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H A R B I N C
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ASSIGNMENT URBAN liam
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02_MAPPING
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INTRODUCTION
PRESENT DAY URBAN ORDER
CASE STUDY 01 : CHINESE BAROQUE
TIMELINE
DAO WAI DISTRICT
CASE STUDY 02 : HARBIN RAILWAY STATION
MAP OF THE COUNTRY
DAI LI DISTRICT
SECONDARY CASE STUDY
MAP OF THE PROVINCE
KEY EXTRACTS
CRITICAL TEXT : SHANGHAI
MAP OF THE CITY URBAN GROWTH DATA KEY EXTRACTS
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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哈 尔 滨
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CHOICE OF MAPPING TECHNIQUE
Urban Environments and the City
Due to the extensive and broad nature of the urban typologies and forms that comprise Harbin’s districts, it was necessary to select a mapping technique that embraced a narrative style approach, thus painting a picture of the context of the city followed by the consequence. The urban scale was essential in this investigation, to gain a deeper understanding of the experience in the selected districts as both a visitor and resident. The use of qualitative data was also highly relevant due to the inaccessibly of primary research data, hence why the selected mapping technique was chosen.
Greatly inspired by a recent New York Times article entitled Chinese City With a Russian Past Struggles to Preserve Its Legacy (Zhao, 2017), this investigation aims to narrate the history of Harbin, and then explore the premise behind its present day urban order. China has many examples of cities that expanded exponentially over a short space of time, due to the growing population and manufacturing focused economy. While Harbin sits somewhere under this umbrella, walking through its streets today, it is clear to see that more than just a vision to expand rapidly has shaped this city. Harbin is complex, diverse and rich in culture, but what implications of its history led to shaping such a city? Harbin is clearly unlike any other.
By the 1900 Harbin had been settled by Russians, engineers and workers, who moved there to build the Chinese Eastern Railway. Such migration saw diversity of all kinds spread across Harbin, from food to Architecture. The city became a major economic center, encompassing broad boulevards and domed Orthodox churches. A city comprised of mainly migrants rather than locals.
Later, the Chinese population grew, adding yet another layer to this already multifaceted city. They set up commercial business and factories and moved into the European streets. Many repurposed the urban forms to suit their needs, often leading to a hybrid of styles unique to the city of Harbin.
IMAGES (Zhao, 2017) (Descalsota, n.d.)
After Mao Zedong’s visit to Harbin in 1950, he declared that the city must be transformed. In line with the rest Chinas large cities, Harbin was forced to shift to become a production dominated city. Architecture from its Russian and European roots were demolished and destroyed to make room for new infrastructure, including roads, factories and housing. Internationally renowned cathedrals and synagogues disappeared overnight, and new construction began. While many at the time felt unhappy and angry at these actions by the government, there are few visible signs of moderation in the destruction.
It took 30 or more years for attention to be drawn to this devastation and the great loss this had for Harbin. The local government saw that the restoration of such culture and history in the city would attract tourism and thus generate economy. Funding was then directed to refurbishing and renovating the few remaining older buildings. However, despite such efforts, this was seen by local preservationists as ill-conceived and too late. Renovations are intended to restore the building to its original quality and authenticity, but unfortunately the Government mimicked the styles crudely. There are even accounts of residents being evicted out of their homes before the renovations and being replaced by commercial enterprises after completion. China has various examples of cities tearing down historically authentic order and rebuilding imitations labeled as “old cities”, preservationists believe that it is absurd. We aim for this analysis to shed some light on what Harbin is like today for its visitors and locals and why the urban form are the way they are. Such research will look at specific case studies where the Architecture has been repurposed, rebuilt or rehabilitated.
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INFLUX OF JAPANESE POPULATION
context
TIM
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INFLUX OF JEWISH POPULATION
LOSS OF COLONIAL INFLUENCE
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HARBIN
CHINA
7
1
context
CHI
一
NA
RUSSIA
2
HEI L O N
G
G AN JI
PR OV INCE
implications
KAZAKHSTAN
MONGOLIA HARBIN
KTRGYZSTAN BEIJING JAPAN
二
KOREA
3
CHINA
NEPAL
response
INDIA
MYANMAR VEITNAM 500 km
三
THAILAND
HARBIN IS THE PROVINCIAL CAPITAL
E C N I V O PR ITY & C
THERE ARE 9 DISTRICTS WITHIN HARBIN
HARBIN’S CHARACTERISTICS
POPULATION 5,009,854
LAND AREA 53,068 m2
HEI LO NG J I A NG
SONG HUA RIVER
ELEVATION PR
OV
150m - FLAT AND LOW LYING
IN
CLIMATE
C
E LONG COLD WINTER, AND HOT SUMMER WITH RAPID TEMPERATURE FLUCTUATIONS
SONG HUA RIVER
HARBIN
9
context
1
H
N I B AR
1
一 2 1
RUSSIAN STYLE TOWN
2
implications
3 5
2
5 7 6 10
DAO LI DISTRICT HEILONGJIANG SCIENCE AND
FLOOD CONTROL MONUMENT
TECHNOLOGY MUSEUM
二
3
6
3
response
ANNUAL SNOW AND ICE FESTIVAL
三
4
GOVERNMENT OFFICE OF FEUDAL CHINA
WATER PARK
7
ST SOPHIA CHURCH
MAPS (Fan, 2002) (Geng et al., 2021) 8
9
JILE TEMPLE
11
CONFUCIAN TEMPLE
INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION AND SPORTS CENTRE
10
12
HARBIN RAILWAY STATION
4
DRAGON TOWER
13
DAO WAI DISTRICT
8 9 11
12
HEILONGJIANG FOREST BOTANICAL GARDEN
13
SONG HUA RIVER
GREEN SPACE
RESIDENTIAL
AGRICULTURAL
STUDY AREA
MAIN ROADS
MAJOR ROADS
TRAIN LINES
DISTRICT BORDERS
11
context
1
UR
G N BA
H T W RO
1903
一
1903 - 1917
1917 - 1930
implications
2
二 3
response
H A R B I N ’ S
PROSPECTIVE GROWTH
三
U R B A N
F O O T P R I N T
(Yu, 2013)
1930 - 1946
A N D
G R O W T H
O V E R
1946 - 1956
1955 - 2004
T I M E
13
1
context
A T A D
40,000,000
一 30,000,000
POPULATION
implications
2
20,000,000
二 10,000,000
response
3
三
1800
19
31 CITIES
30 CITIES
16 CITIES
56%
32%
11 CITIES 24% 36%
40%
15
m
m2
28%
74
70
m2
2
44%
70
40%
HARBIN CITY AREA AND M2 PER PERSON
8 CITIES
OTHER
25%
HARBIN POPULATION
38%
NON-AGRICULTURAL POPULATION
37%
PROVINCE POPULATION
5 CITIES
URBAN POPULATION
0 2
m
00
DATA (Fan, 2002)
2000 15
1
context
KEY
IMPORTANCE OF THE RIVER
一
Not only was the river an integral part of the fishing village Harbin once was, but it has also had a great deal to do with the City Harbin has become. Additionally, the Urban Growth Maps show how the river can play a huge role in the way and direction a city expands. South of the river Song Hua, the City of Harbin has had its largest growth due to the connection the wharfs have to the central railway station.
implications
2
IMPLICATIONS OF THE TRAIN LINE While the construction of the major train line was the main reason for the Architectural outcome of the city, the railway also had huge implications on the districts. The Map of Harbin reveals that the on-ground train line has essentially divided the city into the subsequent districts. Furthermore, the lack of direct movement and communication between adjacent districts due to the rail line has created vast contrasts across the entire city.
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response
3
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TODAYS FOCUS ON TOURISM Tourism has been a huge driver for various restoration projects for Harbin, but have these been true to the authenticity of the Architecture or at the detriment of it? While these actions have been long awaited, it is unfortunate to discover the true sense of such restoration projects. The following Study Cases aim to analyze the true impact of these projects and how this ties into both the history and future for Harbin.
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context
1
AY D T N R E E S D PRE N OR A B R U
The Dao Wai District was first founded by the Russian migrants, but was neglected during the urban redevelopment where the Chinese population then expanded. Thus, the planning is rather organic and spontaneous and developed slowly through multiple lenses.
Jing Yu Street is a commercial center for Dao Wai. Its is characterized by it Baroque Style of decorative columns, parapets and lavish ornamental features. During the 1900s, the Chinese population used this lavish style to resemble wealth of the commercial district.
Due to its nature and historical implications, this resulted in narrow streets and long blocks. While the facades are true to the Baroque decorative style, the length of massing is disconnected stylistically, resulting in a variant style.
一 STUDY AREA
2
ENUE CENTRAL AV
implications
er Riv ua H g Son
YU NG JI
ET RE ST
DAO WAI DISTRICT
PLANNING
STREET-SCAPE
MASSING
DAO LI DISTRICT
二
response
3
The Dao Li District was founded and developed by Russians since early settlement. This district is on the Song Hua River and therefore controls the transporting of goods in a trading/commercial center.
三
DATA (Y. Zhang & Li, 2019)
This along with the Russian and European influence led to the string grid plan.
As a result of the need for this district to provide transportation services for goods and construction from the wharf, streets are wide and boulevards split the grid diagonally to emphasize order, symmetry and balance. Axises are strong, a characteristic of European city planning.
With free reign to expand vertically, the Dao Li Districts building heights are proportional to the boulevards and streets. Such an urban typology is seen all over the world, as it can expand over time easily.
SHANG HAI CASE STUDY THE CHINESE BAROQUE HISTORIC CONSERVATION AREA
ARCHITECTURE
“ A SINGLE TRAIN LINE BEWEEN, BUT WORLDS APART “
CASE STUDIES
NEW HARBIN RAILWAY STATION
19
context
1
IS D AI W DAO
T C I TR
RUSSIAN STYLE DOMES Russian Architecture is best know for its onion domes, vibrant painted colours and ornate decoration. Onion domes are usually associated with Russian Orthodox Churches, but in this example, the style is repurposed as a type of gateway to the city. Such gateways are seen throughout China, where movement much be regulated between borders at many scales. Once again, this landmark is well presented to the visitor, serving as a fine example of one of the many types of urban forms in the city.
一
implications
2
DISTRICT ANALYSIS
二
response
3
ART DECO STYLE This building repurposed into a train station entry features sleek geometric forms focusing on the linear qualities of the roof line and steps. From images, it is clear that such Architecture has been maintained well, creating a statement for the city at a civic level, suitable as a tourist attraction.
三
BAROQUE STYLE Being a European style, that reflects opulence, this style is seen vastly throughout Dao Wai, where the Architecture is decorative and ornate. It is important to note that these immediate facades have been restored overtime, and their current internal programing is likely to be unauthentic to that of its origins.
HISTORICAL CHINESE STYLE Traditional Chinese streets and areas have been protected and now used as tourist attractions. They are, however, mimicked styles that were rebuilt since the 1950s. Preservationists refer to this as ‘Imitation Architecture’, as is viewed as a negative implication of destroying original, authentic urban history.
道 CHINESE COURTYARD
ART NOUVEAU STYLE The simplicity in the arches and curves of this Stations facade speak directly to the international Art Nouveau Style. Its shear scale suggests that this is a landmark for the district and serves a highly important role.
This rehabilitated Chinese Courtyard style is deceiving to the street with rectangular courtyard within and program surrounding this. It is highly likely that this Architecture does not operate as a family home, but rather a tourist attraction or commercial venture of some sort; incredibly dishonest to its historical origins.
外 区 21
context
1
IS D I L DAO
T C I TR
BAROQUE STYLE Traditional Baroque style is preserved in the main commercial districts and streets, speaking back to the European influence, and attracting attention from visitors. The dramatic surface treatments and decoration and vivid colours are key elements found throughout the district.
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implications
2
二
response
3
三
CIVIC MONUMENT Harbin People Flood Control Success Memorial Tower is now seen as a great tourist attraction and icon for Dao Li. It is proudly situated at the end of a long, wide boulevard, emphasizing its importance in the urban environment.
PEDESTRIAN STREETS Given the grand nature of the Dao Li district, space is given back to the pedestrian at a human scale informing the proportions of the urban makeup. Such a techniques allows people to wander through the streets and explore the various attractions and sites.
ORTHODOX CHURCH The Saint Sophia’s Church is a former Russian Orthodox Church and is the largest of its kind in the Far East. Clearly characterized by the large onion shaped dome and bright colours, this Church reflects the strong presence of the Russian Orthodox community and its strength during times of demolition and destruction.
道 ART NOUVEAU While relatively unassuming to the eye, these pieces of history exist in this district and serve as a reminder of the European influence. While the Government has made efforts to retain this style of Architecture, it is evident that the original programmatic focus has shifted from residential to commercial.
里 区 23
1
context
KEY
AN URBAN TAPESTRY
一
Evidently, Harbin is made up of districts with a great variety in their urban form, including architecture, street scape and civic scape. This variety creates a patchwork of all kinds of conditions adjacent to one another, these do not blend or merge and are not cohesive. The collages aim to provide some insight into what walking through these selected districts would feel like, along with their various styles and influences.
implications
2
PROGRAMMATIC SHIFT While on the surface these wonderful slices of history appear restored and maintained, behind the facade, there is an obvious lack of authenticity, where programmatically, these buildings have been readapted. Buildings that were once clearly residential now serve as tourist hotspots or have shifted to commercial centers for business operators and the like. While this shift is positive for the economy and serves as part of the attraction to such district, it fails to be consistent with the original meaning and purpose of the architecture.
二
response
3
三
REBUILD, REVITALIZE ... While at a broader scale, the refurbishment of the cities historical context is positive for the city, the methods in which this is undertaken seems to take away from the quality of what once existed. Rather than revitalizing the built form, such rebuilding seems to mimic the style in a inappropriate manner.
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OR IST
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URBAN PLANNING The implications of an organically grown district resulted in spaces that lacked order and became impractical at times. Such as the thin streets for automobile transport. However, because the streets were free of traffic, this provided a more intimate relationship between people, where the alleys and roads hosted celebrations and children’s games.
- COVERED 20% OF HISTORICAL TERRITORY OF DAO WAI
- LAND AREA = 28.5 HECTARES - BUILDING AREA (INCLUDING FLOORS) = 50,000 m
2
ES
The Chinese Baroque style is defined by the sophisticated decorative facades. As a response to the local interpretation of European Neoclassical Architecture, this style is a “successful combination of Chinese culturogical conception with house modeling and decorative tradition which include architectural systems and buildings technologies of the West” (Levoshko & Kirichkov, 2016).
IN
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FACADES
- BEST, CAPITAL INTENSIVE PROJECT OF 2013 - CAPITAL INVESTMENTS >8.33 BILLION
OQ
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OR
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- DESIGNED BY HARBIN URBAN DESIGN INSTITUE GROUP IN 2007-2011
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T S E S A C
01 Y UD
Combining European order and far Eastern decorative tradition, the Dao Wai district is now most famous for its interpretation of this unique typology, Chinese Baroque. Prior to renovations in 2010, locals called these courtyard houses their homes and business for decades. This now tourist attraction, however, has boomed, along with the social value and status of Dao Wai. Resembling a method of gentrification, such refurbishments within the conservation area and beyond, forced its inhabitants to the outskirts, while real estate within flourished.
THE
context
BIRTH OF CHINESE BAROQUE
implications
CHINESE BAROQUE HISTORIC CONSERVATION AREA DAO WAI TRADITIONAL BLOCK
THE RENOVATION While the renovation of authentic, original Architecture is hazardous territory, the Dao Wai district renovation was essential due to the significant degradation over the past century. Due to these conditions there was great losses to many valuable historical and architectural monuments. In view of this, increased fire dangers, irrational land use and high population density made such districts poor living spaces and inadequate especially in modern times.
二 3
response
A The urban planning overlays in Dao Wai have led to multiple overlaid pattens, including the block and alley systems. This hybrid takes advantage of efficiency, while also connecting enclosed courtyards with smaller inner streets and lanes. Not only does this take pressure off the outer streets, but also increases the accessibility off the courtyard and redefined this once completely private space.
三
TION A RE
BLOCK AND ALLEY
THE COURTYARD While the buildings in this district were constructed using European methods the distinctive courtyard element is solely vernacular to the Chinese.
ATION A REA
PUBLIC COURTYARD
RECTANGULAR
0-500m2
PRIVATE COURTYARD
T SHAPED
500-1000m2
UNUSED COURTYARD
L SHAPED
1000-1500m2 1500-2000m2
DAO WAI’S MODERN DAY FOCUS THE
CH
IN E SE
Post renovation this Conservation Area is a focus for the tourism industry of Harbin. Through the planners and governments eyes, due to its rich history and complex narrative, the rebuilding of the district led to rejuvenation of the buildings as culture, and thus a refreshed interest in the area. While there are negative aspects of this project from a local perspective, ultimately, the outcome could have been much worse as seen in many similar situations globally where mass demolition is the chosen solution.
BA
R
Today, this township area provides an insight into what was here for centuries prior. While the Architecture and urban life may not be 100% authentic, the renovation has bought education to the forefront of its goals. The buildings are used now for commercial purposes and thus defines the center as a kind of business district with hustle and bustle for both locals and visitors. The tenants that were once evicted from these buildings prior to the renovation admit that the relocation strategy to new residential buildings had been a success, and living in this commercial district now would be disruptive and unsuitable. The diagrams above represent the current analysis of the Conservation Area and how the courtyards have been organized and used. There is a correlation between the larger courtyards now being used as public spaces for anyone to enter and explore, while the smaller ones are private or unused. The overall axonometric demonstrates the relationship between the courtyards to the streets and alleys, a relationship depended on the type of courtyard (public or private) and the block and alley town planning overlay. Such a combination allows for such unique spaces to be created and most importantly, accessible by foot to the public realm.
DATA (Jin et al., 2018) (W. Zhang, 2021) (Levoshko & Kirichkov, 2016)
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context
DAO WAI’S HISTORICAL CONTEXT Historically this suburb is well know for groups of industrial and commercial investors opening up shops, spurring economical development. Generally speaking, the buildings were used for dual purposes, with the “front shop and back factory” (Y. Zhang & Li, 2019) mode. While the typology of courtyard homes are designed as residential buildings, the architecture was not urged to be flexible, accommodating for the busy streets with people coming and going. One may suggest that this typology was reappropriated, using eastern forms and applying a western function. While this may seem like an unlikely hybrid, in Dao Wai’s case it was successful and anchored the districts many commercial enterprises and vibrant social interactions. While this district harbored a successful urban environment, due to the lack of ongoing maintenance from the Government, slow deterioration began. Hence why attention was drawn to the Conservation Area to begin with.
一 2
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implications
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response
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三
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COURTYARD HOUSE FORMS
COURTYARD HOMES
COURTYARD
STREET
These residential buildings were originally wooden structures incorporating a veranda-style at ground floor. Such a typology is catered greatly towards the family atmosphere and need for both private and social realms. In addition, these inward facing dwelling provide a great barrier to the strong cold winds that prevail Harbin, thus improving the micro-climate within the building too.
STREET
Characteristic of the traditional Chinese neighborhoods, these blocks are stitched together by their innate connection between the street and courtyard.
PROGRAMMATIC STRUCTURE Typically in a residential setting the form of these courtyard homes is heavily influenced by the function. As we know, they are now used for commercial and tourism purposes, however, these buildings were once homes. Generally speaking, cooking and living was carried out in spaces closest to the courtyard while the rooms furthest away were for sleeping and the interface to the street(s) were for welcoming guests into their homes.
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T VA
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AT
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(Levoshko & Kirichkov, 2016)
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context
1
一
02 Y UD
BIN R A N H EW TATIO N THE WAY S L RAI
The Harbin Train Station, located within the Dao Li district is on the border between the two case study districts as delineated by the train line itself. The Dao Li district is characterised by a significant amount of Renaissance and Baroque buildings that reflect the history of the Chinese Eastern Railway and the Russian commercial culture that came with it, this is especially reflected in the tourism oriented Central Street (Cai & Lu, 2018). Since Harbin’s boom in the early 20th century, the Harbin Train Station has continually been a hub of trade and immigration. Along with it’s distinctive art nouveau façade, the station cemented it’s place in the city as an architectural icon. As the controlling powers of the city shifted, the political will of the city has been directly expressed through the station, ultimately seeing it go through two drastic rebuilds. Furthermore, the original architectural features of the station have been identified as an iconic building worthy of replication across the city – for good or for bad.
implications
2
T S E S A C
Harbin Train Station originally built in 1904 in the Art Nouveau style. With the city’s rapid expansion due to the Chinese Eastern Railway, the Harbin Train Station became a hub and an icon of the area.
DAO WAI DISTRICT
二
After the establishment of the People’s Public of China, colonial-era buildings were seen as the symbols of foreign domination and national humiliation and therefore were mostly destroyed to make way for new landmarks. Harbin Train Station was unfortunately demolished and rebuilt as a way to show the new prosperity of the PRC.
HARBIN STATION
3
response
DAO LI DISTRICT
THE CITY’S HEART 三
As a part of the Harbin Restoration Project, the second generation train station was demolished and rebuilt as a replica of the original. As the city attempts to trade on the nostalgia elicited by the colonial buildings for tourism purposes, completely rebuilding the train station seems to be the last step in capitalizing on Russian heritage of Harbin.
ORIGINAL STATION 1904
NEW STATION 1960
REPLICA REBUILD 2018
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context
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implications
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response
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ARCHITECTURE AS A NOSTALGIC MOTIF
The urban revitalization program undertaken by Harbin through the 2010’s has significantly reshaped the urban condition of the city. With many buildings undergoing a ‘Europeanisation’, Harbin has effectively chosen to deal with the difficult heritage of it’s colonial past and the negative associations that accompany it through a process of ‘Heritage Making’. This heritage making comes in the form of adding European ornaments and elements to existing facades across the city, and in the case of Harbin Train Station, demolishing the 1960s station in favour of constructing a replica of the original Art Nouveau station. The iconography of the ‘old station’ has been codified into the architectural language of Harbin across a variety of gates, buildings and train stations. This move attempts to bridge the fact that many of Harbin’s original Russian buildings were destroyed during various changes of political power in the region, effectively trying to cultivate a nostalgia for booming city that once was Harbin almost a century prior. But in the effort to recreate the colonial heritage of the city Wenzhuo Zhang (2020) makes the argument that there is a distinctive generational divide in the opinion of the third generation train station. Zhang proposes that ‘most locals locals born after 1960 cannot recognise the similarity between the first - and third generation stations because they never saw the former in their lives and hardly heard stories or narratives about that past from their older family members” whereas “The older generations who retain memories about the old station always easily recognise the newly built one as a replica and regard this design as a reminder of that past and a symbol of colonial nostalgia.” This disparity highlights the hollowness of the gesture that remaking old colonial architecture poses, as time passes the inherent nostalgia that these buildings rely upon will gradually fade and lose its value. The orientation as a city towards tourism and the subsequent process of history making shows that Harbin is culturally lost and is grasping to find an identity in the past.
The shapes highlighted in red are transposed extensively onto buildings throughout the Harbin region as an architectural motif. This acts as a shorthand for tourists and locals alike to make an instant connection to the Russian colonial influence of the city.
The essence of the original Harbin Train Station has been identified by the Harbin municipal board as an icon that should be used to characterise the city. But in this effort to incorporate the motif into a significant amount of new architecture the gesture becomes more and more hollow. While it is in an attempt to cater to tourism, the historical context of the city feels as if it is being manufactured.
HARBIN WEST RAILWAY STATION
AN JUNG-GEUN MEMORIAL HALL
HARBIN NORTH RAILWAY STATION
CHINESE EASTERN RAILWAY IMPRESSIONS HALL
SUN GATE OF THE SUN ISLAND
ANDA RAILWAY STATION
HARBIN ICE AND SNOW WORLD 2019
XINXIANGFANG NORTH STATION
XISHU TINGYUAN RESIDENTIAL AREA
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context
INTERVENTION FROM WITHIN
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I A H NG
L H A I ON COL
TA ERI
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These two examples describe the subtle but important changes that have been undertaken by the residents of the lilong. The slow revitalisation caused by the natural demand to live in an emerging creative district has been facilitated without intervention from government authorities. Tianzifang has converted itself into a thriving area that is beneficial to the residents, maintains the integrity of the historical lilongs and has become a tourist destination.
Windows have been barred as a form of home security
Window shading is weathered and tattered
SHANGHAI’S APPROACH Similar to Harbin, Shanghai has a very strong colonial history with many architectural landmarks. Furthermore, in the 2000s Shanghai undertook a major revitalisation project to protect and restore the extensive colonial buildings located across the city that had fallen into disrepair. While also being primarily for tourism, the overall approach to the conservation was handled with more delicately.
Building facades in various states of disrepair
Houses are used for purely residential purposes with limited commercial intergration
implications
As a way to critically analyse Harbin’s approach to the restoration/alteration of historical architecture, two similar examples from Shanghai have been analysed in comparison.
TIANZIFANG LILONG
a comparison to residential housing in Dao Wai District The Tianzifang Lilong district has undergone a bottom up restoration of the housing in a manner that has maintained the essence of the architecture without making invasive and ubiquitous moves that displace the residents. After the original factories became a hub for creative studios, the residents worked independently to revitalise their own properties in order to rent to the wave of artists and designers looking to live in the area.
Window shading all replaced to be consistent throughout the lilong
二 3
BEFORE RESTORATION
The diagram below tracks the progression of development through the Tianzifang lilong as old residential buildings are gradually renovated and repurposed in response to the influx of artists and designers into the area (Shinohara, 2009)
1997-2003
2004-2005
Facades rebricked, but using the original coloured bricks
2006
response
Retail spaces have been overhauled to stimulate a thriving community economy within the lilongs
2007
2008
Former Factory
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2009
Residential with other uses
Stones on ground restored, cleaned and made even
AFTER RESTORATION
Ornate roof restored
Original roof has been removed and replaced
Original red facade restored Balcony areas filled in with glass Glass removed from the balcony, exposing the windows behind and allowing balconies to operate as intended
Red facade has become discoloured over time
BEFORE RESTORATION
AFTER RESTORATION
FORMER CHINA MERCHANTS STEAMSHIP NAVIGATION BUILDING comparison to the restoration of Harbin Train Station
Located on the iconic Bund, the Former China Merchants Steamship Navigation building was successfully restored in 2003. Like in Harbin, the facade was the primary feature being altered instead of the full building. But contrary to Harbin, the projects in Shangahi are returning the buildings to the state that they were formally in rather than creating a facade that tries to capture an essence of what was originally there, which is why many of the buildings feel like hollow imitations.
THE BUND No 9 The Bund
EX T L A C I T I CR
T
Through the thorough exploration of Harbin’s context and history, this investigation was able to underpin the vast plethora of driving forces that has shaped Harbin into the unique city it is today. While there are many parallels between this city and cities all over the world, our research focuses on the unique qualities of Harbin including its tapestry of urban typologies and architectural styles within two selected districts, and more specifically, two case studies within these districts that are products of such a narrative.
While diversity within an urban landscape provides a rich library of history and authenticity, in Harbin’s case, this was sadly destroyed before it could be fully appreciated by visitors and even the locals. One can only imagine the type of urban fabric that once existed throughout the city. It is important to understand this contextual framework in order to view the present-day urban form through an adjusted lens. Our research identifies that this lens acknowledges that the Architecture currently reflects styles that are mimicked and reappropriated in some cases, and therefore indicates a lack of legitimacy.
IMAGES (Zhao, 2017) (Descalsota, n.d.)
The first key issue identified, was the emergence of the Chinese Baroque Courtyard Style House, a result of cross pollination between Chinese and European styles. While this style was conceived in Harbin, it failed to last any length of time, as some parts were completely destroyed, while the conservation area was repurposed and reworked it into a mostly public tourist attraction. Tourist attractions are a great way to bring attention to and educate people on important moments in history but unfortunately for this example that was not the case. The attraction fails to accurately reflect the original qualities of the Architecture and provides a fake impression for visitors and the like.
Secondly, the Harbin Railway Station is an example of how the city missed the mark in their attempt to rejuvenate the rich history of Russian art nouveau architecture. Understandably, there is a sense of loss looking back at the significant buildings that have been destroyed, and similarly, the yearning to recreate this culturally defining architecture can be given some merit. Unfortunately, the execution of this revitalization project is ultimately where the intervention by the Harbin municipality has come unstuck. As analysed regarding the Harbin Railway Station, the act of simply demolishing the 1960s station to rebuild a replica is a hollow gesture that tries to purely trade of the notion of nostalgia. This move is even further cheapened when the key features of the original station architecture are indiscriminately transposed onto new pieces of infrastructure across the city as a motif, which have the opposite effect as intended, making the city fall into an uncanny valley where everything feels slightly off and counterfeit.
Ultimately, this research provides a glimpse into how restoration and rebuilding Architecture can have a long term, detrimental impact on the city as a whole. In the cases analyzed, the government would have perceived such renewal projects as being positive for the city, however after a closer look, this is not always the case. It is important to remember that out actions today will impact history in time, and therefore choices regarding tampering with original buildings must be made carefully. We hope to see restoration projects that can achieve historical and cultural renewal without merely plagiarizing the urban fabric of the past.
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Cai, Z & Lu, M. (2018). Social Integration Measurement of Inhabitants in Historic Blocks: The Case of Harbin, China. https://www.mdpi. com/2071-1050/10/8/2825/pdf Descalsota, M. (n.d.). Take a look inside the Chinese city that was designed to look like a ‘little Russia’ 150 years ago and is now host to the world’s biggest ice festival. Insider. Retrieved 9 May 2022, from https://www.insider.com/harbin-chinese-city-little-rus-
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