Water as a place-making element
An emphasis on ShĂ nghÇŽi, China. Reenal S Agarwal
Primary Guide: Prof. Dr. Frank Eckardt Secondary Guide: Prof. Zhuo Jian Master Integrated International Urban Studies Bauhaus University Weimar, Germany Tongji University, Shanghai, China September 2011
Abstract “Water, as a superior conduit, remembers everything, even when we humans choose to forget. Water glides over the fossils of now extinct animals that litter the beds of rivers, bringing pieces of them to places they could never have visited while alive. Water is a social element, inviting us to have conversations with one another, connecting up the most distant bodies across the most expansive times.”1 -Astrida Neimanis Water with its myriad associations with man and his environment generates relationships which go beyond the physical. Apart from the life giver that water is, it is also the entity that creates a balance in urban setting that man resides in. Rivers, beaches, lakes, ponds, streams, and various other watery urban artifacts negotiate with the life of man in many ways than one. These urban artifacts create situations which are tapped by the user, some which are designed and many which are spontaneous. Due to its visual, auditory and sensorial values, man gravitates around these urban bodies to create emotional bonds which celebrate life. The research entails understanding these associations and the physical construct which channelizes the usage of water in an urban environment. Various worldwide examples of water related urban spaces in association with its usage are studied. Water has had a major impact on the urban development of all major civilizations. China as a civilization has had numerous urban metamorphosis over the years depending on the dynasty that ruled it. Interesting as it was then, it is now and water towns are looked at within this view point. Further on the Huangpu River which runs through the city of Shanghai, China is analyzed and ‘The Bund’ (a section along the river) is taken as a case study to grasp the emotional, cultural and political relationship the river has to the city and its people. The Huangpu River has been integral to Shanghai due to the transport corridor it created. The Bund in particular also became the point of entry for the western powers. The river and its adjoining urban fabric are studied and its transformation over time and factors leading to it is looked at. The current configuration of the river and its position in the life of the Shanghainese shows the changing notion of the river in the minds of the people. The Bund of the ‘then’ was the landmark; the symbol of Shanghai, and even to this day, it continues to carry the task of projecting Shanghai and China to the world. The redevelopment of the Bund due the world expo which was held in Shanghai in 2010 gave the Bund specific attention and the usage was accordingly channelized. The Bund as a public space is unique in its nature as compared to any waterfront in the world due to the context it sits in. It represents the enigma of Shanghai, of the past and the future. It is the physical strip that binds the dichotomy of the mosaic of the historic architecture on the Puxi (west) side and the collage of the new on the Pudong (east) side. But even more, the Bund is emblematic of the resilient spirit of ever changing Shanghai which had stood as a witness to the ups and downs of the city. Observations noted during the study indicate the need for continual community related development. To create a sense of ownership the community needs to take over the public space with their uses to activate the space. The vitality of the Bund is completely dependent on the way the designed spaces, spontaneous uses, community programs and local identity is shaped over time. By accepting a path which could entail a dialogue would certain make the public spaces in Shanghai, ‘The’ Places where all would want to be. The power of memory lingers enough by promoting a routinely ritualistic usage to create multiple meanings in the mind about a public place making it successful.
1 Astrida Neimanis, ‘This Watery Barbara’, Opening remarks for Inspiring Collaborations: The Barbara Godard Symposium, York University, December 2008.
Contents Abstract 1 Introduction
1.1 Interpretations 1.2 Urbanity and its relation to ‘Water’
2 ‘Water’ as place-making element
2.1 Urban growth and Water 2.2 Urban Water 2.3 Changing waterfronts in China
3 Huangpu and the Bund
3.1 Huangpu Today 3.2 The Bund
4 Understandings
4.1 Insights 4.2 Responsive Public Spaces
Acknowledgements Bibliography
‘Water’ as a place-making element : An emphasis on Shànghǎi, China
An inquiry into the interaction of water in an urban scenario with (the city) and its users involving functions and uses which are unique due to the spatial quality of these urban artifacts. The objectives of the study include: - Understanding the role of water in a city - Interpreting the water in Shanghai. Beginning with understanding of what is urban public space and its context for discussion in this study. Urban manifestations and their meanings within the sociocultural parameters in China (and Shanghai)
1 Introduction
1.1 Interpretations 1.2 Urbanity and its relation to the ‘Water’
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Interpretations
Keywords: Urban Void, vacuum, Empty, Nothingness, non-entity; open, public, urban Balancing our material world with our spiritual ‘karmic’ world or the ‘Yin and the Yang’ all point to create a harmony with an interdependence and interconnectivity. The man-made is balanced out with the open space around it. this relationship (and balance) between the built and the un-built can be studied by delving into the ‘Figure and Ground’ theory majorly advocated by Colin Rowe and Fred Koetter. Giambattista Nolli’s map of Rome drawn in 1748 talks about the urban fabric as a matrix of solid and voids. The map shows the intensity of built density to the open space thus defining the open spaces as a unanimous singular object. The open-space is thus objectified by the built-spaces as un contained voids. Five types of urban voids set in hierarchical order due to their scale and degree of openness discussed by Roger Trancik are: -Entry Foyer -Inner block void -Streets and Squares -Public Parks and Gardens -Linear Open Space System What falls under the purview of public urban space? All spaces which are ‘not private’? The winding streets of the old city of Ahmedabad, India wherein the blur between the private and public is always grey would without doubt fall under public urban space. Can urban space be looked at as what the user would mould it to be? Can public spaces not just be ‘public’ spaces but spaces which affect the public space by virtue of its position, usage and interaction?
Below - Nolli map of Rome (1748) http://informativeplatforms.blogspot. com/2011/03/wth-is-nolli-map.html Below - Voids within the constructed realm, Courtyard Gardens of Copenhagen
Below - Voids within the city, Central Park, New York
Where does this public space end? At the facade of a building, at the end of the street, at the edge of the city, the corridors of roads that traverse through the country or is it just at one’s doorstep? Lord Rogers’ Urban Task Force report discusses public spaces as an interconnected entity ranging from the micro to the macro which breaks the simplistic norms to ascertain the need to address it through numerous diverse methodologies. Public space usage can be looked at within the perspective of the users and how they interact with the elements of public space. Creating a ‘space’ into a ‘place’ is the key to an active public space. The involvement of the community to activate a space creates places; of spirit, of interaction, of communication, of expression. Sometimes the tree at the corner generates the community around it to congregate for various activities. It becomes the point of contact within the community. Louis Kahn said that ruins are free from the “tyranny of function”. Urban areas often have leftover or non-designed open public spaces which serve and give to the community a lot more than what a designed space would. ‘Found’ and unregulated spaces provide opportunities for privacy in anonymity. It is interesting to study the issues which make ‘free’ spaces vital and active to the society.
‘Water’ as a place-making element : An emphasis on Shànghǎi, China
Below - Linear Open Spaces - Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
1.2 Urbanity and its relation to ‘Water’
Keywords: Environment, urban ecology, metaphysical connections, experiential, social. Water (and its physical interaction with urban life) is studied in depth. In visual terms, water ‘meets the eye’ in shapes and forms too diverse to enumerate, and which range in scale from the immediate to the infinite. Poet John Ruskin said ”Man in his ignorance crushes natural sublimity and in return nature crushes human beings.” We thus have to remember that even with our built up of cities, we need to build up the environment as well. The ecological approach should be blended to produce a harmonious whole, so that while altering the ‘living system’, the vital inter-relationships between living and non-living things are not disturbed. Urban edge Urban edge Green Areas
Green Areas
The Town
Green Areas
The Village
The Hamlet
The City
Above - The urban structure of dispersed and compact cities. Image redrawn from Rogers, R., et al., Urban Task Force, 1999. Towards an Urban Renaissance: Final Report of the Urban Task Force Chaired by Lord Rogers of Riverside. Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, London, 1999
The Meeting of the Waters There is not in the wide world a valley so sweet As that vale in whose bosom the bright waters meet; Oh! the last rays of feeling and life must depart, Ere the bloom of that valley shall fade from my heart. Yet it was not that nature had shed o'er the scene Her purest of crystal and brightest of green; 'Twas not her soft magic of streamlet or hill, Oh! no, -- it was something more exquisite still. 'Twas that friends, the beloved of my bosom, were near, Who made every dear scene of enchantment more dear, And who felt how the best charms of nature improve, When we see them reflected from looks that we love. Sweet vale of Avoca! how calm could I rest In thy bosom of shade, with the friends I love best, Where the storms that we feel in this cold world should cease, And our hearts, like thy waters, be mingled in peace. by Thomas Moore www.famouspoetsandpoems.com
2 ‘Water’ as place-making element 2.1 Urban growth and Water 2.2 Urban Water 2.3 Changing waterfronts of China
The Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) was a Bronze Age civilization (3300–1300 BCE; mature period 2600–1900 BCE) that was located in the northwestern region of the Indian Subcontinent. Flourishing around the Indus River basin1 . It was one of the largest of the earlierst civilizations which existed along side the mesotpotamian and Eyptian civilization. We can see the need of a an entire civilization to grow along the banks of the Indus river. Fresh water was the one of the primary needs around which a city grows. One can see the growth along the Indus river basin. Mesopotamia (from the Ancient Greek: Μεσοποταμία: "[Land] between rivers"; : "land of rivers") is a toponym for the area of the Tigris– Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.2 This ancient civilization flourished due to its location along the Tigris-Euphrates river system as the water (and its flow) allowed for the urban growth of the civilization. Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC (according to conventional Egyptian chronology)3This is another example of the intricate relationship water has with urban growth.
1 http://www.harappa.com/har/indus-saraswati. html 2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesopotamia 3 “Chronology”. Digital Egypt for Universities, University College London. http://www.digitalegypt.ucl.ac.uk/chronology/ index.html Below - Manikarnika Ghats of Varanasi at sunrise, India (Ghats, steps leading down to a river or water body. The term is used to refer to public space around rivers in India.) www.flickr.com
2.1 Urban growth and Water
Keywords: organic, spontaneous, water-oriented Jean Giraudoux said that ‘Water is the one substance from which the earth can conceal nothing; it sucks out its innermost secrets and brings them to our very lips.‘ Water glides over the fossils of now extinct animals that litter the beds of rivers, bringing pieces of them to places they could never have visited while alive. Water is a social element, inviting us to have conversations with one another, connecting up the most distant bodies across the most expansive times. Cites of yore, irrespective of their location on the map of the ‘then’ world follow a pattern that can be seemingly similar in their organic or spontaneous nature. When man took to agriculture, his settlements always situated themselves around a water source. It was an important and integral part of his rooting to a place. This very primordial aspect of human settlements reflect in the growth and development of historic cities.
2.0 Water as place-making element
2.2 Urban Water
Keywords: Waterfronts, Marinas, Beaches, Riverfront, Wharfs, Piers Kevin Lynch (1981) identified five performance dimensions of Urban design. These can be applied to waterfront spaces as well: 1. Vitality, the degree to which the form of places supports the functions, biological requirements and capabilities of human beings. 2. Sense, the degree to which places can be clearly perceived and structured in time and space by users. 3. Fit, the degree to which the form and capacity of spaces matches the pattern of behaviors that people engage in or want to engage in. 4. Access, the ability to reach other persons, activities, resources, services, information, or places, including the quantity and diversity of elements that can be reached. 5. Control, the degree to which those who use, work, or reside in places can create and manage access to spaces and activities. These points are addressed within the perspective of different kinds of waterfronts with examples of each to give us a broader viewport of what can be done. The waterfronts taken up as case studies are : -Ocean Front -Harbor Front -Lake Front -River Front
Above - Tony McDonald works on paper . A view on the Huangpu. http://www.leggegallery.com/ worksonpaper2009/mcdonald/mcdonaldwop09. html
Sea and The City
Lake and The City
River and The City
‘Water’ as a place-making element : An emphasis on Shànghǎi, China
“The sea. It is the only place in which you can still feel being surrounded by nature, without a crowd, without traffic, without industries. Each time I go into the water I realize how insignificant we are, the power of nature and how much we damage ourselves when the damage the sea.” - Ruben Russ “The beach: it is the epitome of the tension between public and private. Dichotomy between exposing oneself half-naked in a public space and feeling comfortable.” -Edgar Gonzalez
Ocean Front Ocean fronts, or beaches have been recreational and social spaces since long. The openness, the sand and the waves with its spatial and sensorial qualities make it a unique urban atmosphere. Beaches have long been developed with various activities in and around it. A beach front real estate is usually the most expensive in a city proving the importance and the ‘like-ability’ of the beach.
www.mascontext.com/8-public-winter-10/whatis-your-favorite-public-space/
Barceloneta Beach, Barcelona, SPAIN
The 1.1 km long beach stretching from Carrer Almirall Cervera to the Olympic Port is one of the most popular beaches in Barcelona for residents and visitors alike. It is the oldest beaches of the area and very easily accessible by public transport with a large number of activities spaces in and around it which makes is a usable venue all round the year. People playing volleyball, to hawkers selling everything from beach towels to massages, the beach is a scene which engages people from all walks of life to enjoy and imbibe the beach in the manner in which they want.
Right - Views of the Barceloneta Beach www.flickr.com
2.0 Water as place-making element
Harbor front Transportation and Industrial hubs dotted waterfronts with wharfs and docks which were functional in the last century. But as these functions became redundant in today’s times, it throws open large areas of prime location back to the city. The soul of most cities lies in these spaces as they are what bring the community together. The activities and functions recurring over a period of time create a bond for the people with a particular space. A waterfront, due to the kind of spatial character it provides becomes a magnet for public activities.
Harbour Bath, Copenhagen, DENMARK This industrial port and traffic junction on the water edge, but in the centre of the city with a 2500sqm constructed area as an extension of an existing park makes the transition from land to water a very interesting experience. We can see various aspects of safety, accessibility, needs and demands and programmatic flexibility addressed in a refined way in this case study.
Left - View of the Deck at Harbour Bath www.big.dk
‘Water’ as a place-making element : An emphasis on Shànghǎi, China
Lakefront Some urban development over the years has seen the germination of cities where naturally there are no rivers that run through them to provide for fresh water supply. They are sometime landlocked and their growth has been independent of movement of water. These urban areas have had lakes within them. Lakes as a water body are a very interesting urban feature because they are surrounded by land on all sides and one can access the water (even if not physically) in a radial (universally directional) manner. Some lakes are man made by creating embankments to harvest ground water.
East Bay Front, Lake Ontario, Toronto, CANADA
Lake Ontario gives Toronto spectacular waterfront opportunity due to the redundancies of its industrial past along the water edge. The ’East Bay Front’; 23 hectares (55 acres) with a 1km long continuous water edge creates numerous opportunities to connect the people to the water. Emphasis has been laid on access and views to the lake, mixed-use neighborhoods and design on the human scale. The people oriented design makes this project viable.
Right - View of the Sugar Beach Far Right - The East Bay Promenade www.toronto.ca
2.0 Water as place-making element
Riverfront A large number of cities which are built (and have grown) around a river owe a lot of its vitality to the watery urban artifact that runs through them. Paris with its romantic association with the Seine River, Berlin with its tumulus relationship with the River spree or Shanghai and its alluring connection with the Huangpu River. Cities are what they are due to the rivers that run within them. Rivers create a corridor of urban space which hugs the banks. They also create a large patch of urban void which is usually the only place through which one could see the sky above. These patches come as breathers in a fast paced city life. We will further on study the public domain around the Huangpu River in detail.
Paris-Plages, Pompidou Expressway, Right Bank of the Seine, Paris, FRANCE
‘Paris-Plages’ or Paris-Beaches is an annual month long urban transformation along the stretches on the banks of the river Seine which run through Paris. The Georges Pompidou Expressway is blocked to motorists and the area is converted into temporary beaches with numerous activities.
Left - Views of the Plage at the banks of the Siene, Paris. It shows the vitality of the public space. Its temporary nature also adds on to its popularity. Left - http://www.voxpi.info/2005/07/19/rififi-aparis-plage/ Far Left - www.flickr.com, user c.pany
‘Water’ as a place-making element : An emphasis on Shànghǎi, China
2.3 Changing waterfronts of China
Keywords: water and cities; then and now. China has its share of urban relationships with the water. Very unique to China is the inter connectivity of the urban form to water in its water towns. These water towns have grown with a network of canals that run through them. The water bodies do not divide the urban fabric, but on the contrary, they stitch the urban structure together. Water towns in China were established and flourished in the Qing and Ming dynasties. These towns were built close to rivers to create the extensive water systems. Suzhou built in 514 BCE is often called the ‘Venice of the East’ or the ‘Venice of China’ due to the numerous waterways which criss cross the old city.
Above - The laid back tranquil lifestyle is reflected in the meandering canals that run through the old town, Pinjiang Road, Suzhou
Above - Map of Suzhou where one can see the moat built around the old city and its connections to the internal canals that run through the city. Source: Google earth
Above - View of one of the water canals of Suzhou. www.flickr.com
2.0 Water as place-making element
Suzhou was designated as (one of the five) special designated zone which would fuel the development of the city by attracting foreign investors and boosting the image and economy. An industrial park was conceptualized as a melting pot of the rich culturally backed heritage of Suzhou and a future energized with contemporary buildings and high-tech economies of its new industrial park. The project takes good advantage of the lake by creating opportunities for interaction with the water. The North West section of the development caters to a more active usage in terms of sporting/recreational facilities, cultural and entertainment centers coupled with high density buildings. A contemporary version of Chinese water gardens with pergolas, pavilions and boardwalks is also created. The south east section sees a more passive usage with trails, paths, areas for educational purposes, reflection points, natural wetlands and canals with low density buildings. Walking, jogging and biking paths encircle the 14.5 km perimeter of the lake unifying it as a whole by its activities.
Above- Relishing the public realm
Mirror’s crossing neighborhood
Arts and entertainment village
Harbor plaza Discovered Land
Grand Promenade
Reflection Gardens
Reflection Point
Marina Cave Neighborhood
Left - Masteplan of Jinji lake waterfront Below - Sunset on Suzhou, The impressive expanse of jinji lake is the focus of a new community development incorporating residential, commercial and retail accommodation along with generous high-quality public space and improvements to the water quality and surrounding natural environment. Below left - Peace and tranquility : The simple horizontal boardwalks and limited palate of materials deliver an air of tranquility. This water garden is a contemporary version of the traditional Chinese notion of “borrowed landscape” and the boulders mark the original lake shoreline.
‘Water’ as a place-making element : An emphasis on Shànghǎi, China
1292 - 1553
1845
1862
3 Huangpu and the Bund 3.1 Huangpu Today 3.2 The Bund 3.3 Understandings
1932
1943
1949
9
3.0 Huangpu and the Bund
Above - Shanghai and the Huangpu in 1896. Figure showing formation of the Bund during the British and other international settlements. The Huangpu developed significantly due to trade and establishment of docks, wharfs and industries along the river.
3.1 Huangpu Today
Keywords: historic conduit, commerce, urban relationships
1989
2010
The Huangpu River (literally: Yellow River) runs through Shanghai and divides the city into two sides, Puxi with its varied urban fabric and Pudong with its recently developed urban fabric. The urban ‘corridor’ void created by the river is used to showcase the grandiose western architecture on its eastern side. But more importantly, the river provides the viewing distance (and the river bank namely the Bund, the viewing platform) to imbibe the stalactite skyline of Pudong (and modern Shanghai) which showcase the modern developed city (and China) to the world to proclaim the ‘arrival’ of the city (and the country).
Urbanization of Shanghai 1292 - 2010 A timeline of the urban development of Shanghai looks at the urban growth of the city chronologically at certain important milestones in its checkered urban history. it shows the growth as a Town in the South Song Dynasty with a city wall around it to an international city with 11 subway lines crisscrossing the city and almost in the centre of the world when it comes to business and a global approach (especially considering the times of recession which has hit the rest of the world)
‘Water’ as a place-making element : An emphasis on Shànghǎi, China
Shanghai Area (Municipality)- 6,340.5 km2 (2,448.1 sq m) Population 2010 (Municipality) - 23,019,148 Density 2010 - 3,630.5/km2 (9,402.9/sq m) Source : www.shanghai.gov.cn
3.0 Huangpu and the Bund
The Huangpu River (Chinese:黄浦江; pinyin: Huángpǔ Jiāng;) Length: 82.5 km Width: 400 meters (Average) Depth: 9 meters (Average) Discharge: 180 m3/s (6,357 cu ft/s) Source: Dianshan Lake Mouth: Yangtze River
Pudong
referred to the land in the east of Huangpu River. - The western tip of the Pudong district was designated to be the new financial hub of modern China. - Pudong’s population of 5 million largely consists of migrants from the Puxi side of Shanghai and those from other regions in China.
Pudong The Bund
The 2010 EXPO was held on both banks of the Huangpu River. - The theme of the exposition was “Better City – Better Life” and signifies Shanghai’s new status in the 21st century as the “next great world city”. - By the end of the expo, over 73 million people had visited, a record attendance, and 250 countries and international organizations had participated.
EXPO 2010
EXPO 2010
The Bund is an area of Huangpu District in central Shanghai, People’s Republic of China. - The Bund stretches one mile along the bank of the Huangpu River. - The Bund houses 52 buildings of various architectural styles. - The Bund was re-opened to the public on Sunday 28 March 2010 after restoration Area of study
‘Water’ as a place-making element : An emphasis on Shànghǎi, China
Huangpu and its embankments The Huangpu was one of the first rivers in China to be dredged. The use of the river for trade and commerce allowed for ships to navigate through the river to reach the Shanghai harbor. As the figure above shows, either side of the entire stretch of the river bank in central Shanghai was used as docks, wharfs or harbors. The allied architecture services such as warehouses and industrial buildings sprung up around the harbor for ease in service and access. The river until the 1980’s was looked at more as an urban artifact for transportation, trade and commerce. It was after the freeing of the economic policy that the viewpoint of looking at the river and its banks changed and they were opened up for public access and use.
Hongkou district
Zhabei district
The Bund
Jing’an district
Pudong New Area district
Huangpu district Luwan district
Xuhui district
Industry, Dock, Warehouse 1180s - 1980s Industries / plants Warehouses
0
3000 M
Docks / Wharfs
River and the City Fabrics The Huangpu divides the city into two and one can imagine divergent developments. Shown in the figure above, the old city has a certain character with its compactness, high density usage and ensuing narrow streets. The Bund, forming the gateway for international foreign settlers, is lined with western architecture and the city fabric beyond it being the international settlement is different with tree lined streets perpendicular to the river showing the relation of the city with the river. In the 1980’s the main harbor was shifted out of central Shanghai freeing up prime real estate within the city. Pudong with its (western borrowed modern thought) broad roads and avenues in the new central business district stitched another urban patchwork onto the city. The expo in 2010 brought in fresh concepts by creating additional public spaces along either side of the river.
Hongkou district
Zhabei district
The Bund
Jing’an district
Pudong New Area district
Huangpu district Luwan district
Xuhui district
Old City Foreign settlement Pudong CBD EXPO 2010
0
3000 M
3.0 Huangpu and the Bund Hongkou district
Zhabei district
Land Use Plan The current land use plan reflects the change in the urban morphology of the city and its ensuing usage. Currently, the plan shows the concentration of commercial activities around the Bund and its corresponding bank in Pudong. Strips of public spaces on the water edge allow for views and vistas. Residential areas have sprung up providing for riverside living. (Due to the commercial nature of the river, residential areas were not sought after along the river banks earlier). The expo freed up large amounts of space for public use and the old industrial sites were revitalized. Additionally the new CBD (Central Business District) at Lujiazui made the Bund a focal point and the area around it became prime real estate.
The Bund
Jing’an district
Pudong New Area district
Huangpu district Luwan district
Xuhui district
Commercial Residential Under construction Public 0
Industrial
3000 M
Hongkou district
Zhabei district
The Bund
Jing’an district
Pudong New Area district
Huangpu district Luwan district
Xuhui district
Green Belt Public Parks 0
Green Corridor
‘Water’ as a place-making element : An emphasis on Shànghǎi, China
3000 M
Mapping the ‘green’ The river provides open spaces for green development of the city. Future planning along the Huangpu river indicates more open spaces will be created along the river axis. The main green axis of Pudong runs from Lujiazui (CBD in Pudong) to Century Park (which is the largest park in Shanghai). It shows the relation between the river and the green in the public space development of Shanghai. One can observe the large proportion of green along the river in the expo area and the contribution of the expo 2010 to the greening of the city.
Hongkou district
Zhabei district
The Bund
Jing’an district
Pudong New Area district
Huangpu district Luwan district
Xuhui district
Metro Stop Metro Line Road Tunnel Bridge Ferry
Next Page Time line of the Bund. a, c, d, e: www.virtualshanghai.net b, g: Hoi Ling Chan, Patterning Tectonics: The making of the Forum on the Bund, Shanghai, Master Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, June 2009 f: www.flickr.com
0
3000 M
Connections A large number of metro lines (and numerous buses) allow for access to the river at several locations. Connections across the river are served by 5 bridges: Songpu Bridge, Xupu Bridge, Lupu Bridge, Nanpu Bridge, Yangpu Bridge and 7 tunnels. There are numerous ferry stops on either side which allow for travel between the two sides. All these public transportations are convenient, economical and user friendly. The extensive use of the public transport demonstrates its good reach and network. The river is thus not just an artifact to cross across, but majorly a location to come to within the city which makes it an important and vital element in the development of the city.
3.0 Huangpu and the Bund
before1800 The present site of the Bund was a deserted beach along the muddy Huangpu river
1840 - 1843 The strip accommodated jetties for native boats which traded with the British East India Company. Opium war at the Bund
a
1843 - 1936 b
Under “The shanghai Land Regulations” area of Shanghai, the Bund comes under the British Concession. Financial institutions were built along the Bund. One of the first buildings along the Bund, the British Consulate building was built in 1849. Between 1850 and 1940 the Bund was occupied with 26 large buildings witnessing a century of the city’s history.
c
1937 - 1949 Japanese invasion at the Bund. The Bund hosted the headquarters of major financial institutions and the “big four” national banks. d
1950 - 1970 With the end of the civil war and the victory of the Communist party, the financial institutions were moved out. The hotels and clubs closed or converted to other governmental uses. The statues of colonial figures and sculptures along the riverside were taken away.
1970-1990 The ‘open door policy’ under Deng Xiaopeng’s leadership led to the commercial revival of the Bund with the return of the original uses of the buildings. Embankment level were raised by 10 meters from the street level due to frequent flooding. The promotion of “colonial relics” in Socialist ideology saw the Bund development to boost tourism and increase land value. A 10 lane motorway was built and most of the riverside parkland disappeared.
e
1995 - 2009
g
The opening up of the economy led to foreign investment and the development of Pudong and its now famed skyline.
2009-2010 f
The expo of 2010 led to major upheavals in the urban development of the Bund. The motorway was reduced to 4 lanes (with 4 underground) and the pedestrian area was increased creating a public oriented waterfront which opened on March 28th 2010.
‘Water’ as a place-making element : An emphasis on Shànghǎi, China
Huangpu Park
District: Huangpu Area: 12.49 km2 Inhabitants: 607405 Density: 48631 inhab/km2 Source: www.shhp.gov.cn Old City
The Bund Promenade
Length : 1.8 km Area :137,600 m2
0
880 meters
3.0 Huangpu and the Bund
The Bund (Chinese: 外滩; Pinyin: Wàitān)
Oriental Pearl Tower
Luijiazui Park
3.2 The Bund
Keywords: image, historical, belonging, familiarity, awe As a piece of rhetoric this had sounded very fine; but as we steamed up the Whangpoo River, I realized that “Nordic Man” would have SWFC berthed his ships just here, even if the Son of Heaven had placed at his disposal the whole coast of the Middle Kingdom from Tongking to Korea. “Nordic Man” would have made himself at home at Shanghai by sheer force of habit. As written by the British historian Arnold J. Toynbee as he sailed into the Bund. The Bund a part of the international settlement was the epicenter of the tumultuous history that has rocked Shanghai over the years from the establishment of its port to now. The opium wars and the ensuing ‘Treaty of Nanking’ allowed trade for the British with policies and laws which favored the British. The Bund promenade was developed over the years with buildings of various styles forming a coherent mosaic and proclaiming the British influence gazing onto the Huangpu. The Bund today physically is the western bank of the Huangpu, but with the Pudong development showing the progress of China, the Bund incorporates an urban tension of the animated continuity of the historic past in the west and the contemporary architectural iconography on the east. It is the Bund that bridges the two concepts of divergent growth of the old and the new, the east and the west. Even to this day, the Bund continues to be the urban setting to showcase Shanghai (and China) to the world. It is the backdrop from where one Huangpu to see what Shanghai has achieved. Every marks his point of reference River other day a new ‘landmark’ is created in Shanghai diminishing the aura of the previous one, but the Bund continues to stand tall to remain the landmark of Shanghai. The Bund is along the proposed public linear strip along the river. Looking at the larger picture, one can imagine the Bund to be a connection and a milestone for the other public spaces which will be developed. This would help in identifying the programmatic requirements of the public strip.
‘Water’ as a place-making element : An emphasis on Shànghǎi, China
-West of Huangpu River -On Zhongshan Road -Waibaidu Bridge to Yan’an Road -Eastern part of Huangpu District -1.8 km long promenade -52 Buildings various architectural styles: Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Neo-Classical, Beaux-Arts, and Art Deco -The district is predominantly commercial in nature. -Metro stop (current) : East Nanjing Road, Line 2 / 10 -The Bund is at two level: Street level plaza and a top promenade. -The Street level plaza has eateries, seating elements and parking access. -The top level is the ‘viewing’ promenade. The only services provided at that level are kiosks selling water/soft drinks and photography. The Bund is analyzed by examining its spatial and functional character through the following points: -Access and Connections -Routes -Greens -Water -Buildings -Zones -Urban tools. In the following page, each spread (Left and right side) is to be studied as one plate for one topic.
Crossing the River
1. Busiest Metro line 2. Tourist and Educational Use only 3. Vehicular Traffic Only 4. Tourists, Locals, Cyclists, Pedestrians
East Beijing Road
2
Bund Sightsee
ing Tunnel
1
Metro Line 2
oad jing R
Nan East
ad
ou Ro Hank
ad
ou Ro
Ya nn
an
Ro ad
Tu n
ne
l
Fuzh
3
oad nR a n Yan l rds unne a T Tow
Nanking east road Ferry Terminal 4
Connections with Puxi Metro Line Road Tunnel Bridge Ferry
0
400 m
3.0 Huangpu and the Bund
Extensions
Access and Connections -There are numerous methods for access to and from the Bund. Currently the closest stop to the Bund is at Nanjing East Road (Line 2 & 10). It opens into the famous Nanjing Pedestrian road from where the crowd is channelized to flow into the Chen Yi plaza at the Bund. A new metro stop is proposed to open directly at the Chen Yi Plaza. The large square with its curved steps invites you onto the Bund.
The Bund
Existing Open Spaces along the River Proposed Open Spaces along the River
Approach Below - Views of Nanjing pedestrian street looking towards the Bund. The Pearl Tower becomes a reference for one’s orientation.
Nanjing East Road
Nanjing Pedestrian Street
‘Water’ as a place-making element : An emphasis on Shànghǎi, China
-In order to keep the crowd moving and not stagnate at the plaza, there seems to be a conscious decision made not to have any seating in that area, but to provide for seating elements further along the Bund. - The ferry terminal at the southern end allows for crossing the river at a relatively low fare.
Inferences The Bund is along the proposed public linear strip along the river. Looking at the larger picture, one can imagine the Bund to be a connection and a milestone for the other public spaces which will be developed. This would help in identifying the programmatic requirements of the public strip.
Oriental Pearl Tower
Pedestrian route at the Promenade Pedestrian Route at Street Level Pedestrian Access connecting both levels Direction of Cycling Route End of Cycling Route Car Parking
0
400 m
3.0 Huangpu and the Bund
The Platform
Routes The only route along the Bund is for pedestrians. Other forms of usage like picnicking or playing are not allowed, though not mentioned in the signages along the Bund. -The platform at the Bund is designed to control the flood waters of the river during high tide. It is thus 10 meters above the street level. This is the main pedestrian route at the Bund. This route is devoid of any green cover making it very hard edged and not ideal for a long time usage due to the harsh Shanghai weather. -It is more of a space to ‘visit’. Additionally there are very few kiosks at the top level making the journey uninteresting.
Above left - View of the Bund from the jetty area during the Foreign Concessions. (www. virtualshanghai.net) Above right - The Bund today.
Lack of Vitality
East Zhongshan 2nd Road
Pedestrian plazas
Platform (Flood control line)
Inferences -The Bund is well connected by road, subway and bus routes. But allowing for cycle usage along the Bund would help create an interesting social layer which would promote environment consciousness and elevate the image of the cycle (as the cycle currently has a status of the worker class with less affordability). Cycles on the Bund would juxtapose a social layer with the existing glamorous image of the Bund. -To break away from the ‘museum’ kind of usage the Bund has, spaces should be created with additional functions which would increase the vitality of this route. Adding green canopy would allow people to bask in the ‘glory’ of the Bund longer than just visiting it.
River
Far Left - Large steps leading to the platform Left -Ramp for disabled access to the platform
‘Water’ as a place-making element : An emphasis on Shànghǎi, China
Huangpu Park
Greens at the Promenade Greens at Street Level
0
400 m
3.0 Huangpu and the Bund
Sparse Green Cover
Greens to Revitalise the Environment Below left, Below right - People taking a respite from the harsh hot weather. Bottom - Lack of green coverage on the platform
Greens The waterfront falls under the ‘Urban planning department’ of Shanghai. The landscape on the waterfront (accordingly) also falls under the same department and is different from the ‘Greening Bureau’ of Shanghai. This difference can be observed if one looks at the landscape at the waterfront. The greening of the Bund is very different from the overall greening of the city. Inferences -Increase in Green cover: The top level of the Bund only accommodates shrubs right now. Adding trees and increasing the green coverage provides areas of shade and softens the landscape. The harsh weather of Shanghai (with its hot summers) could be counter acted by creating areas of shade would help in the users connecting more to the Bund. The Huangpu Park at the north Bund is always swamped with people wanting to rest in the shade. This could be recreated in small green pockets along the promenade. -Diversity of the Greens: The landscape elements at the lower plaza are sparse with simple tree lines and plazas and flower beds. Increasing the diversity of the greens and ‘place-making’ with the landscape would make the space more interesting and increase the vitality. -Responsible Greens: Greens could be used in the recycling/purifying of the water (as it is used in the Houtan Park in the south of the Huangpu River). It would be of dual faceted function of providing the much needed green cover and doing its bit for the river. It could also be used as an educational tool, giving the Bund another layer of perception.
‘Water’ as a place-making element : An emphasis on Shànghǎi, China
Huangpu River Fountains from the floor
0
400 m
3.0 Huangpu and the Bund
Vantage Points
Oriental Pearl Tower
Viewing points for the Pudong skyline
Water The Bund is raised above the street level to control the flooding of the Huangpu River. There is no physical interaction with the water. The river becomes the distance to get depth for focal vision to the Pudong skyline. Getting onto to Chenn Yi plaza opens up the vista of the Pudong Skyline. As one traverses along the promenade the views keep changing creating interesting viewpoints. Below - A child playing at the fountain at the Bund. This fountain is at the lower level of the
Night-time building illumination
Bund thus not really making a connection with the water as you cannot see the Huangpu river from this level. ( h t t p : / / w w w. f l i c k r. c o m / p h o t o s / lkn4aurum/3491639382/sizes/z/in/ photostream/)
Inferences Even if one cannot access the water (due to the water level, water quality, safety etc.), other water sources can be provided along the Bund such as ponds, pools or fountains which makes one relate to the water and creates a metaphysical connection. (Though there are fountains at the lower plaza near the light house, but are not visually connected with the river.)
Left - View of Pudong as seen from the Bund http://www.flickr.com/photos/ islandchic/6013936562/sizes/l/in/photostream/ Bottom Left: View of the Puxi side of the Bund with its historic architectural buildings. http://www.flickr.com/photos/ jekegraff/6117819507/sizes/l/in/photostream/
‘Water’ as a place-making element : An emphasis on Shànghǎi, China
Commercial Use Building under Heritage Protection Commercial-use Building Residential-use Building Public Service Building Municipal Building
0
400 m
3.0 Huangpu and the Bund
Buildings The Bund area, (The entire city block) houses 52 buildings of various architectural styles such as Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Neo-Classical, Beaux-Arts, and Art Deco These historic buildings at the Bund are the imprint left behind by the colonial powers which proclaim the European domination of this part of the world. It was a symbol of the ‘privileged’. Surprisingly, even now, the buildings at the Bund continue the legacy of the ‘privileged’. It houses high end boutiques and expensive hotels which only a certain strata of society can afford.
East Beijing Road
Jinkee Road
East Nanjing Road
Inferences: More socio-cultural programs can be housed within these built-forms. The buildings seem to form a ‘historic’ enclosure along the Bund. The only accesses of these buildings are visual and physical when one is walking along the pavement beside it. Ideally, some of these buildings should house community oriented functions at least at the lower level floors which allow the spill of people into the building and enhance the experience of the Bund. By puncturing the wall-block effect of these buildings and increasing its porosity, a gesture is made to show that the common Chinese society has embraced these artifacts to make them more than just ‘historic museum’ pieces and become a part of their daily lives. These buildings could have activity destinations which draw people to the waterfront for varied uses.
Hankou Road
Commercial
Fuzhou Road
Office Administration Bank Trade Insurance Media
Hotel
‘Water’ as a place-making element : An emphasis on Shànghǎi, China
2011
Club
1939
Shipping
1860’s
Warehouse Right - Chart showing change in usage of the Buildings at the Bund. Images of the buildings from - http://www. simonfieldhouse.com/shanghai.htm
Zone 1: Huangpu Park and People’s Memorial Zone 2: Nanjing Road Entrance and Chen Yi Plaza Zone 3: Dancing Plaza at Street Level Zone 4: Fuzhou Road Entrance and Financial Bull Zone 5: The ‘Light House’
0
400 m
3.0 Huangpu and the Bund
Zones and Destinations There are five zones on the Bund due to its spatial and functional character. Each zone has a distinct character due to either its approach, usage, material or spatial outlook. The Huangpu Park has the largest green cover while the Chen Yi plaza has the most number of visitor reception (currently, as the flow of people is from Nanjing road onto the Bund). The next plaza, devoid of seating allows for functions in the mornings such as group dancing and exercises. The Financial Bull area has seating which gives the users space for rest. The light house patch is the connector with the ferry terminal further beyond. Materials There are some basic materials that are used along the Bund. The paving material is grey and black granite slabs. Some areas have wooden flooring which demarcates the zone into seating versus the walking path. The vegetation at the top level is sparse and limited to shrubs. The Bund is very well lit and compliments the chain of buildings which are also lit making the scene very interesting.
Flooring material: Grey stone Flooring material: Grey to Dark Grey Stone Flooring material: Wood Vegetation: Lawns, Shrubbery Vegetation: Trees Illumination Seating Elements on the Platform
‘Water’ as a place-making element : An emphasis on Shànghǎi, China
Inferences The top level of the Bund is currently an open space which serves as a platform. Incorporating various functions would help in using the space more effectively. Creating opportunities for additional public related activities along and around the Bund would propagate the usage of the Bund by creating multiple destinations with varied uses at different times of the day and night. Using the Bund could then become more than ‘going to the Bund’ to use it and more of visiting the Bund as a secondary activity.
Urban Tools Activities
-Walking / strolling / Viewing -Photography -Kite Flying -Visiting (Museum kind of activity) -Tai Chi, Exercises (In the morning)
Space
-Linear -Basic Materials -Less green cover -Open to the elements
Seating
-Varied seating elements -Naked (very less shade) -Materials: Wood, Concrete -Only Seating (Or sleeping, no standing on the benches!)
Elements
-Numerous information kiosks and signs -Modern and efficient light elements: Street lighting, landscape lighting and floor lighting -Railings are visually porous allowing for connections with the river.
3.0 Huangpu and the Bund
‘Water’ as a place-making element : An emphasis on Shànghǎi, China
4 Understandings
4.1 Insights 4.2 Responsive Public Spaces
4.1 Insights
The Bund as a public space is unique in its nature as compared to any waterfront in the world due to the context it sits in. It represents the enigma of Shanghai, of the past and the future. It is the physical strip that binds the dichotomy of the mosaic of the historic architecture on the Puxi side and the collage of the new on the Pudong side. But even more, the Bund is emblematic of the resilient spirit of ever changing Shanghai which had stood as a witness to the ups and downs of the city. Walking on the Bund reminds one of the times of the gun boats, but glancing to Pudong, it jolts us to ponder upon the rise of the global city of Shanghai. Activities on the Bund promenade are limited, but as a public space it works as it draws the people onto its granite slabs in large numbers. People come to the Bund as they are drawn by the ‘charm’ of the Bund and the ‘glory’ of Pudong. The new metro stops (exits are directly on the lower level of the Bund at Chen Yi plaza) will accentuate its usage. Due to the lack of dense residential areas along the Bund, it does not draw a substantial section of the users which we would find in other open public spaces in Shanghai. But the surge of users purely due to curiosity, interest and awe is large. Tourists (domestic and international) form a major bulk of the users who visit the Bund to see the riding development of Shanghai (and China) as it forms the perfect platform (literally) to physically (and metaphysically) visualize it. The Bund as a public space, is in its present ‘curiosity filled’ stage. But in order for its sustainable use, there are a number of issues which can be addressed in order to keep the water front active. When the South Bund opens us after development, the user flow would be diverted along the entire waterfront which would reduce the current (over) use of the Bund and could also result in the under use of the waterfront. Just making the Bund as a strolling, walking, viewing promenade could lead to the decline of the Bund. But as an active, community oriented public space it could become not just the face of the Global city but also the body and mechanism of the community and become a model across the globe. Any public space needs a wide span of time to creating relationships with its users. Constant usage creates memories which are based on social interaction. After the initial ‘curiosity’ visits, the community needs to take over the public space with their uses to activate the space. The vitality of the Bund is completely dependent on the way the designed spaces, spontaneous uses, community programs and local identity is shaped over time. Time plays an important role in making a public ‘space’ into a ‘place’ where one feels he has a sense of ownership over the place. The results of this study would need time to judge and to propose the identity of the Bund. A successive study of the Bund after 10 years would reveal more interesting anecdotes which were not thought about earlier. The change in perception of the Bund would generate uses by the people themselves. The community should grow all over the Bund to cover it with their identity to show the world the actual identity of the Bund. It would be interesting to see the Bund after a decade to see how Shanghai would have evolved to show the world what an ideal community driven global city would be like.
4.0 Understandings
4.2 Responsive Public Space
The realms of Public spaces have morphed from authoritative discourses (where statues were erected to emphasize the magnanimity of a ruler or rule) to socially thriving places which moulds the identity of a city and its people. They contain diverse functions in today’s times making the structuring of these spaces more complex. It is banal and important to address the mental (read=psychological) infrastructure which is needed to allow for coherence in the diverse needs of society in a public space. As we have seen in the previous chapters, placemaking is negotiating between the inter-disciplinary domains of urban design and planning, landscape design, social studies and community engagement. In contrast, it differs from the simplistic clichés and dwells in the realms of compounded issues of complexity, which starts at a need (and thought), progresses at the drawing board, gathers steam by the user, and transforms into a receptacle for sociability and life in a city. In the previous chapters we have seen varied approaches regarding the success (or failure, which is not discussed but is a realistic outcome at times) of a public space. Two major approaches emerge which can directly affect the usage of public space viz. The physical approach and the social approach. By creating a biotic network between the space and the user, the relationship between the two is greatly enhanced. Allowing users to ‘use’ the space is an approach with some added risks. But designing for risks is an important aspect for a public space. Choice of usage of the space, the accommodation of various uses, the degree to which the user can personalize the space and the ease in understanding the kind of freedom they have on the space allows for a sense of belonging. This aspect of public place-making has to be an integral part of urban spaces in Shanghai. The idea of spontaneous usage (which is observed in many parts of the city) can be abstracted in the design process of public spaces. The place-making renaissance by resurrecting elements of connectivity can be applied to the Bund promenade. Water as an urban element is not just to be viewed, but to be touched, to be felt to be sensed. Water has its connections with us from our inception in amniotic fluid to our need for our very life. Reaching out to the water allows us to connect at a metaphysical level. There is a certain sense of freedom associated with water in a public space. Even if the water is not the river, providing additional water sources help create the connection. Shanghai as a city and a driving force itself is a complex interface with varied political and developmental interests. The citizens use what they have and adjust around it. Involving the people in the ‘urban’ process could help in propelling the quality of these spaces way beyond.
‘Water’ as a place-making element : An emphasis on Shànghǎi, China
reenal.agarwal@gmail.com