time, the stock of land in Shenzhen exceeded the new land, and an inflection point in land development and utilisation patterns emerged. In recent years, there has been a great deal of glamour for secondary urbanisation. Those urban villages that have not been built according to plan, have not been transformed according to policy and are in the heart of the city cannot avoid becoming one of the new targets. There is a growing tension between the urban village and the external city. In the temporal dimension, the two are not in conflict, recounting the history of Shenzhen's urban development from macro and individual perspectives respectively; in fact, the two cannot be separated, and Shenzhen cannot move towards a future that does not contain its own history. To a large extent, the model of urban village transformation foreshadows the future direction of Shenzhen's urban development.

1.5 The current model of urban village transformation

There are currently three main models for the transformation of urban villages.

(3) The village collective led model refers to a bottom up reform in which the village collective is the main body responsible for the transformation of the urban village. This model has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantages are that it can mobilise the residents to the greatest extent possible and allow the villagers to actively participate in the transformation of the urban village, with each villager being the leader of the transformation process and also the beneficiary of the benefits. The disadvantage is that this model requires a lot from the village in all aspects, including financial, technical, professional, organisational and other skills.

The transformation of urban villages must take into account their complex current situation, often accompanied by associated human, historical, socio economic and ecological issues Jin (2011) [10] . In the past, the Chinese government's attitude and approach to the transformation of urban villages has often been impetuous, with a "one size fits all" approach to major demolition and construction. The most exaggerated approach is the complete demolition and redevelopment of urban villages, which results in the disruption of the historical lineage and the loss of the regional identity of the city itself Lingxi(2009) [11] In the late 1980s, American scholar O’Donnell, Mary Annand(1984) summarised the urban design strategy of 'urban catalyst', which involves the strategic introduction of new elements to rejuvenate existing elements of the city without radically altering them, and as the catalyst stirs up this new vitality, it also influences the form, character and quality of the successive urban elements introduced[12] .

(2) The developer led model means that the developer will fund and organise the renovation work, obtain revenue through market oriented operation, the government will provide preferential policies and management support, and the villagers will actively cooperate with the renovation work to achieve a win win situation for all three parties as far as possible. As professional real estate operators, developers have a better grasp of the market situation and are more experienced, which can alleviate the pressure on the government and village collectives; however, developer led urban village transformation tends to ignore the interests of villagers; after all, developers are market competitors, not public interest organisations, and everything must be done to maximise their own interests, which may defeat the original purpose of urban village transformation.

Through a comprehensive study of urban catalyst theory, this paper explores the principles and directions of the application of the 'urban catalyst' strategy in the

It is hoped that this project will provide a new way of thinking about the transformation of urban villages in Shenzhen.

transformation of urban villages. At the same time, this essay summarises the diversity of 'urban catalysts' for urban village regeneration. Through the analysis of the case of Nantou Old Town, the application of the tactile conservation and regeneration model in practice is grasped at two levels: the shaping of the 'urban catalyst' elements and the way the 'urban catalyst' model is practised, both in material and immaterial forms.

Chapter 2: Urban renewal and catalyst theory

2.1 Review of Global Urban Renewal Theory Research Studies

In this section I will review the literature on urban regeneration and urban catalyst theory to gain a full understanding of the principles and historical applications of urban regeneration and urban catalysts and to provide a basis for applying the theory to the regeneration of urban villages.

Over the past 20 years, the spatial reconfiguration brought about by China's economic development and urbanisation has attracted considerable attention from scholars around the world. This includes studies of the urbanisation of China's Special Economic Zones, The Great Leap Forward (2002) [13], and a post doctoral study on architecture and the urban condition by the renowned architect Rem Koolhaas at Harvard University's Graduate School of Architecture and Urbanism. There is also Learning from Shenzhen: China's Post Maoist Experiment from Special Zone to Model City (2020) [14], an academic book by the American scholar FIRST NAME O’Donnell, Mary Annand his team that reflects comprehensively on Shenzhen's reform and opening up experience, its achievements and its evaluation. In all these studies we can find their interpretations of urbanisation and China's urban villages. There is no concept of urban functional areas with the same connotation as urban villages, except for the Chinese region, but urban villages, slums, ghettos, and other self help Housing areas bear a strong resemblance to them. It has been widely used by scholars to make comparisons with urban villages in China. Furthermore, the social and spatial nature of urban villages is very similar to that of urban heritage and the old urban areas of urban centres. This is why the urban heritage conservation approach and the old city renovation approach are increasingly being used by scholars in the renovation activities of Chinese urban villages.

Throughout the history of urban regeneration on a global scale, the early years of urban regeneration during the Industrial Revolution were devoted to environmental improvements in working class neighbourhoods and to slum improvements where poorer residents lived. Urban regeneration in Europe and the United States prior to World War II was more geared towards the renewal of dilapidated rental housing in older cities. The idea of the idyllic city, proposed by Howard in England, was also primarily a response to the overcrowding of workers' housing in the old city. He hoped that by building a field city, the workers in the inner city would be relocated to the new city in the far suburbs, thus providing for the renewal of the old city. In addition, the French architect Le Corbusier's ideal proposals for the construction of the old city

In 1961, Lewis Mumford [16], a leading American urban theorist, published a book “The History of Urban Development”, which set out his reflections on urban development in Europe and America, in which he stressed the idea that urban planning should be people centred, with the basic needs of people as the starting point. In the book of The Life and Death of Great American Cities [17] , Jane Jacobs blames the destruction of traditional cultural diversity in cities through large scale urban renewal, suggesting that 'diversity is the nature of cities' and advocating a continuous, gradual, small and flexible approach to urban renewal. In 1973, the British scholar Schumacher, E. F. published his book Small is Beautiful[18], in which he pointed out the drawbacks and limitations of the post war model of large scale economic development through his long term observations and personal experiences in India, proposing that planning should start with "scattering people" and advocating the adoption of "human scale of production" and "appropriate technology" in urban development. In 1975, Alexander(1975) [19] published The Oregon Experiment, which also argued against large scale knock down redevelopment and explored small scale, continuous, multifunctional approaches to urban renewal. Rowe and Koetter (1983) [20] published

of Paris, such as the 'City of Light'[15], suggested that the old city be completely demolished and the new city rebuilt. Of course, this proposal to renew the old city had a very damaging effect on the old Parisian city and was not adopted or implemented. After the Second World War, Western cities embarked on a massive urban renewal movement. The model of post war reconstruction generally adopted the concept of modern urban planning, and most cities did not undertake major restructuring of their cities for various reasons, including the urgency of post war reconstruction. The UK also redeveloped old residential areas of the city after the war, mostly in the form of piecemeal demolition and large scale redevelopment. In order to clear slums, rationalise the distribution of urban land, revitalise the inner city, provide more housing for city dwellers and improve the physical living conditions of the city and other social issues, the immaturity of planning thinking has not only destroyed the organic structure and physical form of the original city, but has also created many new social problems and undermined the stability and diversity of the city. As Europe entered a period of rapid economic growth in the 1960s, the regeneration of old cities during the post war reconstruction period showed signs of economic decline due to the restructuring of industries. In order to solve the problem of the decline of old cities, urban regeneration characterised by the introduction of a variety of integrated functions for urban redevelopment began. The relatively large scale of these urban regenerations, which involved a wide range of social and economic factors, brought about many criticisms.

"Organic" refers to the concept of the city as a "living" organism, a harmonious unity of parts and the whole. We have studied the "organic city" theory through the "rural city" advocated by the British sociologist Howard(1906), the "Garden city movement"[20] proposed by the American architect Wright and the "organic evacuation theory" proposed by Saarinen(1940)[22]. The study of these organic city theories, such as the "organic evacuation theory" proposed by E. Saarinen, summarises the "organic nature" of the city as follows: emphasising the organic integration of the city with nature, following the law of gradual urban development and conforming to the principle of living metabolism. [23] Professor Liangyong (1994) concludes in his book “Beijing's Old Town”. The so called 'organic regeneration' is to adopt an appropriate scale according to the content and requirements of the transformation, to properly deal with the relationship between the present and the future, and to continuously improve the quality of planning and design so that each piece of development achieves relative integrity, and the sum of these relatively intact plots helps to improve the overall environment of Beijing's old city and achieve the purpose of organic regeneration". From the above it can be concluded that the city is an organic whole, from the city to the buildings, from the whole to the parts that are organically linked, like the various tissues of a living organism, interconnected with each other and at the same time living together in harmony, forming the order and vitality of the whole. Urban construction must therefore follow its intrinsic order and laws, conforming to the original urban fabric and maintaining its harmonious coexistence[24] .

2.1.2 The theory of "organic renewal"

2.1.3 The theory of sustainable development

In his article "Old City Renovation and Sustainable Development" Chen Yewei(2012) [25] , pointed out that urban renewal is a complex and systematic project, and that in order to solve the contradictions and problems in old cities, it is necessary to take the path of sustainable development. On the premise of preserving the historical and

his influential book The Collage City in 1983, proposing that the objects and methods of collage should be inspired and generated from the fabric of the city's older areas, using an 'organic collage' approach to thinking about how to build cities. In reading the literature on urban regeneration, I found that the theory of 'organic regeneration' and the concept of sustainable development play an important guiding role in urban regeneration. Therefore, it is also necessary to gain an understanding of these two theories.

(1) The modern functional city theory previously proposed is no longer suitable for the development of contemporary society, shifting from an updated design that focuses solely on the rationalization of functional use spaces to a thinking that integrates socio economic effects, cultural effects, and the comfort of people's accommodation.

(3) The cycle of regeneration has been lengthened from one of large scale, unified and decisive planning to one of phased, subdivisional and small scale spontaneous regeneration, instead of being led by the former real estate developers.

Urban renewal theories summarized:

(4) With the rapid development of the global economy, the focus of planning has gradually shifted from solving the housing problems of the disadvantaged to focusing

cultural aspects of the city's traditional landscape, it is necessary to renew and renovate all the old undesirable structures and relationships that hinder economic development, social progress, environmental improvement and improvement of the quality of life, as well as affect the economic structure, industrial structure, urban planning structure adjustment and optimal land allocation, and to continuously adjust, improve and optimise the planning structure and land use structure in the process of renovation and development. Through urban regeneration, we must build a modern, integrated cultural, tourism and commercial centre across the centuries with unique spatial forms, ecological harmony and orderly movement systems to create a favourable environment for sustainable development. Chen Yiwei(2012)[25] , pointed out that the relationship between growth and development must be handled well, and that what we are seeking is growth with development, not growth without development, nor slow and insignificant development. Sustainable development emphasises a path of continuous development, arguing that development that cuts off history is development without a foundation and development without a future, and that the conservation and development of historic locations must deal with the relationship between conservation and renewal and between life and tourism. The relationship between the two means preserving what is valuable and renewing what is outdated and unsound; the life of the inhabitants of the historic area and the development of tourism require different spaces and facilities, and only a balance between the two can promote each other and sustain development.

Since the early 1980s, when urban regeneration emerged in Europe and the United States, the approach to planning and regeneration has undergone a dramatic transformation, which can be summarised in the following four main features from the reading of the literature above…link with Chinese context

(2) Planning is gradually moving beyond the current decades of planning to take a longer term view and promote the sustainability of urban regeneration.

on human comfort and "putting people first", which is reflected in the shaping of the quality of living space and the importance of public space for human interaction and activities. [26]

2.2.1 Implications of Urban Catalysis Theory

The concept of "urban catalysts" originated in the United States with Wayne Otto, Don K. O'Toole, Don Logan. The book (American Urban Architecture A Catalysts In The Design Of Cities) [27] details the urban design strategy of 'urban catalysts', which strategically introduce new elements or change existing ones to achieve continuous incremental change. The book details the 'urban catalyst' strategy of urban design, which strategically introduces new elements or changes existing ones to achieve continuous incremental change. According to Wayne Otto and Don Logan's urban catalyst theory, if we look at urban development from the perspective of a 'chemist', as a chemical reaction, each element of the city can act as a reactant in the chemical reaction. The reactions between them can then be regulated by adding or creating certain "catalytic elements". The elements of the planned area and the development are controlled and each old element has a close relationship with the other until a new one is inserted. The previously prevalent humanism, systemism and formalism all have their own blind spots and all suggest that cities should have a simple and uniform character. It overturns the previous single form of change and does not limit itself to any means but changes urban development from a different perspective. This is the most important feature that sets it apart from other theoretical systems Urban catalysts can contribute to changes in the urban fabric by strategically inserting catalytic elements into the city and by shaping them to cause changes in the quality of the surrounding environment. Through the interaction of the catalytic elements with the surrounding area, the subsequent urban development is gradually promoted in a sustainable and progressive manner. An urban catalyst can be an element of the physical form of a city, for example, the construction of a building entity, the creation of an open space or public space, the transformation of a neighbourhood, the development of an urban centre, etc. It is also known as a physical catalyst; An urban catalyst can also be a virtual immaterial form, such as a law, a policy, or even an activity, which can also be called a virtual catalyst. It transforms the lives of urban dwellers on a spiritual level, thus enhancing the overall cultural atmosphere of the city. Whether

In reading about theories of urban regeneration, the theory of urban catalysis has also been applied by urban planners to urban renewal activities. The following is a literature review of the principles and applications of urban catalysis theory

it is a "physical catalyst" or a "virtual catalyst", it should be a source of regional dynamism and a positive stimulus to the surrounding environment and things. The "catalytic effect" can be enormous, whether on a small scale or regionally. [28]

The intervention of urban catalytic elements causes a chain reaction within the physical environment of the city, thus changing people's perception of urban development and the way in which the city is subsequently built, leading to the linked development of the surrounding area and the city as a whole. In essence, urban catalysts are buildings, places or areas that are popular activities or have a strong appeal to human beings. The gathering of people not only brings vitality to the city, but also effectively contributes to economic development. [29]

In the development of a city, the lack of connection between old and unwieldy elements, in the absence of organic organisation, can make the development of a city less dynamic. If we think of change and development between them as a 'chemical reaction', new elements are introduced or old elements are changed to produce positive change. As the reaction proceeds, these catalytic elements re establish good connections and work together for the good development of the whole area, including the economy, culture and all aspects of life. This 'reaction' does not deny the old elements, but rather injects new energy and takes an inclusive approach to improving the existing old elements, so that they interact with each other to enhance urban development as a whole.

(2) Catalyst distribution and route of actions

2.2.2 Principles of the Urban Catalyst Theory

According to the above theoretical principles, a catalyst implies the introduction of a new element to modify other elements, either as a functional change or as a shaping of spatial patterns, which is shaped by the work itself and which in turn acts on the work as a whole. It was created to stimulate continuous and progressive innovation in the city, forming an element that gradually influences and activates subsequent change and development.'' The creation and shaping of the 'catalytic element' is the first and most important part of the catalytic reaction, which involves a deliberate and imaginative step towards a controlled and effective approach to the whole process of future development.

The development of an entire city requires multiple catalytic points, large or small, which initially act on a small surrounding area and which, as the reaction proceeds, become interconnected. The initially created catalytic elements, with different directions and forms, are linked to the existing urban elements in different ways,

(1) Shaping of catalytic elements

forming a catalytic whole that greatly influences the direction and manner of urban development. Therefore, the distribution of the tactile points and the establishment of paths of interaction between the elements are important. [30] Urban catalytic approaches are not monolithic and are not limited to one formal, functional or spiritual innovation to achieve a unified form, but use them in combination to shape the city.

Urban catalysts operate on the principle of using new urban catalytic elements with the creation and transformation of existing urban elements to shape new urban spaces and atmospheres and continuously guide cities in a positive direction.

(1) Research on the theory of urban catalysts Professor Guangjun(2006) article "The "Catalytic Effect" of Urban Design" [31] and "On the Impact of Urban Design Projects on the Surrounding Environment under the "Catalytic Effect"[32] summarize the forms and characteristics of the role of catalysts. Yuefang(2009)[33] et al.'s 'Interpretation of Urban Event Catalyst Theory' provides a detailed study on the use of urban events as urban catalysts.

By exploring suitable tactile design strategies, the way in which the tactile works and the specific strategies are explored from the perspective of urban design. For example, Professor Guangjun(2006)'s [34] article 'On the connotation and role of urban catalysts an analysis of the urban design scheme of Shenzhen Bao'an New Central District', Li Heping's(2001) [35] article 'Urban design strategies for the riverside area based on urban catalysts', and Zhang Mu's(2001) [36] article 'A brief discussion on the theory of

Firstly, by analysing the existing location, resources and industries, developing the existing resources, establishing the original contact points, choosing the angle of application and the vehicle of vitality of the contact points, enhancing the influence of the contact points by means of urban catalysts and, in the operation of the urban contact points, acquiring other elements of the contact points material renewal or functional reorganisation as the city develops, giving them a special identity, influencing and even changing the obsolete elements around them, influencing with them the material and spiritual dimension of the symbiosis.

2.2.3 The application of urban catalyst theory in urban regeneration

(2) Urban catalysts from an urban design perspective

(3) Principle of action

Currently, Chinese scholars have conducted extensive research on urban catalyst theory in practice: it has been applied in theory, urban design, industrial heritage conservation, rail transportation, historic district preservation, old city renovation and large scale project practice.

23 urban catalysts The urban design of the Xintiandi project in Shanghai as an example' by Zhang M. are all methodological studies on urban design from the perspective of (3)catalysts.Application of urban catalysts in industrial heritage conservation Jianwei(2005)'s master's thesis from Southwest Jiaotong University, 'A study on the regeneration strategy of old industrial factories based on the theory of "urban catalyst"'[37] , proposes the principles and objectives of industrial heritage regeneration, and proposes a regeneration strategy from three perspectives: functional, spatial and cultural through the "Dongjiao Memory" project in Chengdu. The study also proposed a regeneration strategy from three perspectives: functional, spatial and cultural. The master's thesis of Su Rui(2014) of Chongqing University, 'A Study on Industrial Heritage Regeneration Strategies Based on "Urban Catalyst"' [38], takes the industrial heritage regeneration project of the Chaoyang Factory in Mianyang as a concrete case study, and constructs a strategic framework for urban industrial heritage regeneration under the theory of "urban catalyst", in order to achieve a multi faceted regeneration of old industrial areas. The study uses the Chaoyang Factory industrial heritage regeneration project in Mianyang as a specific case study to build a strategic framework for the regeneration of urban industrial heritage under the theory of "urban catalyst", in order to achieve the purpose of revitalising old industrial areas from multiple

(4)perspectives.Application of "urban catalyst" in the conservation and renewal of historic districts and old cities. The article by Zhaohui(2006) [39] , "Conservation, development "catalyst" exploring the method of ancient city conservation", proposes the idea of "catalyst" that not only protects the authenticity of ancient cities but also promotes urban development. The article by Xu Yunxi(2008) of Chongqing University[40], "A Practical Exploration of "Catalytic" Old City Renovation and Renewal", uses the planning of the southern district of the Chinese Wine Capital in Yibin, Sichuan Province, as a case study. A detailed discussion of the application of urban catalytic theory in the transformation and renewal of old cities. Sun Le(2008) [41] of Tongji University's "Research on Urban Catalyst Strategies in the Revitalization of Historic Districts" focuses on two catalyst models: public space for functional renewal and historic buildings for functional replacement as urban catalysts; Xuefei(2011)[42] of Shandong University of Construction's "An Analysis of Urban Catalyst Theory Based on the Model of Urban Conservation and Renewal in Historic Districts Liu Xuefei's. An analysis of the conservation and renewal model of urban historic districts based on the "urban catalyst theory"' provides an important discussion of the catalyst theory in the conservation and renewal of historic districts. Many of the points made in the

(3) Urban character

The city must explore its historical and cultural characteristics, enhance the charm of the old city and carry forward its traditional culture on the premise of protecting its traditional fabric and traditional pattern in order to reflect its local characteristics and attract tourists with a deep humanistic landscape. [45] On the basis of the analysis of the historical, social and economic background and current situation of the city, the historical, scientific, artistic and cultural values of the city are reflected. In the process of renovation of the old city, attention should be paid to the protection of the urban pattern and urban landscape, and the combination of inheritance, protection and development should be adhered to, avoiding the simple negation of the old things,

The revival of historic areas requires attention to the establishment of a human centred sense of place, and the value of the old city lies not only in the buildings themselves but also in the spirit of place inherited from its history. Christian Norberg Schulz's(1980) book Genius Loci Towards a Phenomenology of Architecture [43] argues that a place is a space with a clear identity, and a space with a clear identity. In the book Genius Loci Towards a Phenomenology of Architecture, Christian Norberg Schulz argues that a place is a space with a definite identity, a living world composed of concrete phenomena, in a sense a physical and spatial personal memory. This can also be interpreted as a sense of identity and belonging to a place. Place thus has not only the form of a physical space but also a spiritual meaning. The space of place is the focus of renewal, enabling specific behavioural activities to take place in a specific space, with the help of specific functional business forms, creating a certain continuity. Therefore, in the shaping of catalytic elements, the non material catalytic elements of the regional spirit of place should be constantly shaped to guide the surrounding material, cultural and economic elements, ultimately forming stimulating catalytic factors that are influential in material, economic, cultural and environmental terms.

The Japanese architect Tadao Ando(2005)[44] once noted that "in the historical context, creative design allows things to reproduce what has been lost in the passage of time, which is the spirit of place in people's collective memory."

above mentioned papers are instructive for this thesis, from which three main principles for the use of urban catalysts in urban regeneration can be summarised.

(1) Continuity

A single catalytic element has a limited scope of influence and cannot be used as the only means to provoke change in the city as a whole; only by building a continuous chain of catalysts and synergising the continuous action of different elements can a wide range of urban factors be formed.

(2) Sense of Place

and the big demolition and construction will make the city lose its original flavour and

TheSummarycharm.traces

of human history and folklore in urban regeneration are now regarded as precious treasures that should be preserved in the practice of urban regeneration and should not be changed in a radical manner using modernism. Urban regeneration in China is still at a relatively crude stage, and there are many ideas and tools that we can learn from it in comparison to international examples. The introduction of catalytic theory gives us a different perspective on urban issues, embracing old things with a sea of tolerance, producing complex and integrated results. A chemist's perspective on urban change and development, combined with modern theories of urban regeneration, the implantation of new elements, i.e. catalytic elements, and the minimisation of transformation means, including economic, regulatory and policy guidance in all aspects, to trigger a "chemical" change in the area, so that it will continue to develop in a positive direction itself. While developing, the current texture and historical heritage of the area being regenerated should be respected, and the adjustment catalyst should be controlled on the basis of organic regeneration, sustainable development and heritage conservation, so that urban regeneration can continue to develop in a good direction.

SZ-HK Urbanism\Architecture Bi-City Biennale in Nantou Old Town

Nantou Old Town, formerly known as Xin'an Old Town, is the area with the highest concentration of cultural relics protection units in Shenzhen, and as important evidence of the cultural homogeneity and cultural origins of Shenzhen and Hong Kong, its history can be traced back to about 1700 in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Historically, the city of Nantou has undergone the evolution of "Dong Guan County Dong Guan County Dongguan Shou Yu Qian Hao Xin An County Bao An County People's Government Jiu Xi Village the urban area (Figure 6). It is an atypical historical location with the dual identity of an urban village. The complexity of this identity makes it difficult to choose between two urban development propositions: preservation and regeneration. [46]

This chapter explores the impact of urban activity catalysts on urban village transformation strategies, cultural and economic significance, generalisation of transformation approaches and exploration of development directions, using the Nantou Old Town of the Shenzhen Hong Kong Biennale as an example.

3.1. Background of Nantou Old Town

Chapter 3:

Figure 6: Changes in Nantou Old Town, from Old Town to Urban Village. (Source: Lihui LIU, 2022)

In recent years, the local government has organised several planning and international consultation events to promote the overall development of the city, but the development of Nantou City is caught in a dilemma where both urban village transformation and historical and cultural conservation are prerequisites. Most of the villagers in the village have long since moved out, and nearly 90% of the residents are transient people living in the area. In recent years, the government has separately invited local planning institutes, design industry consortia, renowned architects, planning academics, university research, and teams to make planning and design proposals with different stances in the hope of finding an approach to urban regeneration beyond the traditional planning blueprint style. This includes the 2016 Nantou Old Town Implementation Plan and Urban Design for Key Lots, which proposes a positioning and regeneration strategy for the Old Town that is recognised by all sectors and sets a culturally oriented tone for the transformation of Nantou Old Town(Figure7 8).

Figure 7 8: Aerial view and map of Nantou Old Town. (Source: cargocollective, 2016:online)

3.2 Review of the last decade of urban regeneration in Nantou Old Tow

3.3 Reflections on the development positioning of Nantou Old Town

The juxtaposition of buildings from different historical periods and contemporary architecture in sedimentary rock formations is precisely the cultural value and spatial heritage that Nantou should be most recognised for. If the comprehensive presentation of the millennium old cultural heritage to the world is what makes Nantou distinctive and unique, then the flexible culture led development that enhances the brand impact of the region is what precisely and uniquely positions Nantou Old Town. [47]

The historical landscape of the ancient city of Nantou is mostly discontinuous, fragmented islands and clusters of surviving historical buildings or buildings, which are difficult to classify into the three levels of China's historical and cultural conservation system, and it seems more accurate to define it as a "fragmented" historical site. If we look at the concept of 'historic districts' in a longer term cycle, although less than 5 per cent of the historical heritage buildings exist, the large number of old houses belonging to the people, military facilities during the Japanese occupation, buildings from the Bao'an County period in the 1950s, buildings from the Jiujie Village period in the 1960s and 1970s, village collectives after the establishment of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone in 1980, and buildings in urban villages that have gradually emerged since 1992 constitute a huge amount of urban historical heritage (Figure 9).

Figure 9: Distribution of buildings from different periods in the ancient city of Nan Tou. (Source: urbanus, 2022)

Urban events are generally large and influential events organised by cities, or collective actions or social phenomena that have a significant impact on cities. City events that act as catalysts are usually cultural and sporting events that have a positive impact on the development of the city, such as the Olympic Games, the World Expo, the Cultural Fair, the Biennale, etc. Such events are rare opportunities for urban development and can be considered as an effective urban catalyst for gaining media attention and spreading urban culture in the short term In developed countries with high levels of urbanisation, urban events are often used as a catalyst to bring older areas out of environmental decay, economic depression and loss of community vitality. For example, the Kassel Documenta (Germany) [49] led to the revival of urban culture in the old central city of Kassel, which was successfully transformed into a post industrial centre of German culture and creativity (Figure 10). The Gamcheon dong

3.4Finding a regeneration strategy unique to Nantou Old Town

3.5 Using urban events as urban catalysts

The basic mode of urban village transformation in Shenzhen is complete demolition and redevelopment and comprehensive redevelopment. Based on the special characteristics and cultural values of the Nantou Old Town, it is inappropriate to demolish the old and build the new on a large scale, while comprehensive redevelopment is more oriented towards the renewal and upgrading of the physical space, making it difficult to promote the cultural revival of the Old Town and empower future development. It is therefore necessary to iterate the urban regeneration model, with top down planning and government investment to activate the culture of the old city in the early stages of transformation, and then attracting social resources and community residents to work together to regenerate the community from the bottom up. In the Nantou Old Town Implementation Plan and Urban Design[48]for the Key Areas, seven tailored urban regeneration strategies can be found: (1) the Touring Garden Revival Plan (2) the Boundary Reshaping Plan (3) the Ancient Building Conservation Plan (4) the Main Street Pilot Plan (6) the Cultural and Creative Factory Plan and (7) the Inner City Dynamic Regeneration Plan. These regeneration strategies are culturally oriented and act as a trigger for urban regeneration beyond the transformation of physical space, stimulating a sense of self determination and cultural revival in the old city, thus accelerating urban development.

The "Shenzhen Hong Kong Bi City Biennale of Urbanism and Architecture", which focuses on urban culture and regional development, is a large scale exhibition with

area in Busan, Korea, was revitalised through the Village Art Project and became the Busan Gamcheon Cultural Village, to name but a few (Figure 11) [50]. A representative example from other Chinese cities is the use of Beijing International Design Week[51] as a catalyst for urban activities to transform the old district of Qianmen Dazhalan in Beijing. It provides other cities in China with a successful model of innovative government led, multi disciplinary and market based organic regeneration of old cities

Figure 10: The Kassel Documenta (Germany). (Source: documenta, 2012)

Figure 11: The Busan Gamcheon Cultural Village. (Source: dailytravelpill, 2021)

has had a positive and far reaching impact on the regeneration and subsequent development of the sites selected for the exhibition, for example, by facilitating the transformation of the old factory site of Overseas Chinese Town into Shenzhen's most important cultural industry cluster, the OCT Creative Culture Park, after avoiding the demolition of the narrow area; and by activating the abandoned factory site of China Merchants Shekou and transforming it into the I factory Value Factory Cultural and Creative Industrial Park after the exhibition. In December 2017, the Shenzhen Hong Kong Bi City Biennale announced the curatorial theme of "Cities, Grow In Difference", with the main exhibition venue located in Nantou Old Town. At a time when urban village (urban village) conflicts are intensifying, curators: critic Hou Hanru, founding partner of URBANUS Urban Practice[51], architect Liu Xiaodu and Meng Yan attempt to intervene in the renewal of the ancient city by means of "urban curation", introducing public art to reshape the cultural atmosphere of the ancient city, evoking a sense of belonging and environmental self consciousness among residents, and establishing a virtuous cycle for the renewal of the ancient city from the inside out, in an attempt to develop a new approach for the transformation of urban villages in Shenzhen.

1. Reordering public space

Constructing a cross shaped spatial development axis

The cross shaped main street is the main feature of the spatial framework of the historic old town of Nantou, which existed as a coastal defence town , but as it was downgraded to a village, the skeleton of the cross gradually blurred into the present day pattern of six vertical and one horizontal. Taking the opportunity of the Biennale, the reopening of the north south spatial axis has a symbolic meaning of the revival of the old city and a practical value of the spatial framework (Figure12). Site constraints have been fully considered and a flexible strategy of 'minimal demolition and partial demolition compensation' has been adopted to avoid permanent buildings. A new exhibition route is planned, starting from the Guandi Temple outside the South Gate, passing through the South City Gate and Zhongshan South Street (i.e. Main Street), turning north east at Newspaper and Telegraph Square and entering the Cultural and

international influence organised by the Shenzhen government. Since its inception in 2005, it has served as a catalyst for urban events and has had a positive and far reaching impact on the regeneration and subsequent development of the exhibition

Thesite.exhibition

3.6 SZ-HK Urbanism\ Architecture Bi-City Biennale in Nantou Old Town

Figure 12: Connecting the north and south axes through the installation of catalysts (Source: urbanus, 2017)

Creative Factory area, then north west past the Grand Stage and directly north into Zhongshan Park, ending at the site of the North City Wall.

Recreating the shape of the ancient city guard

The cross spine links the surviving ruins of the South City Gate, East City Gate and North City Wall, with a view to evoking the perception and scale of the ancient city's boundaries. On this basis, the 'Wengcheng' is restored by means of a landscape installation, following an ancient map, to emphasise the symbolic significance of Nantou as a military stronghold of the Ming and Qing dynasties the 'wengcheng' form(Figure13 14). At the same time, the open space of the basketball court at the intersection of the cross streets has been chosen as the core public space, forming the cultural centre of the old city together with the Dongguan Hall and the Newspaper Deity Ancestral Hall and other adjacent historical buildings.

Figure 13 14: 'Wengcheng' is restored by means of a landscape installation (Source: urbanus, 2017)

2. Setting up spatial catalytic points

Creating outdoor spatial nodes in the Old City Firstly, buildings and spaces with spatial and cultural significance were chosen, such as the park and Guandi Temple outside the city gate, the open spaces and alleys along the city streets, the basketball court and the tin roof, the factory building of the Jiangye factory and the stage of everyone's music, and so on. These places, which are attached to the cross spatial axis, meet the needs of the exhibition venue and are set up as spatial contact points (Figure15). For example, the Shuyuan Square at the entrance to the city has been upgraded and transformed into a community stage, which will be used as a venue for parent child building activities during the exhibition for fun and education. The basketball court has been retained for use during the exhibition as an opening ceremony, art film, etc. The abandoned site between the dormitories in the northern factory area was turned into a weekend creative market through landscape treatment, to name but a few.These touchpoints were required for the use of the exhibition, and the organisers invited renowned architects and artists from around the world to participate in the design, bringing a strong design resource

16 18: Biennale event activates urban village (Source: urbanus, 2017)

2017)Figure

to the urban village. (Figure16 18) Most of these works are physical legacies that remain permanently in the urban village and become event touchpoints.

Figure 15: Setting up touchpoints to form exhibition routes. On this scheme what is explained (Source: urbanus,

Renovation of public buildings in the community

With only ten months to prepare for the exhibition, only two key nodal spaces were selected for renovation. The first is the transformation of the tin houses on either side of the basketball court into a community centre and bookshop. The two buildings face each other with a stepped façade facing the court, together creating a sense of community centre surrounded by spectator seating (Figure19 21). The weekly cultural talks held during the exhibition attracted a large number of villagers and citizens, and after the exhibition there were spontaneous concerts and reading sessions organised by social groups. These two buildings of less than 600 m²have successfully acted as a catalyst for the emergence of community culture and have become an important base for cultural exchange between the city and the village. The second is the transformation of the existing industrial buildings on the north side. The transformation of the first to third floors of the leased factory into a core exhibition space, the removal of the factory wall and the partial elevation of the first floor of the factory have also led to the dissolution of the boundaries of the factory and the weakening of spatial conflicts, allowing villagers to move freely through to the city park in the north. In order to further alleviate the spatial conflict between the conservation of the old city and the development of the factory, the 'Cultural and Creative Factory Renovation Project'(Figure22 23) was proposed to stimulate social and cultural events, to promote the innovation of the use of the old factory, and to gradually narrow down the processing and manufacturing industry and transform it into a cultural and creative development.

During the exhibition period, the curatorial team has planned a wide range of activities and public events, including creative bazaars, art talks, cinema events, cultural

Figure19 21: Old Town Vitality Centre before and after renovation (Source: urbanus, 2017)

Figure22 23: 'Cultural and Creative Factory Renovation Project' (Source: urbanus, 2017)

3. Planning public events at the point of contact

37 workshops, domestic and international academic exchanges, performance and creative workshops, performance sharing sessions, UABB classes, and large scale parent child building(Figure24). The main exhibition is open six days a week, but events are organised as frequently as weekly and held simultaneously at various spatial touch points in the city, aiming to attract people of different ages, cultural levels, educational backgrounds and leisure orientations to the city. The exhibition is a great opportunity for the transient residents of the city to show their interest in their own environment and their curiosity about outsiders, and to pave the way for the cultural development of the community after the exhibition. After the exhibition period, the community will build its own cultural activities in a planned manner. By joining forces with cultural societies, artists and cultural institutions that have already moved into the city to build a platform for cultural development, and by cooperating with the Old City Renewal Company, it will regularly organise performances and cultural exchanges with outside societies on its own initiative or by inviting them, so as to combine cultural revival with industrial upgrading and promote the autonomous renewal of the Old City.

Figure24: 'One of the venues where regular weekly talks and events take place during the Biennale' (Source: urbanus, 2017)

TheSummarycaseof the Shenzhen Hong Kong Biennale held in the ancient city of Nantou is a case study of the historical background of the ancient city of Nantou to gain a deep understanding of its cultural specificity, to see it as a contemporary urban heritage, and to position it as a unique development with culture oriented and flexible development. The government attempts to use urban events as catalysts for the organic regeneration of old cities. Around the event catalyst, attempts are made to

Although the 2017 Shenzhen Hong Kong Bi City Biennale of Urban＼Architecture has come to an end, this small step taken with the help of the urban event catalyst is profoundly changing the direction and strategy of urban regeneration in Nantou Old Town, and providing an experimental sample of urban village transformation in Shenzhen.

adjust the regeneration strategy, such as laying out the spatial carrier of the catalyst, adjusting the timing of spatial transformation, establishing a multi party cooperation mechanism and bringing in social resources for joint construction. The strategic impact, cultural and economic significance, regeneration approach and development direction of urban event catalysts on urban village regeneration are explored, and new solutions are formulated for the urban village regeneration problem in Shenzhen.

Chapter 4: Discussion and Conclusions

In my opinion, the strategy of urban events as a catalyst for urban regeneration is only the beginning of the urban regeneration process. When the urban events are over, what happens to the physical spaces in which they are held? This is a question that deserves further consideration, such as the Biennale mentioned in this article, through

This paper explored urban regeneration strategies based on the urban catalyst theory. In the transformation of urban villages, the mere renewal of the spatial environment often fails to address the phenomenon of urban village decay at a deeper level. A successful urban village regeneration must combine physical, functional, economic and social aspects to achieve a comprehensive revival. It is important to understand the market demand so as to tap into the distinctive connotations of urban villages and their strategic development orientation. To understand the problems of the urban village and propose regeneration strategies to solve the problems in terms of roads, site nature, structure and green space. Through the renewal of the functional structure and the construction of the architectural style of urban villages, the characteristics and relevant elements of the tactile elements are applied to the characteristic projects to create a good atmosphere together with the surrounding environment, thus bringing about a dynamic and efficient urban tactile, which not only enhances the overall effectiveness of the city, but also allows for the scientific construction and operation of the city. For urban villages, their unique historical, cultural, architectural and landscape features can be explored in an appropriate way for the practice of catalytic modelling, mainly in the form of buildings, architectural patterns, public spaces and urban landscapes in the material form, and in the non material form, mainly for functional business and cultural heritage.

This paper analysed the model of Nantou's old city regeneration from the perspective of "urban catalysts". Firstly, the causes of decline and the principles of regeneration were studied in the context of the existing problems of the urban village, and then the dynamics, timing, characteristics and functional composition of different types and characteristics of catalytic elements and spatial texture, as well as the functional needs and place ambience of different areas, are explored to ensure the maximum effect of catalytic elements. The design of catalytic elements is a prerequisite for the success of the regeneration design, followed by the design of catalytic nodes based on catalytic elements to perpetuate the historical heritage and spirit of place, and to achieve the creation of multifunctional businesses, the spatial form of the buildings, the vitality of the neighbourhood and the enhancement of the urban landscape.

which people learned about the history of Shenzhen and the government went on to renovate the old town of Nantou, preserving the local historical buildings and developing them as tourist attractions to showcase Shenzhen's culture to the world. However, this has also led to an increase in property prices and rents in the old part of Nantou, as commercial values have risen. Thus, urban events act as catalysts for urban regeneration, inevitably leading to different degrees of gentrification. On the other hand, however, urban village regeneration based on the urban catalyst theory is a scientific and effective way of regeneration that ensures the inheritance and continuation of the local spirit and historical heritage, while obtaining the enhancement of material aspects such as functional reorganisation, urban landscape beautification, public space and architectural spatial forms, thus achieving complementary and coordinated development of the material and non material aspects and the revitalisation and economic revival of the neighbourhood. This model of regeneration is in line with the theory of organic regeneration and sustainable development, and has positive implications for the regeneration of urban villages.

[2] Couch, C.(1990) Urban renewal: Theory and practice In Macmillan building and surveying series. London: Macmillan Education.

[4] Smith,N．(1998) “The encyclopedia of housing,” London: Taylor andFrancis, pp.198 199

[8] Weiwen, L ． (2003) “Urbanization characteristics of "urban villages" and its problem analysis: the case of Guangzhou City,” Southern Population, pp. 28 33

[9] Wei L, H., Yan S. P. (2005) “The formation and evolution of "urban villages", informal migrant settlements in economically developed areas of China,” Management World, pp. 48 57

[6] Fu, C．(2006) “Guangdong urbanization,” Guangzhou: Guangdong People's Publishing House, pp. 43 50

[7] Mengqin, L (2000) “A study of the migrant settlement in Shipai: A comparison with the "Zhejiang Village" in Beijing,” Market and Demographic Analysis, pp. 41 46．

．

[10] Jin, Y (2011) “Urban regeneration: A new mile in urban development", Beijing: National Academy of Administration Press,”

．

[5] Peilin, L．(2002) “The End of the Village: A Study of the Village in the City,” China Social Science, pp. 168 179

．

[3] Zheng, H. W., Shen, G. Q. and Wang, H. (2014) “A Review of Recent Studies on Sustainable Urban Renewal,” Habitat International, 41, pp. 272 279.

[11] Lingxi, W (2009) “Analysis of the current situation, characteristics and problems of urban renewal in China", Theoretical Herald,”

[12] Otto, W. and Logan, D. (1994) “American Urban Architecture A Touchstone for Urban Design ", Taipei Chuang Hsing Press, translated by Shaofang, W

．

Reference list

[1] Urbanus (2017) SZ HK Urbanism\ Architecture Bi City Biennale. [Online] [Accessed on 25th November 2017] http://www.urbanus.com.cn/uabb/uabb2017/.

[13] Koolhaas, R. and Graduate School of Design (2002) “Great leap forward ", Harvard University,”

[Association.22]Saarinen, E. (1940) Eero saarinen. Tokyo: A U Pub. Co (A U, Apr. 1984 extra ed).

[2Press.5]Yewei, C. (2002) “Old city transformation and sustainable development".

[26] Xiaofeng, Z. (2012) “On the problems and optimization of urban renewal in China",Shandong: Shandong University

[23]Xiaojing, Z. (2007) “Organic renewal theory and its reflection", Agricultural Science and Technology and Information

[28] Sting,P (2013) “Study on the Revitalization Strategy of Tainan Anping Historic District from the Perspective of Urban Catalyst ",Guangzhou. South China University of Technology

[24] Liangyong, W. (1994) “Beijing's Old City and Ju'er Hutong ", China Construction Industry

[17] Jacobs, J. (1961) “The death and life of great American cities", London: Vintage Digital"

[29] Wantai,H and Yu,L. (2012) “Thinking about old city transformation planning based on urban catalyst theory",Guangzhou. Urban Geography.

[14] Maryanno,D Winnie,W and Jonathan,B. (2020) “Learning from Shenzhen South China Morning Post ",Chicago and London:The University of Chicago Press

[21]Harris, G. M. and Howard, E. (1906) The garden city movement. London: Garden city

[16] Mumford, L. (1989) “The history of urban development: origins, evolution and prospects",Beijing: China Construction Industry Press, translated by Wenyan,N and Junling,S

[15] Corbusier, L. (1930) city of light: Thames & Hudson.

[27] “American Urban Architecture: Catalysts in the Design of Cities” (1990) Choice Reviews Online, 27(05), pp. 27 2512. doi: 10.5860/CHOICE.27 2512.

[18] Schumacher, E. F. (1993) “Small is beautiful : a study of economics as if people mattered ",London: Vintage.

[19] Alexander, C.(1975) “The Oregon experiment. New York: Oxford University Press", Center for Environmental Structure series

[20]Rowe, C. and Koetter, F. (1983) “Collage city",1St MIT Press pbk. edn. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.

[33] Yuefang, R , Zhenming,X and Siwei.G (2009) “Interpretation of urban practice catalyst theory",Huazhong Architecture.

[31] Guangjun, J. (2006) “The "catalytic effect" of urban design".

[36] Zhang, M.(2005) “A discussion of urban catalyst theory: Shanghai Xintiandi project as an example", Theory Monthly

[38] Rui, S.(2014) “A study on industrial heritage regeneration strategies based on "urban catalysts": an example of an industrial heritage regeneration project of Mian Yang Chaoyang Factory", Chongqing: Chongqing University

[40] Yunxi, X.(2008) “A practical exploration of "catalytic" old city renovation and renewal: an example of planning for the southern district of the Chinese wine capital in Yibin, Sichuan ", Chongqing: Chongqing University

[34] Guangjun,J , Dayun,L and Zhiyong Q (2004) “On the connotation and role of urban catalysts an analysis of the urban design scheme of Anxin Central District", Urban [Architecture35]Heping,L., Yangfan,G. (2011) “Urban design strategies for riverfront areas based on urban catalysts", China Urban Planning Annual Conference Proceedings.

[39] Zhaohui, J.(2006) “Conservation, a catalyst for development: exploring ancient city conservation methods", Foreign Urban Planning.

[41] Sun, L.(2008) “Study on the strategy of "urban catalyst" in the revitalization of historical districts", Shanghai. Tongji University.

[42] Xuefei, L.(2011) “An analysis of the conservation and renewal model of urban historic districts based on "urban catalyst theory", Shandong:Shandong University of Architecture

[32] Guangjun, J. and Yang,C. (2006) “On the influence of urban design projects on the surrounding environment under the "catalytic effect"

[30] Tianbin,L(2006) “The role of urban catalysts in urban planning and construction ",Oil and Gas Field Surface Engineering

[37] Jianwei, Z.(2005) “A study of urban regeneration strategies of old industrial areas based on the "urban catalyst" theory: a case study of "Dongjiao Memory" in Chengdu", Chengdu: Southwest Jiaotong University

[52] Urbanus(2017) Shenzhen Hong Kong Urbanism\ Architecture Bi City Biennale 2017 (Curator).[Online] [Accessed on 19th November 2017] http://www.urbanus.com.cn/projects/uabb 2017/?lang=en

[43] Norberg Schulz, C. (1980) Genius loci : towards a phenomenology of architecture. New York: Rizzoli.

[46] Urbanus (2017) SZ HK Urbanism\ Architecture Bi City Biennale. [Online] [Accessed on 25th November 2017] http://www.urbanus.com.cn/uabb/uabb2017/.

[47]Urbanus(2017) nantou old town.[Online][Accessed on 10th October 2017] http://www.urbanus.com.cn/projects/nantou old town/

[51] Bjdw(2014) Beijing International Design Week .[Online] [Accessed on 19th November 2017] https://www.bjdw.org/englishs/channels/486.html

[48]Urbanus(2020) Nantou Old Town Implementation Plan and Urban Design for Key Areas. [Online] [Accessed on 15th April 2020] http://www.urbanus.com.cn/projects/nantou old [town/49]Documenta.de (2002) Tenth Documentary Exhibition. [Online] [Accessed on 18th Augest 2002] https://www.documenta.de/en/

[45] Xiao, H andLeihong,R.(2004) “Experimentaldiscussionon the creation of regional culture and urban characteristics", Chinese and Foreign Architecture

[50]Dailytravelpill(2021) Gamcheon Culture Village The story of Busan’s colorful village. [Online] [Accessed on 4th JANUARY 2021] https://dailytravelpill.com/busan gamcheon culture village/

[44] Long, F. and Zhou,P.(2001) “Sustainable development in urban design ", Journal of Northwest Academy of Construction Engineering.