Modernizing Beijing - Master Thesis by Rutger Kuipers @ TUDelft MSc3 Explorelab - 2006

MODERNIZING BEIJING A thesis by Rutger Kuipers

Content I

Thesis

‘Modernizing Beijing’

Abstract and Acknowledgement

3

Introduction

4

1

History

7

1.1 China’s ancient architectural history 1.1.1 General features 1.1.2 Imperial architecture

8

1.1.3 Residential architecture

9

1.1.4 Hutongs

10

1.2 Periods of Modernisation until 1978

11

1.3 Rising China (after 1978)

16

1.4 China’s future development and goals

19

2

Reconstructing Beijing

2.1 City planning and architecture of Beijing

2.2 Architectural debates on Beijing

23

2.2.1 Discussing Koolhaas’ CCTV

26

3

Theoretical framework

28

3.1 Regionalism

3.2 Supermodernism

3.3 Critical Regionalism

3.4 Defamiliarization

4

Case Studies in Beijing

4.1 Wu Liangyong: Ju’er Hutong

4.2 Steven Holl: Linked Hybrid

33

4.3 Andreu: National Theatre

34

5

Conclusions

36

20

29

32

Additions

37

References

39

Pictorial references

40 Modernizing Beijing

Rutger H. Kuipers TU Delft MSc3

II

Impressions of Beijing

III

Analyses and precedents

IV Location

Modernizing Beijing

Rutger H. Kuipers TU Delft MSc3

2

Abstract

Acknowledgement

By modernizing the city, Beijing is upgrading to a

Special thanks goes out to Karina Moraes Zarzar,

higher level of prosperity. At the same time though

Marc Koehler and to the mentors of the ExploreLab

we see the reverse side of a global development,

Studio for supporting me on this project.

the interventions in the city ruin parts of the city by destroying its traditional architecture, in particular the

Thanks to the founders of the ExploreLab Studio at

traditional hutong-areas, which are one of the main

TU Delft for providing the possibility of a graduation

characteristics of this city, and which carry a long

project based on personal interest. And of course

history of Beijing’s ancient life and architecture.

thanks to my current team of students at ExploreLab2

My interest is mainly concerned within a dilemma of

for the valuable reflections on each others projects

upgrading Beijing to a modern wealthy city on the

and having a good time during the process.

one hand and on the other hand destroying part of its tradition. How could an architect operate within a dilemma like this? Does the architect need to choose the one or the other position or is there a possible solution to a new architecture which embeds the local traditions? My goal is to find the last solution: a new architecture that embeds local tradition.

I will discuss the interventions in Beijing according to a few theoretical themes; globalisation, critical regionalism and defamiliarization.

Modernizing Beijing

Rutger H. Kuipers TU Delft MSc3

Introduction

We live in an era of globalisation, it takes less time

society (in fact they originate from America, the

then before to get from one point in the world to

world’s hegemony). One of the problems or critique

another –in travel of speech, written words, images

on globalisation is that it happens mainly between the

or physically-, the world becomes one, or doesn’t

rich countries in the world, who try to dictate capitalist

it? A definition given by Wikipedia (which in itself

principles to the rest of the world. A lot of poor

is a product and process of globalisation): “an

countries do not get the benefits from globalisation

umbrella term for a complex series of economic,

-meaning here: becoming a wealthier society-, unless

social technological, cultural and political changes

there is any profit to make for Western investors and

seen as increasing interdependence, integration

the country is willing to cooperate with the capitalist

and interaction between people and companies in

market system. On the other hand globalisation helps

disparate locations” (Wikipedia, 2006). The effects

developing countries (that are of interest and willing to

of globalisation reflect in the vision

cooperate) to become more prosperous.

China has been confronted with globalisation, since Deng Xiaoping introduced the ‘open door’ policy to China in 1978 and changed the planned system to a market system, which resulted in a tremendous economic boom. Beijing has since then started developing towards a modern city in a rapid pace.

At the moment ‘starchitects’ from all over the world imprint this city with amazing designs, Beijing has become the platform of the next architectures, of architectural and urban debates.1 The world is following closely what is happening to China and how

1.`McDonaldization`

it is dealing with this rapid change, since there has been such a remarkable big economic transformation for this country and its cities. The government of

that everybody drinks Coca-Cola, eats McDonalds,

China seems to be eager to profile itself in the world,

wears Nikes and listens to the same pop-music.

the reserved position the communist China had

The one thing that seems peculiar in the effects of

towards capitalism has made place for an embracing

globalisation, is that all these trademarked items

of it. One of the results is the 2008 Olympic Games

come from the rich part of the world, the Western

in Beijing, which means an acceleration of the

1. Given the example: on october 17th, 2006 TU Delft organizes a forum in Beijing on its urbanism in cooperation with the Tsinghua University, NTU Taipei and the Berlage Institute. (www.ifou.org). The Netherlands Architecture Institute organised an exposition in the summer of 2006 on Contemporary China, in which Beijing and Shanghai are the main cities of subject (www.nai.nl). In Beijing, the dutch architect Neville Mars (a 2. An old foodstand in inner Beijing wears the Coca Cola advertisement.

Modernizing Beijing

former associate of Koolhaas) founded the Dynamic City Foundation which arranges several debates around the transformation of Beijing.

Rutger H. Kuipers TU Delft MSc3

deal with the phenomenon of globalisation and the local identity of the place. An important theory comes from Tzonis and Lefaivre, who introduced the Critical Regionalism, where they propose a new vision of architectural approach, with a critical view towards the products of globalisation as well as local potentials.

I presume that with the research on this theory I can formulate a design task that will help to find

3. The planned olympic field for 2008

building program. It means a new deadline for Beijing that shows to when the cities facilities should be upgraded to a higher level of prosperity. At the same time though we see the reverse side of global development, the interventions in the city ruin parts of the city by destroying its traditional architecture, in particular the traditional hutong-areas, which are one of the main characteristics of this city, and which carry a long history of Beijing’s ancient life and architecture.

My interest is mainly concerned with a dilemma of upgrading Beijing to a modern wealthy city on the one hand and on the other hand destroying part of its tradition. How could an architect operate within a dilemma like this? Does the architect need to choose

the solution to a new architecture with local identity embedded.

I will discuss the interventions in Beijing according to a few theoretical themes; supermodernism, regionalism, critical regionalism and defamiliarization.

Supermodernism is discussed by Hans Ibelings, who found a new ‘ism’ to grasp the architecture of globalisation from the last decade of the twentieth century in words: Supermodernism, according to Ibelings, covers architecture with decreasing value for “symbolic or metaphorical references” (Ibelings, 1998, p.133). Regionalism on the other hand is a rather conservative way of reviving past architectures. Its main critic towards sorts of Supermodern architecture like Ibelings describes is the loss of local identity.

Critical Regionalism is introduced by Tzonis and Lefaivre and presents a discourse on Regional and Global architecture. It attempts to critically combine these into a new approach on architecture. Despite its progressive ideas many still wrongly reflect to it as a conservative theory. Defamiliarization (originally used in linguistics by Victor Shklovsky) is a theory

4. Destruction close to the Zhengyangmen Gate at Tiananmensquare

discussed by Tzonis and Lefaivre. The theory presents a way of how to deal with the re-use of

the one or the other position or is there a possible

(fragments of) precedents.

solution to a new architecture which embeds the local traditions?

The purpose of this graduation thesis in MSc3 is to

My goal is to find the last solution: a new architecture

form a basic knowledge to support me in a design

that embeds local tradition.

task in the last semester, MSc4. I have written most part of the thesis from my home in the Netherlands

To research this I consulted architectural theories that

Modernizing Beijing

(globalisation provided me this possibility) in addition

Rutger H. Kuipers TU Delft MSc3

I spend three weeks in Beijing the summer of 2006, examining and photographing parts of the city as well as collecting verbal and written information.

The first chapter starts with a brief overview of historical moments where I will try to briefly describe, from history till present, China’s traditional architecture and the influences from the Western society. The chapter provides a general insight in the nation’s development, its architecture and its politics. As Beijing is the primary goal I will attempt to focus on Beijing. In this historical part of the thesis is introduced how certain architectures have derived and how the Chinese reasoned on urban planning and architecture. There is a differentiation between ancient architecture, the period before 1978, (turning point in late history) with the influences from modern societies and the period after 1978 until now. Sometimes history is discussed according to dynasties, the dynasty chronology can be found as a supplement at the end of the thesis.

In the second chapter I will discuss the city planning and architecture of Beijing itself. I will discuss past and current interventions, the future development and the discourse on Beijing’s architecture from a Western point of view and from that of Beijing architects.

In the third chapter I will digress upon the theories of Regionalism, Supermodernism and mainly on Critical Regionalism and Defamiliarization.

In the fourth chapter three case studies are discussed according to these theories; Wu Liangyong’s Ju’er Hutong, Steven Holl’s Linked Hybrid and Paul Andreu’s National Theatre.

Attached to this thesis are 5 books containing; an impression of the city, analyses of precedents, location study, programmatic content and design concepts.

Modernizing Beijing

Rutger H. Kuipers TU Delft MSc3

1

History

This chapter provides an overview of Chinese

timbers could be laid. One of the oldest examples

architecture and the influences from the West.

of ancient wooden architecture still remaining, is the

It is not an attempt to rewrite Chinese architectural

Foguang temple in the Shanxi province (picture 8),

history, but to point out certain architectural

dating back to the Tang dynasty (857).

approaches, styles and influences, which could contribute to a discourse on the traditional architectures of Beijing and its ‘global’ architectures.

1.1

CHINA’S ANCIENT ARCHITECTURE

This section will present an overview on China’s

6. The Foguang Temple

ancient architecture, divided in; the typical features of China’s architecture derived from history, the imperial

Clay was used to make bricks and rooftiles, and is

architecture and the residential architecture. It will

still a very common material used in China. In Beijing

present knowledge of some of the basics in ancient

you will find the bricks are all grey and together with

architecture that nowadays still have their traces in the

the grey stones and tiles, this provides the city with an

architecture of China, including Beijing. Still a lot of

overall grey appearance.

modern architects use traditional features, sometimes in an intelligent way and sometimes in a (disneyfied) esthetical way.

7,8. Fabrication of rooftiles

For the foundation pounded earth was used, sometimes this was also used for walls.

5. Modern glass building with traditional shaped roof

Lattice patterns A traditional Chinese window has lattices that form a

1.1.1 GENERAL FEATURES OF ANCIENT CHINESE

ARCHITECTURE

Materials According to Lou Qingxi, author of the book ‘Ancient Chinese Architecture’, the Chinese built constructions

9. Lattice pattern near Forbidden City, Beijing.

of wooden frames in the earliest days, dating back to about 6500 years ago. Wooden pillars supported

special pattern. These derived from the application

wooden beams and crossbeams where upon the roof

of rice paper for windows. The paper needed to have

Modernizing Beijing

Rutger H. Kuipers TU Delft MSc3

many points of attachment, so a pattern was designed

shows the all the specific features of Chinese palace

for it to enlarge the surface. Numerous of these

architecture from layout to appearance of structures

designs have been found in China and nowadays

and decoration. “The Forbidden City concentrates

Chinese windows have the same kind of lattices for

the highest technical and artistic achievements of

glass-windows, a more modern type would even have

ancient palace architecture.” Qingxi asserts that

the pattern painted (or stickered up-) on the glass.

traditional Chinese buildings are always grouped

(In the additional Mapping booklet there is a photo-

together, whether they are residences, temples or palaces. In the Forbidden City there are about 1000 halls which are all grouped around a large or small

collage of lattices in Beijing)

courtyard. All the courtyards are connected, lanes provide circulation between them. The structural

1.1.2 IMPERIAL ARCHITECTURE

layout is very similar to that of a courtyard house Palaces

complex, which will be highlighted in the next section.

Qinxi mentions about that in the feudal history of

Qingxi notices that traditional architectural complexes

China the emperors had palaces that exalted them far

had “decorative archways, pillars, screen walls, ands stone lions and tablets beside small buildings”, those were of major importance to arrange the space around it and set the scene. Most traditional architecture was formed in a simple rectangular structure, “and it is the complex of single structures, rather than the single structures themselves that expresses the broadness and magnanimousness of ancient Chinese architecture” (Qinxi, 2002, p.8).

Temples Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism and other tenets

10. Top view on the Forbidden City.

above the populace. They were impressive structures which expressed the “architectural techniques and aesthetic aspirations of that epoch.” According to Qinxi the only extant imperial palaces are the Forbidden City and the Imperial Palace in Shenyang.

11. Round openings create a pictorial view of the environment.

The Forbidden City is built in 1420 according to the

or religions provided the architecture of China with

ancient regulations of Chinese palace architecture; it

beautiful temple complexes and pagoda’s as well

Modernizing Beijing

Rutger H. Kuipers TU Delft MSc3

as imperial gardens; all will not be addressed to

the Yangzi River, in the south of China, where the

here in detail. The importance of this architecture for

ground was marshy, while cave dwellings were to

this project is that it possesses features that show

be found near the Yellow river, in the north on “plain

the class of Chinese architecture, ancient high-tech

or loess tableland.” This may have resulted in the

structures (pagoda’s), beautiful gardens and their

different house typologies found there later, the

architectural elements, e.g. shown in picture 11.

northern typologies exist mainly of one storey houses while southern typologies show multiple storeys. The

Military structures

earliest houses (dating roughly from around 4000

In the Bronze Age (21st to 5th century BC) massive

BC) by archaeological research were formed in a

structures on high platforms represented the architecture of that time. One extant example is a 13 meters high platform of a Song-Jin palace that is later used for a building of the Qing dynasty. The traditional type of these so-called high-platform buildings were built on big scaled platforms, they represented power and wealth and were also used as a military tool to frighten the enemy. It was the most monumental

13. Circular arrangement

14. Rectangular arrangement

expressive form of architecture in China. The gates

circle of wooden pillars (picture 13), later rectangular

of Beijing show a similar arrangement, a big platform

shapes would be made (picture 14). These houses were all found in the Shaanxi province, west of Beijing.

12. Zhengyangmen Gate, Beijing

15. Archaelogical site in Shaanxi Province

with a structure on top and gates peering through the

The houses were situated around a central square

massive base.

(picture 15). Main building materials used, were earth and wood, that are still being used frequently today.

1.1.3 RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE In ‘Chinese Architecture and Planning, Ideas, Methods, Techniques’, Qinghua Guo argues that the earliest forms of Chinese dwellings “emerged from two different physical environments”, resulting

16. Reconstruction of courtyard house, Erlitou

in nest type, pile dwellings and a cave type, earth

The oldest courtyard house Guo asserts, is the Erlitou

dwellings. The pile dwellings were to be found around

Palace (from around 2000 BC) (picture 16). Courtyard

Modernizing Beijing

Rutger H. Kuipers TU Delft MSc3

houses were built for protection; they exist of roofed

amount of decoration and the scale of a compound

walls or inward facing buildings on each side. The

were confined by the status of the inhabitants. “Those

courtyard houses are orientated north-south, as

who exceeded the according standards would be

most houses in China are built traditionally facing the

punished or even executed.”

south, so to make good use of sunlight, according to

In the larger complexes between the principal rooms

Guo this could have been the reason why the southside later became so respectful in Chinese building, and for instance in Feng Shui thinking (Guo, 2005).

Beijing’s courtyard houses are also called quadrangles or siheyuans (meaning quadrangle compound with rooms on its four sides). In A Guidebook to Alleys in Beijing Zhengyong and Mingde describe their unique features. The rooms facing the south

18. Dropping Flowers Gate (at the right is an entrance screenwall)

and the reverse-set rooms there is a “Chuihuamen or Dropping Flowers Gate” separating them, in most cases there is another screenwall behind this gate.

side

N

Behind the principal rooms there are posterior rooms or buildings for storage. In large courtyard complexes

are called the ‘principal rooms’, the ones

17. Traditional courtyard house layout.

you would find beautiful gardens, artificial hills and fishing pounds, showing the good taste of the master.

facing the north are called ‘reversely-set rooms’. The

No matter the scale, the courtyard complex is always

gate to the compound is usually set at the south-

enclosed by the rooms and low walls, enough for

east side, this, in combination with a screenwall, is to

preventing people to peek over. Inside the court the

maintain privacy since one cannot look directly into

rooms are linked by a roofed canopy, which is like the

the compound. There is also presumed that this is

rooms raised a few steps from ground level (as well

the case because the people believed that evil spirits

as the gates of the compound). The walls prevent the

could not travel around a corner. Because of the

people from wind and sandstorms and from the noise

feudal hierarchy in a family, the difference between

outside.2 The residence has become a quite place for

juniors and seniors, men and women masters

the people to relax from the exhausting life outside

and servants of a family, there was a need to have

(especially during those days). Rooms had thick and

different standards of the rooms. It would not work if

solid walls which would give warmness in winter and

all the rooms had the same standards, and it would

coolness in summer (Zhengyong and Mingde, 2001).

cause trouble to the family management if they lived scattered in different places. The architectural form

2. I experienced the courtyard house for myself in the hotel I stayed in Beijing, it was an old courtyard house turned into a backpackers hotel.

would show clear distinction of people’s positions,

It had a courtyard which had a very calm and relaxing atmosphere, you

the building facing the south was of high importance,

wouldn’t notice anything from outside, it is a totally different environment,

while the one facing the north was mostly used for the servants of the family. The architectural styles, the

Modernizing Beijing

the trees presented a natural feeling together with the old stone architecture. The only thing that was added was a big roof over the courtyard to protect you from the Chinese rains.

Rutger H. Kuipers TU Delft MSc3

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1.1.4. HUTONGS

people to gather together and live, used as the centre of tent compounds. By 1944 there were 2300 alleys in

Beijing’s houses were built around the Forbidden

Beijing and after liberation under Mao’s regime Beijing

City, the houses closest to it would contain residents

witnessed a fast development in urban construction.

that were related to the Forbidden City, like the servants and guards. The houses were all arranged

21. Transformation of the courtyard house

The houses were made government property and people had to provide space to migrants. The number of alleys would increase from 3000 before liberation 19. View on two courtyardhouses in a hutong area

to about 6000 after. This was crucial to the state of

in a rigid grid which was divided in rectangular

the areas, they would fill up with people and their

divisions. North-south and east-west directed streets

qualitative living space would decline. Until now there

would provide the routing in the city. In the divisions

are still hutongs which are in a dilapidated state.

smaller passageways would provide the routing

Nowadays these hutongs are under enormous

for the people between their houses and it would

pressure of modernisation, which will be digressed

function as isolation belts against fire risks. In the

upon in the second chapter.

Ming dynasty an avenue would be 24 bu (about 36 meters), a street would be 12 bu (about 12 meters)

1.2

PERIODS OF MODERNISATION UNTIL 1978

and an alley would be 6 bu (about 9 meters). In that time there were about 400 alleys in the city. They were

This section discusses the Western influences on

called hutongs, which derived from the Mongolian

China. It is significant to have an understanding of

word ‘hottog’3, meaning ‘well’, which was a place for

former periods of modernisation in Chinese history to understand where China is today. Mainly because of colonial influences China has met and sometimes clashed with modernity before today’s process of modernisation.

The Catholic Encyclopaedia argues that the first contact with Judaism was already in the 7th century: “They seemed to have reached China in the seventh

3. Arguably it could also be derived from the Mongolian word ‘huotuan’, 20. View in a contemporary hutong

which means passageway.

Modernizing Beijing

Rutger H. Kuipers TU Delft MSc3

11

century, according to the Si-ngan-fu inscription”

refused to treat the Europeans as “cultural or political

(Catholic Encyclopaedia). China’s oldest known

equals.” Russia was the first European power to reach

synagogue is situated in Kaifeng, dating from the

a treaty with China in 1689: the Treaty of Nerchinsk.

Northern Song Dynasty, when Jews settled in Kaifeng,

The other nations were seen as inferior, and their efforts to reach a trade agreement were “rebuffed” by the Chinese, “the official Chinese assumption being that the empire was not in need of foreign - and thus inferior - products” (Shinn and Worden, 1988).

Peter G. Rowe and Seng Kuan provided for the main source for this part of the thesis on modernizations in

22. Model of the Kaifeng Synagogue

China, with their book: Architectural Encounters with

which was then capital of China.

Essence and Form in Modern China. Rowe and Kuan

In a Country Study for the Library of Congress in

argue that “Traditionalism versus modernism in China

Washington, Rinn-Sup Shinn and Robert L. Worden,

emerged strongly as an issue of cultural development,

argue that from the thirteenth century there have been

though not for the first time [as seen above], in the

Roman Catholic missionary attempts to establish

aftermath of the Opium War of 1840 to 1842.” To

their church in China. “Although by 1800 only a few

reach peace China was forced to sign the Treaty of

hundred thousand Chinese had been converted,

Nanjing, a ceding of the Treaty Ports (Rowe and Kuan,

the missionaries--mostly Jesuits--contributed greatly

2002). Five port cities were opened to foreign trade

to Chinese knowledge in such fields as cannon

and trading nations were allowed to build settlements.

casting, calendar making, geography, mathematics,

According to Layla Dawson, who wrote China’s

cartography, music, art, and architecture” (Shinn

New Dawn in 2005, “The first western, imported

and Worden, 1988). The first contacts with the West

architecture was built in the 1842 Treaty Ports, which

by trade are described by Shinn and Worden, who

became the seedbeds for China’s modernization”

note that the Western pioneers of China were the

(Dawson, 2005). There was an extraterritoriality, which

Portuguese. They reached China in 1517, at Macau

meant that people in these cities were subject to the laws of their home nation, to avoid any conflicts which Chinese laws. The British had the best conditions of all nations in the Treaty of Nanjing, they would get Hong Kong as their colony and would be treated the most-favoured, which meant that they would receive every trading concessions that the Chinese would promise to other powers in future agreements (Shinn and Worden, 1988). Dawson asserts, “To this day

23,24. Portuguese architecture in Macau; German architecture in Qingdao.

German building regulations still apply in Qingdao (picture 24), where an Anglo-German company

(picture 23) and were followed by the Spanish, the

began brewing ‘Tsingtao’ beer … The architects were

British and the French. Except for Russia, “the most

German and designed accordingly in Jugendstil

powerful inland neighbour”, the imperial court,

and Neo-Romanesque with hipped, red-tiled roofs,

Modernizing Beijing

Rutger H. Kuipers TU Delft MSc3

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rustic granite plinths and corners with plastered

with countries for that time new to the Treaty Ports of

walls, sometimes with half-timbered upper storeys.”

China; Austria-Hungary, Italy and Belgium. They built

(Dawson, 2005) “Eventually these ‘Concessions’

their own prisons, schools, barracks and hospitals.

or ‘Settlements,’ as they were called, in places like

Five miles in total were covered by the European

Shanghai, became the centres of modern cities from

Settlements and the riverfront was governed by

which contemporary Western ideas and technologies were propagated” (Rowe and Kuan, 2002).

“The rude realities of the Opium War, the unequal treaties, and the mid-century mass uprisings caused Qing courtiers and officials to recognize the need to strengthen China.” Since that time (1840) schools started examining Western learning. Under the direction of Han officials Western science and

26. Former Belgian legation (2006).

languages were being studied. “Students were

foreign powers (Wikipedia, 2006).

sent abroad by the government and on individual

The result for Beijing was a legation quarter in

or community initiative in the hope that national

DongCheng district where 11 legations were to be

regeneration could be achieved through the

found, situated southeast of the Forbidden City. With

application of Western practical methods” (Shinn

the Xinchou Treaty in 1900 the Qing government was

and Worden, 1988). Since that time China seemed to adapt itself to the West albeit under the pressure of

27. Plan of the Legation Quarter, 1912. (This picture is in large format with content, added at the end of the thesis)

forced to turn the area into a legation quarter. This 25. American Barracks in Tianjin built by Germans

introduced some Western architecture in Beijing (see picture 26). There was a patriotic Catholic church built

past confrontations.

in 1890 by the French mission, which is said to be

In Tianjin, situated south-west of Beijing and often

the largest church in Beijing. It’s built in a neo-Gothic

referred to as the port city of Beijing, there were

style with brick and cast iron and the facade is of grey

eventually 9 concessions in the city. According

marble (picture 28,29)

to Wikipedia, the first concessions were British and French, between 1895 and 1900, then Japan,

Before the ‘Unequal Treaties’ as they were called,

Germany and imperial Russia joined them, together

the Chinese had always felt superior towards

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Rutger H. Kuipers TU Delft MSc3

13

seek refuge in the legations, having to seek shelter elsewhere. Those that were caught were raped as well as tortured and murdered. As a result of these reports, a great deal of anti-Chinese sentiment was generated in Europe, America, and Japan.” Eventually international forces with troops from 8 nations, Japan, Russia, Great Britain, France, U.S., Germany, Italy and Austria (accompanied by Chinese anti-Boxer forces) started a march of 120 kilometres from Tianjin to Beijing. There they “engaged in plunder, looting and rape.” Eventually the Qing court signed the peace agreement in 1901. (Wikipedia, 2006) The Catholic Church was besieged during the Boxer war and the facade was renewed in 1902. It later became subject of attack during the Cultural Revolution.

According to Dawson, “China’s second ‘modernization’ took place after the fall of the Imperial 28,29 Xishiku, Catholic church in former Legation Quarter

Court and the founding of the Republic of China in 1911 with Sun Yat-sen as the first president.” The

foreigners. These treaties however gave foreigners

new “nationalistic semi-democratic government”

special treatment compared to the Chinese. In the

existed of Chinese who had studied in the West, but

eyes of the Chinese this was seen as damage on

they still remained the feudal structure. (Dawson,

their prestige. Such “feelings increasingly resulted

2005) Rowe and Kuan mention that in treaty ports

in civil disobedience and violence towards both

like Shanghai, there raised a new style, known as the

foreigners and Chinese Christians” (Wikipedia,

“compradoric style”, which emerged out of colonial

2006). It eventually resulted in the famous Boxer

and Chinese architecture. (Rowe and Kuan, 2002)

movement that had a strong aversion against

Chinese architecture was clearly getting influenced by

foreigners. The Boxers peaked at 1900 when they

the colonialism. Western style buildings with Chinese-

attacked foreign compounds in Tianjin and Beijing.

style roofs were and still are a common sight in the

In Beijing the legations were besieged during 2

architecture of China.

months, the legations almost tripled in inhabitants

In 1949 the communists under Mao Zedong took

because anxious foreigners sought refuge at the

power. Mao put an end to the collaboration with the

compounds. A German minister was shot to dead

Western colonialism. In his famous public speech

and a Japanese ambassador was killed in violence.

he said: “Ours will no longer be a nation subject to

Part of the area (on the west side) was set on fire

insult and humiliation.” Rowe and Kuan mention

and burned down. Wikipedia mentions the following:

the almost immediate Russian Soviet influence

“Chinese Christians suffered even more greatly, as

equally to the ascendance of the communists. About

there were more of them and most were not able to

11.000 Russian advisors came to China and brought

Modernizing Beijing

Rutger H. Kuipers TU Delft MSc3

14

especially technical expertise and some 37.000

revolutional ideas meant to industrialize the city and

Chinese went to Russia for education or training

maintain a political centre in the city. The focus on

“primarily in technical areas.” “These changes

industrialization resulted into housing shortages,

affected the study of architecture,” Rowe and Kuan

and therefore the government turned to the “Soviet

assert, they mention a merging with the technical field

model of potential relief,” a system that “emphasized construction speed, low cost, labour savings. ... Basic features of the system were design standardization, mass production and systematic construction.”

Standard dwelling units made of standard components would be the basis for residential areas,

30,31 Soviet-Communist style apartment blocks, Beijing

and the influence of the Bauhaus-style.

Linda Vlassenrood, contributed to ‘China Contemporary,’ a book published aside the similar named exhibition at the Nai. She discusses style the

32 View on the Second Ring Road.

change during the Cultural Revolution (1965-1969).

they would form rigid apartment blocks. “Sometimes

Most national architecture design institutes and

an aesthetic program of socialist realism was

schools then were closed and their employees were

employed, as pitched gable roofs and other motifs

sent off to work at the countryside. “In these years

were added to the standardized units.” “More often

anonymous buildings epitomized the absence of

than not, though, housing was functional, well-built.”

design”, Vlassenrood asserts. Fundamental changes

Later there came a growing dissatisfaction with the

didn’t appear until the death of Chairman Mao. “After a

Soviet standardized style. Which didn’t mean it was

ten-year intellectual vacuum, the architectural debate

abandoned but it began to be modified and adapted

had to be ignited all over again.” (Vlassenrood et al,

(Rowe and Kuan, 2002).

2006)

Dawson also mentions Licheng in connection with the old city wall he wanted to preserve, but his ideas

Liang Sicheng was a vice-director of the Beijing City

lost against those of new planners who had the wall

Planning Commission, he wished to preserve the

demolished to make way for the Second Ring Road

old character of central Beijing and did a remarkable

(Dawson, 2005). A decision of which many still argue

proposition to the Communist government, to change

whether it was right or whether it’s a shame the wall

the main centre where the government would be

has been torn down.

situated not on the north-south axis, but to the west of the Old City, which would get the pressure of development off the Old City. But the Communists were not interested in such a conservative plan, their Modernizing Beijing

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1.3

RISING CHINA

request of Bill Clinton Wei was sent to the United States where he is now still fighting for Chinese

In 1978 Deng Xiaoping came to power in China, and

democracy in the Overseas Chinese Democracy

he made his greatest achievement for political and

Coalition (Van der Putten, 2003).

economical reforms at the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh National Party Congress Central

In 1989 on the 4th of June, the world was shocked

Committee in December 1978, which was considered

by the performance of the Beijing army. During two

a huge turning point in Chinese political history. The

months there was a protest started by students

policy that was conducted until then – that meant

against the communist regime, the Democracy

basically to support whatever policy decision Mao

Movement. The leader of the CCP, Zhao Ziyang

made and to follow whatever instructions he gave

was sympathising with the movement, but the old

– was abandoned at this Third Plenum and gave way

conservative members of the party under guidance of

to the open door policy (Shinn and Worden, 1988).

Deng Xiaoping decided to dismiss Zhao Ziyang, sign

Deng introduced a refreshing idea to the public,

the new leader, Jiang Zhemin and to activate troops

which was the contrary of Mao’s ideal of the poor. He

against the demonstrators. The massacre of Beijing

wanted China to become rich. The, until then detested

followed in the night from 3rd to the 4th of June. Only

capitalistic system, was embraced and gave way to

for a moment the troops were slowed down by the

the market principle (Van der Putten, 2003, p.18). The

famous unknown ‘Tankman’.

new goal of China was to achieve the modernization of industry, agriculture, science and national defence.

Deng repudiated the class struggle and reformed the classic party line into one promoting these Four Modernizations. Success and failure in the future would now depend on economy instead of politics (Shinn and Worden, 1988).

But politically no big changes occurred, there was

33 The famous unknown ‘Tankman’.

still a strict communist regime at the top. Those who attended to make a statement against the political

On the respond of the west to the Human Rights in

system were still being prosecuted. For instance Wei

China, Jan van der Putten says the following: “In

Jingsheng, who responded on 5 December 1978 to

the field of Human Rights western leaders are easily

the Four Modernizations announced, with a poster

satisfied by a gesture. China anticipates excellent

calling for a Fifth Modernization: Democracy. He

on this. The release of one or more prisoners shortly

became the leader of the Democracy Wall Movement

before an important foreign visit is a routine.” He gives

which started in December 1978 alongside the

an example of Wang Dan who was flown to America

reforms in the Chinese Communist Party. A long brick

just before Clinton arrived for a visit. But still there are

wall on Chang’an Street was the focus of democratic

a lot of activists kept prison (Van der Putten, 2003).

dissent. But the wall was closed in December 1979 and Wei was sentenced to 18 years of incarceration.

The Open Door Policy meant for the architecture of

In 1997 under international pressure and to the

China a sudden strong influence from the Western

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architecture, reacting on and investing in the

copied without any theoretical understanding,”

inevitable urban growth. Dawson mentions that “China

questions of materialization and local integration

was to be inundated by alien lifestyles, shopping

were never the issue. Pragmatism seemed to be

fever, youth culture, McDonalds and Starbucks on

the leading style at the architecture schools. Lots of

every corner, international hotels, new environments

impressionistic en simply trendy images appeared

and more foreigners.” She also mentions that 30 % of

that responded to the fast process of modernization.

Shanghai’s urban development in the 90’s involved

A severe understanding of the architectural style

foreign architects, that would later move onto Beijing.

seemed to be lacking. The appearing style would be

In 2004, Dawson asserts, 140 out of 200 of the

seen as Kitsch by critics. According to Vlassenrood,

“world’s top design consortiums had offices on the

the abundance of ornaments, an exuberant use of

mainland.” (Dawson, 2005) A growing national pride

colours and the diversity of styles would be typical for

of international appearance made China wanting to

this period. The influence of the property developer

further promote itself to the international community.

was rising and was overpowering the architect. The

A reason to have the Olympics in Beijing in 2008 and

architect was lacking a market directed view and his

the Expo 2010 in Shanghai.

work would be underpaid and altered afterwards by a market consultant. In the early 90’s these developers

Linda Vlassenrood, points out some style issues in

embraced “Western national architectural styles as a

the Chinese architecture in this period of time in.

symbol of a modern lifestyle”, which led to some very

The ‘New Vernacular’ style was led by I.M. Pei in

German, Spanish, Italian, Swedish, American or Dutch

the early 80’s. He designed the Fragrant Hill Hotel

appearing urban districts.

in ‘77 and tried to set an example by bringing back traditional building styles in his architecture. It then

Currently there are three types of architects present

evolved in the New Vernacular style. The regionalist

in China, according to Vlassenrood; the ones that are working for the government, the ones that are attached to the universities and a growing number that work in an architectural office.

Yung Ho Chang is the first one to start an architectural office in Beijing, a long time before it was prohibited for architects to start their own company. Until that time national design institutes had a monopoly and this restrained the quality of the designs at the time.

“The elite of today’s avant-garde,” as Vlassenrood

34 Fragrant Hill Hotel, by I.M. Pei, 1977

puts it, is now led by Yung Ho Chang and the ones influenced by him. The term avant-garde

attempt, however, was contradictory to the eager

is mainly used by Chinese, to indicate a small

embarking of the globalisation. It disappeared with

group of architects that prefer pure modern styles.

the new embracing of Western architecture. Due to

The absence of a generation of architects and of

a very superficial approach in that time, the outward

architectural education during the Cultural Revolution,

appearance became totally detached from any

has been clearly lacking the architecture field. In

content. “All manner of architectural styles were

the avant-garde most architects have studied or

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have experienced working in the West, mostly in

low-cost labour on materials like bamboo, concrete

America and some in Europe. Chinese identity was

and cement-bonded fibreboard makes it possible to

an important subject to some of these architects. “It

experiment and achieve a lot with these materials.

was clear to everyone, however, that the essence of traditional architecture had to be sought in its

In the last 5 years, according to Vlassenrood, the

construction and spatial proportions and not in its

minimalism has become more popular to the public.

outward appearance.”

The commercial market adopted this image as a trademark. To people this represented the modern

Vlassenrood sets out three different approaches;

culture. The Avant-Garde architects clearly developed

“first of all a very precise translation of tradition into a

an own idiom. Most architects are of opinion that it will

modern architecture with special influences of Feng

take another 10 years before this style is developed

Shui and Yin Yang and traditional forms.” Second,

to its “desired standard.” Vlassenrood points to the

“a more conceptual reinterpretation that integrates

importance of this new development in architecture

traditional architecture less obviously, and finally a

but however, she states, “the anti-formalist

Critical Regionalism that explicitly elaborates on local

architecture of the avant-garde does not yet provide a

building styles.” (Vlassenrood et al, 2006)

critical response to the rapidly changing city and the socially disruption this is causing. However, the self-

In this thesis the Critical Regionalism is

awareness of the Avant-Garde is growing.”

not seen as a mere pragmatic approach

New-coming architects are now more aware

(see chapter 3), as in the example of

of the problems that arrive with the fast urban

Vlassenrood, moreover the interpretation

transformations. Most of these new architects have

of the theory in this thesis relates to the

a Chinese and Western background, they studied

second example given above, “a more

or worked in America or Europe. (Vlassenrood et al,

conceptual reinterpretation that integrates

2006) The Chinese identity nowadays has become

traditional architecture less obviously.”

more and more under pressure of the modernizing city with its progressive demands. Something with

Vlassenrood argues that the designs of the Avant-

which architects have to deal now.

Garde show a similar minimalism. This inherent in the aversion of exuberant use of decoration and

1.4

CHINA’S FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AND

colour and in the use of “(inexpensive) materials” like

GOALS

bamboo, wood, grey slate, concrete and metal.

China, with its (former) communist regime and The “standard of execution” is much lower then in

the adjustment to the capitalist market, created an

the West. On the one hand, Vlassenrood argues,

almost unique position in this world. It has become

it is because construction companies lack certain

an authoritarian capitalist country, the danger of

knowledge cause they have been using concrete

such a regime is that it doesn’t need to justify

as a main material for decades. On the other hand

itself for its decisions, justice is implied in every

there are a lot of low-paid and unskilled peasants

decision. The opening to a more intense contact

at building sites with poor equipment “responsible

with the West might change their approach from

for the actual construction.” However, the intensive

the former communist time and it might even lead

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to a democratizing of China. It is believed that

to support this increasing urbanization, with 20 cities a

China will outgrow the United States as the world’s

year until 2020.

hegemony in 50 years from now, will it then still have

In his book Beyond Metropolis, Laquian quotes an

its authoritarian regime it could be threatening world

observation of the United Nations4 to point at an

peace. But that are all still presumptions.

important view on the relation of development and urbanization, where they note that “urbanization has

In the NRC Handelsblad weekend edition of April

been an essential part of most nations’ development

the 22nd Garrie van Pinxteren, who was a Dutch

towards a stronger and more stable economy ... The

sinologist and correspondent in China from 1982

countries in the south that urbanized most rapidly in

until 2006, writes about China’s change into the

the last 10-20 years are generally those with the most

market-economy. “In 1982 as a student, I have seen

rapid economic growth. Most of the world’s largest

how unfree the daily life of most Chinese was then.

cities are in the world’s largest economies, which is

Criticism on the government was only held within

further evidence of this link between economic wealth

closed walls and with the far most cautiousness.”

and cities...” (Laquian, 2005)

… “The government told them [her Chinese student

For China the urbanization is a grand project, for the

friends] which profession to choose after their study

future it will be of major importance to accurately

and where to work.” Then she compares that time

coordinate the process of urbanization. For the benefit

to the current situation: “The personal freedom and

of both rural areas as urban.5

the prosperity have indeed increased strongly, but still I have noticed that the ones, who cross the lines of what China allows, still are being prosecuted as ruthless as before.”

She gives an example of a leader of a farmers protest who was arrested for years and continues about the human rights in China: “The care for human rights in the foreign countries turned into an admiration and respect for a government that knew how to rapidly expand its economic growth and so strengthened China’s position in the world. With that the Chinese government and thus the communist party has internationally secured legitimacy…” (Van Pinxteren, 2006) China is undergoing a fast urbanization, there is a big shift of people moving from the rural areas to the urban areas. Currently 38 percent of China’s population is living in the urban area. By 2020 this should be over 50 percent. With an annual number of 12 million people being expected to migrate from the rural to the urban. 400 New cities have been planned

Modernizing Beijing

4. Quote derived from The United Nations’ Cities in a Globalizing World: Global Report on Human Settlements, 1996 (UNCHS 1996, xxv) 5. For more information on China’s development, see book IV

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2

Reconstructing Beijing

This chapter is focused on

than an accretion”. Wu Liangyong, who is the writer

Beijing, the choice for this

of ‘Rehabilitating the Old City of Beijing’ asserts

city seems interesting, and

that “Beijing, as the most precious piece of Chinese

it is not a coincidence the

architectural and planning heritage, should continue

city is carefully studied at the

to provide us with inspirations in planning and design”

moment by architecture and urban planning schools

(Liangyong, 1999). Otherwise then the cities that

all over the world. The cities’ fast growth, the richness of architectural typologies, the clash of a traditional inner city with a growing number of modern highrises and the great new projects of prominent architects turn the city into a subject of worldwide architectural debate.

2.1

PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE IN BEIJING

Planning Anne-Marie Broudehoux describes the planning of Beijing in her thesis of Neighbourhood Regeneration

36 The Old City, the center of Beijing.

in Beijing (1994). Beijing is located in the northeast of China, from a Feng Shui perspective the city is ideally

evolved around a trade centre, Beijing did not start

located between mountain ranges on the north, the

as an economical plan, but more as a political and cultural one (Broudehoux, 1994; chapter 3.1). In an interview for this thesis with Qi Xin, of Qi Xin Architects and Engineers in Beijing, Xin points out that Beijing is a city designed for one person, namely the Emperor.

Rather then for the purpose to accommodate people, Beijing is designed as an administrative centre of China.

The Old City is unique in its symmetrical. The Old City is developed within a rigid grid of north-south and west-east oriented directions. The layout relates to the

35 Beijing from above, with mountain range

central axis that runs north to south and contains the most important monuments of Beijing. Respectively

west and the east, while the south side is widely open.

from the north to the south you’ll find the Bell tower,

Beijing is praised by planners around the world ever

Drum tower, Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square.

since Marco Polo set foot in China. Beijing’s history

For the upcoming Olympics, the axis will be extended

as a capital has started in the twelfth century with

to the north with the Olympic field.

a few interruptions until now. According to Andrew

In every level of scale from city to city-block to

Boyd [1962; 63], the city evolved of a “creation rather

neighbourhood (sub-block) to courtyard house and

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its rooms, the symmetrical lay-out of, what Liangyong

buildings with a limited height. The monumental

calls the “fishbone-structure”, is repeated.

architectures were all very precisely planned, as well as the surrounding space. Mostly these spaces were

Commercial and handicraft buildings were situated

to support the visual expression of the architecture.

along the busy main streets, while residential blocks

For instance a large open space would surround

were planned along the quiet narrow lanes. The

a gate. The residential houses were very limited in height and would strengthen the visual effect of the skyline. Another restriction to residential housing was the colour of the houses, they would all be grey, while the imperial architecture was brightly coloured and decorated, the latter also a restriction on residential houses. “But,” Liangyong asserts, “like green leaves behind bright flowers, they made the architectural arrangement of the whole city more colourful and splendid” (Liangyong, 1999).

The Old City was enclosed by a large city wall, which was destroyed when, under Mao, it was decided to be destroyed and make place for the Second Ring Road, which circles around the Old City now. Beijing has since developed several Ring Roads to primarily circulate the fast traffic, they count six right now (although there seems no precise indication of where the first Ring Road actually is) and a seventh is on the way. (Wikipedia, 2006)

37 The Central axis.

blocks are all square, fitting with the courtyard house typology. According to Liangyong, to break the monotonous stretches of the (main) streets, decorative structures were designed, like “archways over the streets, entrance gates, entrance arches, side gates of

38 Ring Roads of Beijing (until the 5th)

government offices and screenwalls.” Main buildings were carefully located at certain points to “create

Demolishing Hutongs

splendid vistas” (Liangyong, 1999).

In the Old City the hutong areas became subjected to rapid growth and overcrowding from migrants

According to Liangyong, the architecture of the

in the 50’s when the land became state-owned. It

buildings of the whole city, palaces temples and

resulted into an increasing density, by which they

houses, are all composed of rather simple formed

lost their formal lay-outs (as shown in picture 21).

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Nowadays lots of the siheyuans are in a bad

pay construction cost of the apartment, and find

condition, buildings have been neglected. Most

themselves a temporary place during construction

courtyards have been filled with additional structures

of 2 to 3 years. If they can’t, they are “allocated a rental flat in newly developed housing areas in the suburbs.”

According to Ying most families affected by the relocation are of a relatively low status. Their socioeconomical structures get disrupted by the renewal programs, most people had jobs and a social network close to their home. Although she points out that living conditions have improved for these people, she concludes that most people were not satisfied

39 A new road in a destroyed neighborhood

with the given compensation (Ying, 1998).

The view of Aprodicio A. Laquian has a wider

for living or storage and the facilities in most hutong

perspective on this relocation in his book Beyond

areas are very poor. Some of them should obviously

Metropolis. He asserts it is a common Asian problem

be restored, or upgraded. But the reason of

that mass-migration occurred after World War II and

demolishing is mostly not just because their condition

the people started settling in slums. “Policymakers

is bad, cause some are in a seemingly good state, as

saw the colonies of urban poor people as a

Wu Liangyong asserts: “bulldozers continue to roll

cancerous growth on the city.” Resettlement was

over courtyard houses regardless of their quality and

the solution to “excise these cancerous growths”

condition.” (Liangyong, 1999). The problem is not

(Laquian, 2005).

mere the condition of the hutongs. The hutong areas are all in the centre of the city which has become

Future Plans

the most wanted and expensive ground. For that

To deal with the

reason there is a lot of pressure laid on these areas

enormous

from real estate owners who are eager to develop

population

these areas. It is a clash of the old hutong areas with the modernizing city. They don’t seem to fit to the modern urban machine anymore. It is the same thing that happened during the Industrial Revolution.

The siheyuans are currently being demolished at a rapid pace, some claim there is presently one siheyuan being destroyed per day. Most of the former

growth of

inhabitants of demolished siheyuans are relocated outside the centre in Beijing. In case there homes are being renewed, they suppose to have the possibility

Beijing the 40 ‘Two Axes, Two Belts and Multi-centers.’

government designed a new masterplan of the

to move back to their home. However, in a research

city until 2020. The new plan is called: Two Axes, Two

on the relocation of former residents, Tan Ying asserts

Belts and Multi-centres. The latter refers to 6 new

that, if they want to move back, they will have to

satellite towns that are planned around the centre

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city to ease the pressure of the centre. Each of them

A last thing to highlight is the fact that Beijing has no

will be designed to accommodate 500.000 people.

clear city centre. Whereas in a typical Western city as

The two axes are the north-south axis that will be

for instance Amsterdam, there is a central area that

maintained as an important cultural axis and the

connects all commercial functions with administrative

east-west axis that includes the Chang’an Avenue,

and business functions. The Old City in Beijing has

will be an important traffic vein in the city, connecting

decentralized clusters of different functions. The

the CBD in the east with the inner city. The two belts

Tiananmen Square obviously is the geographical

refer to the west ecological belt and the (south-)east

centre, but it takes a long walk to the next shopping

development belt. The ecological belt is an attempt

district, and from there it takes even longer to get

to create an ecological buffer zone with ecologically

to another commercial district. A question of how to

friendly industries such as high-technology and

adjust this Old City to become an effective central

higher education enterprises. The development

area need to be raised.

belt expected to absorb people and industries that are encouraged to leave the downtown area. The

2.2

ARCHITECTURAL DEBATES ON BEIJING

belt runs towards Tianjin, so a stronger interaction between the cities will be possible in the future.

Modernizing a city this fast raises a lot of questions,

The infrastructure in Beijing is now a big problem,

for instance what to do with hutong areas and how to

as most people will get stuck in traffic jams every

treat the identity of Beijing. This section will provide

day. The centre city simply does not provide enough

some views in these ongoing debates.

circulation, and the car-usage is high (2.35 million

For this thesis 3 architects have been interviewed to give their view on topics as preservation and identity: Hui Wang of Urbanus, Qi Xin of Qi Xin Architects and Engineers and Wei Lu of Studio PeiZhu. Preservation Mainly people from the West have a lot of comments and critique on Beijing’s way of dealing with the hutong areas. From their point of view such areas should not be destroyed, because they stand for a

41 Beijing traffic jam

typical Chinese lifestyle and a unique piece of Beijing

cars) and even more cars (5 million by 2020) will

architecture. To most Chinese these areas are slums

join in the future. The government is improving its

that should be renewed as soon as possible. Is there

public transportation network to encourage people

difference in the level of nostalgia between these the

to move by public transport instead of cars. 14 New

Chinese and the West? It must be said that some

subway-lines are planned in the city, which now has

Chinese (mostly academics or intellectuals) do prefer

3 lines. For a city of 15 million inhabitants that is a

to preserve these areas.

pretty poor amount. Eventually it will have a length of

The Chinese government has seen the importance of

810 kilometres which is twice the length of London’s

preserving their typical Chinese residential areas and

underground network.

so they set out a preservation plan. 25 Districts are on this plan to be preserved for the future. Hui Wang

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is one of the founders of Urbanus, one of China’s

example? It became a reason for me to investigate

leading architectural offices. In an interview he gave

what the means of preservation are.

for this thesis, he presumes that the preservation plan

Xin explains that Chinese architecture has always

of the government is subjected to the appearance of

been built as a temporary form of architecture, while European ancient architecture has been built for permanence (e.g. the Greek architecture). Chinese realize the building will disappear and make place for a new one. A philosophy that is passed on for generations, is that one should learn how to copy from the past. China, according to Xin has a copy culture. As in the West a good copy would still be a good copy, a good copy in China means it is similar to the copied. Somebody that watched the corps of Mao and is getting told afterwards that it might be a replica, would be a little disappointed, but for the Chinese it is just the same thing.

42 Preservation Plan (yellow is to be preserved)

Xin gives the example of the Forbidden City that has

the Forbidden City, as to preserve the height of the

been built in the 14th century. None of its current

buildings around it.

structures are really from that period of time, simply because the buildings are being renewed to maintain

When I walked through one of these areas (Qianmen)

the quality.

in Beijing it occurred to me that the area was pretty much deserted. Even further into the heart of the area

Preservation can be divided in 4 different approaches:

the total destruction of hutong buildings was visible.

A road was being constructed in the middle of this

- The first is ‘hands off’, the aging of the structure

destruction. Wandering around I suddenly entered

will be clearly visible and it will only be looked

a building site and I was amazed that in the middle

after for to keep the structure standing.

of this destruction there were people building brand

- Secondly, the restoration of the existing structure, the building is carefully restored as it was and the materials and construction are kept as much as possible.

- Thirdly, the replacement of the structure, the building is torn down completely, to build up a new structure similar to the old.

- The last is to renovate the structure, the building

43 A new courtyard house built in the old style

is adapted to a new function that fits new demands.

new courtyard houses in the old traditional style. (See picture 43) Does preservation mean to tear down the

In Beijing you will find the third option is a common

old dilapidated building and erect a brand new classic

solution for the renewal of the hutong areas. It

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is a cheaper solution, because the restoration of

identity question is a universal question. To Wang

a structure would take much time and skills to

the architectural language is universal and the

accomplish.

architecture is specific for the client and for the area.

The last option is something you see in for instance

There is though a difference between the foreign

the Hohai area, a famous place with restaurants and

approaches and that of Chinese architects. According

bars, where some of the courtyard houses have been

to Wang there are many restrictions in the regulations

renovated to serve as bars or restaurants. In other

in China and the market is very competitive. Foreign

places the courtyard houses sometimes function

architects do not bear this in mind, which is why they

as picturesque hotels. According to Wang, there is

have more freedom in the design then the Chinese

a current question for architects of how to renovate

who lose creativity knowing the restrictions.

these buildings so the functional use of the building’s typology is maximized.

The interviewed architects all agree on the fact that hutongs can not cope with the density and therefore most of them should be destroyed. Still some of the areas in the Old City should be preserved to serve the cultural image of the city.

Identity Is Chinese or Beijing’s identity a common issue in the designs of Chinese architects? The July 2006 edition of TBJ Home, a free magazine on Beijing’s architecture and real estate, presents an interview with young architecture students. One of the students, Fox Yu, comments on the identity of his city and says: “we need our own culture again but not an old-fashioned culture - we need a style to represent the new,

44,45 Blur Hotel, designed by Studio PeiZhu with the innovative use of blocks of frosted translucent fiberglass. At night the building lits like a lantern.

modern China.” The Western architects provide the city with flashy icons and the city becomes a city of

Wang mentions there are many good examples of

objects. Fox responds sceptical to this matter: “When

functional layouts in residential complexes designed

you see the Pyramids in the Valley of the Kings, you

by Chinese architects; the problem is the relationship

feel something inside. You feel amazed, you feel full

between the buildings is too emphasized.

of wonder ... But when you see a city full of pyramids,

Daniel Elsa wrote an article in Architectural Record

you feel nothing. But this is a question for urban

on Chinese architects and refers to the same Chinese

planners, not for architects.” (Jager, 2006)

architects as mentioned in this thesis. He opposes

To Wei Lu the relation of the place to the people’s live

their architecture to that of the prominent building

is more important then the overall image.

projects in the cities with their grand gestures and

Xin and Wang argue that the question of identity is

praises the small group of innovative Chinese

not particular a Chinese issue. Xin regards China

architects that incorporate issues of “materiality, low-

as having become part of the world now, the

budget construction, and local context.” (Elsa, 2006)

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This next generation of architects is very influential

television is something else. CCTV is the voice of the

and progressive designers that strive for innovation

party, the centre of state propaganda, the organ which

and new Chinese identity.

tells a billion peoples what to think.” (Buruma, 2002)

As Elsa puts it: “Instead of putting curved roofs on

VPRO’s RAM made a documentary about this work

top of commercial buildings like big hats or imagining

of Koolhaas, and they asked him what he thought

pagoda-shaped office towers, architects such as

about the criticism of supporting a dictatorial regime

Zhu, Chang, Fei, and Urbanus are exploring more

with this choice. Koolhaas reacted by saying that is

sophisticated ways of connecting today’s construction

“an absolute serious issue. We carefully considered

to their nation’s cultural heritage.” (Elsa, 2006)

this and we are aware of any risks.” He continues by stating that their participation “is based on the

2.2.1 KOOLHAAS: CCTV

assessment that there are forces active in China that will develop the Chinese politics in a certain

This example of Koolhaas does not reflect the style

direction, with which I can conform and which I can

of his CCTV building but it contains a discussion on

support. Firstly there is privatising coming up, they

the political considerations of the architect designing

want to turn the states television into a sort of BBC

the building for the state‘s television company.

as quick as possible. And secondly I think that the

The importance of a discussion on politics is not

eventual influence of digitalising will be the medium

directly related to the presented discourse on Critical

of liberation and synchronisation of information.” …

Regionalism and related theories, but I believe that

“The Chinese state is in evolution, the building has to

the architect should consider his position in a social

be finished in 2007 and it is the intent that the state

and political matter very carefully. The example shows

will change fundamentally and that there will occur an

a discussion between a famous architect and his

autonomisation.” This assumption Koolhaas makes

critics. The presented views in the discussion can be

here is of course extremely dangerous and Koolhaas

of influence on my design, albeit in a symbolic way.

is totally aware of that. The reporter asks him if he would be disappointed whether these changes will

When other ‘starchitectural’ firms were competing

not occur and Koolhaas answers with: “If this would

for New York’s Ground Zero, Rem Koolhaas’ OMA

not be the case, that means our assessment is wrong

competed with others, among who were Dominique

and that would be disastrous, also for me. I admit that

Perrault, Toyo Ito and SOM, for the building of the

it is an assessment and that it could be possible we

state television company of China: CCTV, and he

would have mistaken us. But if I would have doubts

won. But when Koolhaas designed the CCTV tower in

about it I wouldn’t do it, I am convinced that there

Beijing he also designed a building that is the symbol

will be a change with the privatising of Chinese state

of a state’s propaganda machine that still has control

television and that’s why we participate.” (RAM VPRO,

over more than a milliard Chinese.

2004)

In a populist article in the Guardian, Ian Buruma puts

Koolhaas is convinced that these changes will

a question mark to this wanted assignment. “Unless

occur and many other foreign firms and investors

one takes the view that all business with China is

have the same conviction. They mostly believe that

evil, there is nothing reprehensible about building an

these economic changes eventually force China to

opera house in Beijing, or indeed a hotel, a hospital, a

democratise. Van Pinxteren says the following about

university or even a corporate headquarters. But state

this conviction “It’s tempting to see the economic

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expansion of China as an introduction of political change. Maybe China will almost automatically transform its politics into democracy on the base of the expansion, since a ‘poly-parties’ democracy seems eventually to be the best system for a civilized developed country.” There are Asian examples that can make a case for this argument, like Taiwan and South-Korea. “Still I believe that nor the Chinese government, nor most of the Chinese believe that China will evolve into a ‘poly-parties’ democracy.

Since my work as a correspondent in China I am more over convinced that that is just a vision too rash in its assumption that the Chinese government or the ‘suppressed’ people of China agree with us Westerners that the Western democratic system is the most useful political system until now … We may see it as superior to communism, fascism and the fundamental Islam, but China’s leaders have a very different opinion about that.” (NRC Van Pinxteren, 2006) On the verdict of RAM’s reporter that the system is abject, Koolhaas replies: “There has never been a system that pulled people out of poverty on this big scale. There has never been a market system with this effect” (Koolhaas, RAM, 2004). Ian Buruma of The Guardian has his clear-cut opinion about the issue: “…huge numbers of workers and peasants are being exploited, thrown out of work or driven out of their homes. Instead of free speech and democracy, there is propaganda. That is what CCTV is for. And that is what our architects are helping to maintain. It is not a noble enterprise.” (Buruma, 2002)

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3

Theoretical Framework

In this thesis the basics of Critical Regionalism

place) Supermodernism is seen by Ibelings as a

are taken as the leading knowledge to develop a

reaction on Postmodernism as he puts it: “The rising

theoretical support of eventual design concepts. This

of notions as indeterminacy, infinity, and neutrality can

chapter will focus on Critical Regionalism and related

strictly, in history of art, be seen as the prominent path

theories, influenced by the author’s interpretation of

of the preliminary period, the postmodernism.” To

these theories.

look beyond architecture Ibelings sees globalisation as the generic term for a complex of changes.

3.1

REGIONALISM

Ibelings then explains the condition of supermodernity according to Augé on three profusions: profusion of

Aimed at Critical Regionalism, discussed in section

space, the profusion of signs and the profusion of

3.3, it is useful to understand Regionalism as well as

individualisation. (Ibelings, 1998)

Global approaches. Regionalism was re-introduced

by Mumford in 1924 as a reaction to the Beaux-Arts

3.3

CRITICAL REGIONALISM

Movement of that time. Regionalism to Mumford meant architecture “based on the perception of place”

Critical Regionalism was first introduced by

(Tzonis & Lefaivre, 2003). The regionalist interventions

Alexander Tzonis and Liane Lefaivre, who dwelled

in Beijing show mostly very citationist attempts, a very

upon the regionalist ideas of Mumford, that they call

common approach is to use the tilted roof on top of a

‘critical’. They explain why they named Mumford’s

building as a traditional precedent to give the building

regionalism ‘critical’ in their book on ‘Critical

a Chinese feeling. Some of the new courtyard house

Regionalism: Architecture and Identity in a Globalized

projects in Beijing are simply clear copies from the

World’. Lefaivre writes: “since the Renaissance it

past (as discussed in section 2.2). They are adapted

[regionalism] has always been critical of an outside

to the current modern needs. They show a good

power wishing to impose an international, globalizing,

example of Regionalism in Beijing.

universalizing architecture against the particular local identity...” Now she continues with an important part

3.2

SUPERMODERNISM

of the understanding of the Critical Regionalism: “But Mumford’s regionalism is critical in a second,

There are many attempts to categorize the global

more important sense. It is critical not only towards

architecture. Not the easiest job with all these varying

globalism, it is also critical of regionalism.” ... “For the

styles and attitudes toward design. One attempt is

first time ... regionalism is seen as an engagement

of Hans Ibelings, former director of the Netherlands

with the global universalizing world rather than by an

Architectural institute, he called attention to the

attitude of resistance.” There are a lot of people who

new idea of Supermodernism, a new ‘ism’, first

still misjudge the Critical Regionalism as an attitude

introduced by the anthropologist Marc Augé in his

of resistance. Lefaivre concludes then: “In this sense

book: Non Lieux; introduction à une anthropologie de

we use the term Critical Regionalism, a regionalism

la surmodernité. (Marc Augé introduced the notion

evolved from an internal, self-directed criticism.”

of place and non-places: If a place can be defined as relational, historical and concerned with identity,

Mumford rejected the historicism, however, he

then a space which cannot be defined as relational,

supported preservation, but he opposed to the mere

or historical, or concerned with identity will be a non-

“mimicking” of historic buildings into new ones.

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As what is done for instance in the hutong areas

Architectural principles can be precedents like the

that are now being torn down and newly rebuilt. To

courtyard of which the typology should then be

quote Mumford: “it is a piece of rank materialism to

adjusted to fit the modern life-style, with the use of

attempt to duplicate some earlier form, because of

global as well as local products. Learn from the past

its delight for the eye, without realizing how empty a

and face the future.

form is without the life that once supported it.” A clear quotation of this past architecture was like a “costume

3.4

DEFAMILIARIZATION

ball” to Mumford, trying to live the life of others. But the past is not to be neglected and he argues: “Our

Defamiliarization is a term derived from the Russian

task is not to imitate the past, but to understand it, so

writer Victor Shklovsky, who used the term to explain

we may face the opportunity of our own day and deal

a technique in linguistics how to intensify the reader’s

with them in an equally creative spirit.”

sensation by making the familiar look unfamiliar. In Art as Technique he writes: “The purpose of art is to

An example of this approach of an in-between the

impart the sensation of things as they are perceived

global and local is seen in Alvar Aalto’s ‘Torre Velasca’

and not as they are known. The technique of art is

(pic. 46), a skyscraper in the heart of the historic

to make objects ‘unfamiliar’, to make forms difficult,

centre of Milan. The concept of the skyscraper

to increase the difficulty and length of perception

was very modern for that time (‘50-’58) but the

because the process of perception is an aesthetic

appearance and materiality are clearly derived from

end in itself and must be prolonged. Art is a way of

an understanding of the local architectures.

experiencing the artfulness of an object; the object is not important.” Or as he quotes Robert Scholes: “In art, it is our experience of the process of construction that counts, not the finished product” (Shklovsky, 1917).

Defamiliarization is taken by Tzonis and Lefaivre to apply it to architecture firstly in their book ‘Classical Architecture, The Poetics of Order’. The theory provides a way of rethinking classical architecture

46 Torre Velasca

in new design in a way other then mere copying The principles shown above in Tzonis’ and Lefaivre’s

or citing it, but to re-use and adapt it to the actual.

explanation of Mumfords ideas form the basic

Time has exceeded this architecture, and the

understanding of the Critical Regionalism for this

Romantic Regionalism and kitsch Post-modernist

thesis. The Critical Regionalism is in this case not

copy-cat architectures neglect this actual by copying

seen as the mere pragmatic approach as to use local

or citing. The technique of defamiliarization is

forms and materials and adjust the building to its local

explained by Tzonis and Lefaivre in the light of the

ecological environment, but the theory is used to

Critical Regionalism, that, as explained in the former

generate a design formula with architectural principles

section is a merging of regional and global ideas.

derived from the past and combined with the global

Defamiliarization, in ‘Classical Architecture, The

products to fit the demands of our modern society.

Poetics of Order’ merges the classical with modern(-

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ist) ideas. Poetics can be assisting in the use of

to be a lack of depth in the viewer’s process of

defamiliarization, elements or fragments are not seen

perception.

as columns roofs or doors, but as there actions; supporting, protecting, opening, etc. Creating a new

Syncretism and meta-statement are both applications

world by using these principles in a way adapted

that use the concept of defamiliarization. In the

to the current time and making them strange in the

syncretism and meta-statement the collected

perception is basically the idea of defamiliarization.

fragments of precedents may be mutated and used in a new design in a new setting, a new compilation

Tzonis and Lefaivre propose three different

combined with other elements, so they become

applications of the classical precedents in ‘Classical

estranged in the perception of the viewer. The familiar

Architecture, The Poetics of Order’; “The … citing

is becoming unfamiliar by rearrangement. (Zarzar,

of classical motives …, Syncretism, and the use of

2004)

classical fragments in architectural meta-statement.”

According to Tzonis and Lefaivre the syncretism and

(Tzonis and Lefaivre, 1989)

meta-statement are harder to isolate, but they do give

With the proposal of this classification Tzonis and

a distinguishing. They assert that in the syncretism

Lefaivre already mention that it requires a new

segments of (classical) precedents are used as to

study on its own. Karina Moraes Zarzar, professor

restore the historic memory. In the syncretism there is

at TU Delft and the supervisor on this thesis,

a kind of renewed devotion to the precedent (Tzonis

further digresses upon this classification and uses

and Lefaivre, 1989). In Venturi’s addition on the Allen

it not merely on classical architecture, like Tzonis

Memorial Art Museum he uses a similar approach.

and Lefaivre, but in the collection of all the (local)

The column he designed, shown in picture 47, is

precedents. In her article on ‘Design Precedents and

clearly referring to the ancient Greek Ionic column.

Identity’, Zarzar explains how these three applications

However it is questionable whether he is or is not

can be understood. Next is an attempt of how to

defamiliarizing the column. On the one hand he

understand these application principles by learning

cites the literal form of an Ionic capital and on the

from the theories of Tzonis and Lefaivre, and Zarzar.

other hand he uses a different material and size proportions.

Citationism is opposing to the idea of

In meta-statement, according to Tzonis and Lefaivre,

defamiliarization, it is the approach that familiarizes or

“segments of the (classical) precedent are used

over-familiarizes the sense of the viewer, as in Kitsch

as a medium to state something about itself, in

architecture and some Post-Modern architecture.

other words, they become statements in a bigger

The typical traditional Las Vegas architecture which

statement.

refers to past times and different places uses a citing

The syncretism differs from the meta-statement which

in an extreme way and actually it is mere a copying of

can express irony and desperation and which can

precedents. It “alienates the dweller from the reality.”

become a critical commentary on the formal ways on

The surreality proposed by the architect is more a

the architectonic thinking.”6 Both are used to raise

feeling of sentiment. Zarzar asserts that it “avoids

questions about the “dogmatic or quasi-automatic,”

the confrontation and tries to promote a sentimental embracing between the building and the consumer,

6. Freely translated from the Dutch version of their book ‘Classical

a relation that is broken in modernity.” There seems

Architecture, The Poetics of Order’.

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use of the classical order, according to Tzonis and Lefaivre (Tzonis and Lefaivre, 1989). And in this case about the questions are raised about collected precedents.

These applications can become a set of tools helping to approach the new design. By using the syncretism or meta-statement then we can achieve to enrich the design with the concept of defamiliarization.

47 Venturi’s column.

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4

Case Studies in Beijing

This chapter is focussed on three interventions

one is answering to the demands of a higher density.

in Beijing, chosen on their difference approach

It has two- and three-storey compounds and each of

of design. The theories presented in the former

the apartments in them all share an inner courtyard.

chapter will be used to explain these approaches

The project is a renewal of an area that existed of

and in turn the cases can clarify the presented

old hutong buildings that were quite dilapidated

theories. Chronologically it starts with the most

structures. He maintained the pattern of streets

Regional example towards and ends it with the most

and the old trees. The structure is aesthetically well

Supermodern example.

integrated in its environment. It uses a lot of elements of traditional architecture such as the courtyard and

As an example of a rather regionalist approach in

the typical roofs (picture 52).

Beijing one project of Wu Liangyong, architect and teacher in Beijing, is discussed in the first section. It had several awards, under which the UN’s 1992 World Residential Prize. It is renowned for its attempt to reintroduce courtyardhouse architecture in a modern period.

48,49 Closed doors in the Ju’er Hutong

The other highlighted cases are of two foreign (star-) architects, Steven Holl and Paul Andreu.

The example of Steven Holl might seem Supermodern in first appearance, but a closer look at the project reveals the use of local precedents and it is argued that the project might be classified as Critical

traditional

Ju’er 50 Different perspectives on privacy

Regionalist. The example of Paul Andreu is in this thesis taken as the extreme of a Supermodern architecture.

Whenever analyzing a project, it is a subjective view on the project. The architect’s intentions may differ from the output of the analysis.

4.1

51 ‘Courtyard parking’

52 Typical siheyuan roof

WU LIANGYONG: JU’ER HUTONG

Wu Liangyong is a director of the Institute of Architectural and Urban Studies at Tsinghua University in Beijing. In 1978 he developed a new set of courtyard houses based on the analysis of the traditional courtyard house typology. He came up with a project for a modern courtyard house referred to as the Ju’er Hutong (named after its neighbourhood).

It clearly refers to the traditional siheyuan, only this

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The quality of living space has improved compared to

Ju’er clearly is designed to provide every inhabitant a

the former structures. Only a low number of residents

qualitative living space, a modern interpretation of the

returned to the place, because of the high prices

typology fulfilling the demands of today.

and the lack of government financial aid. There was much interest by wealthier families and businesses.

4.2

STEVEN HOLL: LINKED HYBRID

The project’s exquisity is a reason it gained much attention. Because of this new mixture of people the

In 2008 to be completed, the Linked Hybrid building

intensity of a sense of community is, however, lower

designed by Steven Holl Architects is now under

then it might be before. When I walked through the

construction. It is a grand housing project to

area the place felt somewhat deserted, no people

house over 2500 people. It combines housing with

were inside the courtyards. Karina Moraes Zarzar

underground parking, commercial functions and

explains (in a yet to be published article) the using of

several services for the inhabitants situated in a top

elements of traditional architecture: “[The elements]

ring that links all the buildings. A semi-public park

such as the port, the roof and the courtyard ... are

is situated at ground level, the use of integrated

not transferred in the sense of bringing the hidden principles to reinforce the lifestyle of the inhabitants, but as a solace.” (Zarzar, 2006) Which she refers to as a citationist collection of precedents (see section 3.4) The attempt to reintroduce the courtyard as a typical typology Beijing architecture might have missed the success because the families living there are too segregated and keep their privacy in the

54 Linked Hybrid

apartment. The courtyard misses an interpretation of the modern life-style, the place is now mostly used as a parking lot, not as a community space (picture 49). Doors in the old hutong neighbourhoods are mostly open, while those in the Ju’er area are mostly closed (picture 48,49). Another comparison to the old courtyard complexes shows that the Ju’er Hutong has windows at the street-side (picture 53) while the old siheyuan kept the privacy strictly to the inhabitants

55 Use of bright colours found in traditional Chinese architecture

inside the compound (picture 50). That means another level of private to public space has been

functions is controlled by the resident’s cards. The

introduced. A garden in front provides a semi-private

project uses features of traditional architecture, for

space, however there is no physical connection to

instance the bright colours (picture 55) that were used

the street. The choice of the placement of these

in traditional Chinese architecture. The way in which

windows is however understandable as this is the

the colours are re-used is in a syncretic manner.

south-side of these apartments. Whereas hierarchy in

The colours are taken from their original setting and

the old courtyard houses created a better setting for

renewed in the use on faces of the building. The

the house in the north than the one on the south, the

courtyard concept used in the traditional courtyard

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houses seems to be applied to the complex,

The reason why I think this building is ideally in

as there are gardens on top of every flat that

place and architecture, is that it is like a manifest for

are accessible for the residents. This is clearly

globalisation, an icon for Beijing that resembles the

defamiliarizing

new capitalistic society (with a twist of communism,

the courtyard as a concept. A somewhat syncretic

or the other way around…), an extremely modern

approach is used as the concept is renewed in the

creature. Costing about 260 million euros on itself can

project or maybe it is even a meta-statement. The

be an indicator for the economic explosion in China.

hutong could also be seen as a concept used in the

It is a perfect reflection of the undergoing change for

project in the ring that connects all the buildings and

Beijing as well for China, symbolizing the prosperity of

contains all the public facilities. A park at ground level

the country.

resembles the Chinese garden.

Overall we could state that the concept of defamiliarization is widely used in the project, mostly by using the syncretism approach. The project is therefore a good example of how to use local precedents.

4.3

ANDREU: NATIONAL THEATRE

The national theatre of Paul Andreu is probably the most commented project in Beijing, as it is probably the most controversial project. Mainly this is because it is situated close to state architecture around Tiananmen Square and because of its round shape, with a skin hanging like a curtain over the immense construction that is covering the theatre. Dawson notices the discussions that was raised by people, mostly attacking it for its lack of concern with the city, the national identity as well as tradition versus modernism were discussed all over (Dawson, 2005).

56,57 The contrast of the hutong with the theatre gives both buildings a stronger appearance.

I will argue that Beijing couldn’t have chosen a better building on a better place, however, I don’t see this as

Though prosperity doesn’t reach every citizen of

a good example from a critical regionalist view.

Beijing, poor people mostly don’t get the benefit of

Near all this rigid state architecture, this building looks

the economical success. For instance the habitants

alienated. But, situated at the border of the political

of hutongs get relocated and loose their socio-

zone, it is still subjected to the state architecture,

economical structure, which eventually draws them

although it is extremely symmetrical in its appearance

even further back behind.

as well as the site plan surrounding it, besides,

I will argue that the National theatre of Beijing

Andreu’s building is not politically loaded it is simply

symbolizes the present transformation of the Chinese

there for the entertainment of the people.

culture, a symbol purely for the wealthy China serving

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the rich inhabitants of Beijing (who can afford a ticket for the theatre), ignoring the backside of modern Beijing.

One thing that needs be commented on Paul Andreu’s building, seen from the pictures (56 & 57) is that it provides an immense contrast to the hutong area next to it. That contrast is strengthening the appearance of the old hutong as well as the theatre.

It is a good example of how modern architecture can enforce and strengthen the aesthetic appearance of the old architecture. Concepts of defamiliarization can hardly be derived from this project. Because of the very supermodern approach it does not make much sense to judge this building on the use of defamiliarization.

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5

Conclusions

Modernizing Beijing is a project of many different

my visit to Beijing. Beijing without its old hutong

faces, different opinions and different approaches.

architecture would be as boring as Beijing without its

Beijing has a long history and some beautiful

new modern architecture. This mutual reinforcement

remnants of past architectures, like the old hutong

of architectures is one of the most important urban

houses. Those can not simply be ignored and

lessons from this city.

swapped for a modern infill.

Defamiliarization has provided me a theoretical On the other hand you have to be honest and look at

basis to approach a new design. Preservation of

the present demands that the modern Beijing asks

‘precedents’ is important, but more important for

for. These old structures simply can’t cope with the

architecture is to learn from these precedents. The

modern Beijing. They occupy a lot of ground space,

Critical Regionalism to me is not a conservative way

while the inner city needs more density. And they are

of dealing past, but a progressive way of dealing with

simply neglected over time and now lacking several

the future demands and learning from the past local

basic needs such as a toilet or water supplies.

architectures. The different applications (discussed in section 3.4) in the concept of defamiliarization help to

The preserving of the hutong areas is done in a way

understand how to approach a design task.

- as discussed in section 2.2 - that raises questions on the authenticity. Presently these areas represent

With the use of these theories I try to create a

a unique - but poor - life-style. As they will clean this

design which embeds the qualities found in the local

area and turn the current overcrowded dilapidated

precedents. Therefore I analysed the hutongs and

buildings into expensive courtyard houses, the life-

the layout of courtyard houses, to be found in book

style will be obviously disappearing. The hutong

III. With transposing the concepts and elements of

will then turn into a tourist attraction that exlusively

the traditional architecture, according to the used set

represents the old architecture. The houses become

of theories, I hope to design an architecture which

simulacra, inauthentic representations of the past that

enriches the context and not ignoring it. On the other

once was. For the sake of the nostalgic minds.

hand, the design has to face the current modern needs and has to fit into our post-modern paradigm.

I am pro-preservation of the hutong areas. ‘Hands off’, that is, because these areas, like Dazhalan, will otherwise lose their typical life-style. I would like to see parts of the hutong-areas preserved and some demolished and modernized. All in order to make a composition in the Old City with high contrasts, amazing the visitor of the different settings. From out of the hutong areas modern architecture will stick out in the skyline, like the setting of the National Theatre (pictures 56 and 57). And walking through a modern part, turning a corner, you could surprisingly find yourself at once in an old hutong-area. This is one of the pleasant surprises I experienced on

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Dynastie Timeline

in ‘China’, by Jan van der Putten, Novib 2003

ca. 21st-16th century B.C. 1700-1027 B.C. 1027-771 B.C. 770-221 B.C. 770-476 B.C. 475-221 B.C. 221-207 B.C. 206 B.C.-A.D. 9 A.D. 9-24 A.D. 25-220 A.D. 220-280 220-265 221-263 229-280 A.D. 265-316 A.D. 317-420 A.D. 420-588 420-588 420-478 479-501 502-556 557-588 386-588 386-533 534-549 535-557 550-577 557-588 A.D. 581-617 A.D. 618-907 A.D. 907-960 A.D. 907-979 916-1125 960-1279 960-1127 1127-1279 1038-1227 1115-1234 1279-1368 1368-1644 1644-1911 1911-1949 1949-

Xia Shang Western Zhou Eastern Zhou Spring and Autumn period Warring States period Qin Western Han Xin (Wang Mang interregnum) Eastern Han Three Kingdoms (San Guo) Wei Shu Wu Western Jin Eastern Jin Southern and Northern Dynasties Southern Dynasties Song Qi Liang Chen Northern Dynasties Northern Wei Eastern Wei Western Wei Northern Qi Northern Zhou Sui Tang Five Dynasties Ten Kingdoms Liao Song Northern Song Southern Song Western Xia Jin Yuan Ming Qing Republic of China People’s Republic of China

Information taken from the Country Study for the Library of Congress in Washington

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27. Plan of the Legation Quarter, 1912. (large format)

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Tzonis, A. & Lefaivre, L. Critical Regionalism, Architecture and Identity in a Globalized World, New York,

Prestel, 2003.

Tzonis, A. & Lefaivre, L. & Stagno, B. Tropical architecture ‘critical regionalism in the age of globalization’,

Chichester, Wiley-Academy, 2001. 311 p.

Tzonis, A. & Lefaivre, L. & Bilodeau, D. Klassieke Architectuur, de Poetica van de Orde, Nijmegen,SUN,1989.

Vlassenrood, L. et al, China Contemporary, Rotterdam, Nai, 2006

ARTICLES:

Broudehoux, A.: Neighborhood regeneration in Beijing: an overview of projects implemented in the inner city

since 1990, 1994.

Elsa, D. Chinese Architects Look to the Future while Connecting with the Past, Architectural Record, 2006 Jager, M. Identity Crisis, article in TBJ Home, July 2006 edition, Beijing, 2006 Moraes Zarzar, K. Design Precedents and Identity. Procedures GA2004, 2004.

Moraes Zarzar, K. Hutongs, Precedents and Identity - An Exploratory Essay on the Essences of Design

Precedents in Beijing, (yet to be published) 2006.

Tzonis, A. & Lefaivre, L. Why Critical Regionalism Today?, A+U, edition 5, may 1990.

Ying, T. Relocation and the people - A research on Neighborhood Renewal in the Old City of Beijing. http://

web.telia.com/~u31224265/index.html, 1998

Modernizing Beijing

Rutger H. Kuipers TU Delft MSc3

39

Pictorial references

Cover ‘The Hollywood Remains’, copyright of Natalie Behring. (www.nataliebehring.com) 1

Copyright by Rutger H. Kuipers, 2006. (Ronald McDonald taken from: www.finishingtouchshows.com

2

Copyright by Rutger H. Kuipers, 2006.

3

From Architectural Record website: http://archrecord.construction.com/china/1_projects/Olympics.asp

4

Copyright by Rutger H. Kuipers, 2006.

5

Unknown

6

From: http://www.siu.edu/~dfll/Chinese/index.html

7

Photograph courtesy of Ronald G. Knapp

1988, Shuanglin zhen, Huzhou shi, Zhejiang Province 8

Photograph courtesy of Ronald G. Knapp

1987, Shifuxiang, Zhejiang Province 9

Copyright by Rutger H. Kuipers, 2006.

10

From Google Earth

11

From: Chinese Pavillion Architecture, Werner Blaser, Niederteufen, Arthur Niggli Ltd., 1974.

12

From: www.drben.net

13-16 From: Qinghua �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Guo, Chinese Architecture and Planning, Stuttgart, Edition Axel Menges, 2005.� 17 ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Liangyong, W. ������������������������������������������������������������������� Rehabilitating the Old City of Beijing, Vancouver, UBC Press, 1999.

18-20 Copyright by Rutger H. Kuipers, 2006.

21

From: Broudehoux, ���������������� A. Neighborhood regeneration in Beijing, 1994.

22

From: http://www2.kenyon.edu/Depts/Religion/Fac/Adler/Reln270/LINKS270.htm

23

Copyright by Travelblog.org

24

From: http://muninn.net/pics/qingdao/qingdao.html

25

American Barracks. “The images are scanned from postcards collected by Svend P. Morch during

his time of service in Tientsin.” Copyright 1999, 2005 by Philip R. Abbey (photographic images are

provided by Mr. Edgar C. Smith) Source: www.geocities.com/Eureka/Plaza/7750/tientsin01.html

26

Copyright by Rutger H. Kuipers, 2006.

27

Plan of the Legation Quarter in Beijing. From Madrolle’s Guide Books: Northern China, The Valley

of the Blue River, Korea. Hachette & Company, 1912.

28

Copyright by Rutger H. Kuipers, 2006.

29

From: www.drben.net

30-32 Copyright by Rutger H. Kuipers, 2006.

33

Copyright by Jeff Widener from the Associated Press

34

Rowe & Kuan, Architectural encounters with essence and form, Cambridge, MIT press, 2002.

35

Copyright by NASA

36,37 ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Liangyong, W. ������������������������������������������������������������������� Rehabilitating the Old City of Beijing, Vancouver, UBC Press, 1999.

38,39 Copyright by Rutger H. Kuipers, 2006 40

In BJHGS, planning magazine, Beijing, 2006

41

Taken from Flickr.com

42

In BJHGS, planning magazine, Beijing, 2006

43

Copyright by Rutger H. Kuipers

Modernizing Beijing

Rutger H. Kuipers TU Delft MSc3

40

44,45 Blur Hotel, taken from Architectural Record http://archrecord.construction.com/ 46

Torre Velasca, taken from http://web.tiscali.it/dammatra/Milano.htm

47

Column Venturi, taken from http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/venturi/add.html

48-53 Copyright by Rutger H. Kuipers 54

Linked Hybrid, taken from Stevenholl.com

55

Linked Hybrid, taken from www.skyscrapercity.org

56,57 Copyright by Rutger H. Kuipers

Modernizing Beijing

Rutger H. Kuipers TU Delft MSc3

41

II IMPRESSIONS

Thesis by Rutger H. Kuipers

TUDelft MSc 3 Studio: ExploreLab

Thesis by Rutger H. Kuipers “HUTONG ENTRANCES”

TUDelft MSc 3 Studio: ExploreLab

Thesis by Rutger H. Kuipers “BEIJING LATTICES”

TUDelft MSc 3 Studio: ExploreLab

Thesis by Rutger H. Kuipers “PUBLIC SPACE: BIKES,CARS,LAUNDRY AND STORAGE”

TUDelft MSc 3 Studio: ExploreLab

Thesis by Rutger H. Kuipers “PUBLIC SPACE: DIRECT USE”

TUDelft MSc 3 Studio: ExploreLab

Thesis by Rutger H. Kuipers “BEIJING ADVERTISEMENTS”

TUDelft MSc 3 Studio: ExploreLab

Thesis by Rutger H. Kuipers “RED”

TUDelft MSc 3 Studio: ExploreLab

Thesis by Rutger H. Kuipers “GREEN IN THE CITY”

TUDelft MSc 3 Studio: ExploreLab

Thesis by Rutger H. Kuipers “HUTONG WASTE”

TUDelft MSc 3 Studio: ExploreLab

III ANALYSIS & PRECEDENTS

Thesis by Rutger H. Kuipers “MODERNIZING BEIJING”

TUDelft MSc 3 Studio: ExploreLab

COURTYARD HOUSE

Analysis of 3 traditional types of Siheyuan

1

1 court with frontyard

3

2 courts with backyard

2

2 courts,1 frontyard, 1 backyard, several sideyards

Thesis by Rutger H. Kuipers “MODERNIZING BEIJING”

TUDelft MSc 3 Studio: ExploreLab

COURTYARD HOUSE Analized by the Ching-method.

Additive form.

The Courtyard house is a complex of additive forms arranged in symmetry, and along a north-south axis. Some face eachother, others stand alone.

A wall encloses the whole complex.

1

2

3

Faces

spatial tension face to face

Axis

Thesis by Rutger H. Kuipers “MODERNIZING BEIJING”

TUDelft MSc 3 Studio: ExploreLab

COURTYARD HOUSE Analized by the Ching-method.

Orientation of units.

All the units are opening to the courts. The importance of the unit are given by the thickness of the arrows. The most important buildings are oriented southwards.

1

2

Entrance.

The entrance is always at the south and at the east side of the axis. The path is always fenced by a screenwall. The approach to the complex is always side-wards.

3

Routing.

Linear, circular and radial.

Path

primary routing secundary routing

Approach

Thesis by Rutger H. Kuipers “MODERNIZING BEIJING�

Configuration of the path

TUDelft MSc 3 Studio: ExploreLab

COURTYARD HOUSE Analized by the Ching-method.

Spaces.

The units in the complex are linked by courts. The spaces in the courts are open and semi-open, low and raised level. The picture shown beneath shows the different levels. The raised part in the court is always covered by a roof. The outer wall brings privacy to the inner court. The sloped roofs allow much sunlight.

1

2

3

raised level ground level

Thesis by Rutger H. Kuipers “MODERNIZING BEIJING”

TUDelft MSc 3 Studio: ExploreLab

PRECEDENTS

Dong Nan Yuan

Thesis by Rutger H. Kuipers “MODERNIZING BEIJING”

TUDelft MSc 3 Studio: ExploreLab

IV LOCATION

Thesis by Rutger H. Kuipers “MODERNIZING BEIJING”

TUDelft MSc 3 Studio: ExploreLab

CHINA

Population: 1.3 billion people Area: 9.6 million square meters Rapid Economic Growth of 9 % per year due to planned economy changed to market-based economy. Because of rapid growth China planned to built 400 new cities for the next 20 years, some 20 a year. Annually there are 12 million people expected to migrate from rural areas to the urban area. Now there are 38 percent of the inhabitants living in urban areas by 2020 this should go up to 50 percent.

Europe and China compared

copyright by: www.dynamiccity.org

Top ten countries in Gross National Product 2005 and 2050 2005 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

USA Japan Germany UK China France Italy Canada Spain Mexico

2050 11,351 4,366 1,966 1,647 1,529 1,455 1,212 728 655 642

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

China USA India Japan Brazil Russia UK Germany France Italy

Urbanization

44,453 35,165 27,803 6,673 6,074 5,870 3,782 3,603 3,148 2,061

Source: Goldman Sachs

copyright by: www.dynamiccity.org

Thesis by Rutger H. Kuipers “MODERNIZING BEIJING�

TUDelft MSc 3 Studio: ExploreLab

BEIJING

Beijing Municipality

Population: 14.930.000

approx. 7.5 million in

urban area Area: 16,808 km2 Density: 888 /km2 GDP: € 41,8 billion Per capita: € 2802 Growth rate: 10 % Ethnicity: Language:

Han (96%) Mandarin

Ages: 0-14: 13,6 %

14-64: 78 %

65+: 8,4 % Median age: 34.4 years Industry:

Metropolitan area

IT, Real Estate, Automobiles

Time-zone: UTC+8

Mean Temperature: Jan Feb Mar April May Jun July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec -4.4/-2.1/4.7/13.0/17.2/18.9/23.6/25.6/24.0/19.1/12.2/4.3

Central City

8 Central Districts

5 Ring Roads Images of Jing Zhou

Density

Thesis by Rutger H. Kuipers “MODERNIZING BEIJING”

Inner city

TUDelft MSc 3 Studio: ExploreLab

BEIJING

Beijing has expanded in 50 years to about 20 times its size. In the 60’s and early 70’s, after the WW II, Beijing had a dramatic high natural birth-rate: 2 - 3.5 %.

In the 70’s it decreased to 0.75 - 0.93 %, because of the One Family One Child Policy.

From the 90’s the city started expanding due to the increase of the economy with the migration of people from the countryside.

To support further expansion and to ease the pressure on the city centre, the government planned new towns in the suburb. 6 Satellite cities will be built that can accomodate 500.000 people each.

Thesis by Rutger H. Kuipers “MODERNIZING BEIJING”

Images by: Jing Zhou

TUDelft MSc 3 Studio: ExploreLab

BEIJING

DEVELOPMENT

In the process of modernizing, Beijing has set its self a goal: upgrading the city for the 2008 Olympics. The next goals are already planned for 2020.

“Two axes, two belts and multiple centres”, is the main idea of the new plans. The two important axes that will be enforced are the north-south axis along tiananmen square and the forbidden city added with the Olympic field and the east-west axis which will connect the CBD with the inner city.

The belts include a development (business) belt along east Beijing and in the west a ecological belt to draw back the pollution of the city.

Several new centres are planned, such as the CBD and new satellite towns circle around the city, to take the pressure off the centre city.

2 Belts

A lack of good infrastructure in the city leads to lots of traffic jams. To ease pressure off the roads, Beijing is expanding its subway network with 14 new subway-lines. Currently the city has only 3.

New roads are planned in the city to improve the circulation in the city.

Currently Beijing has 6 Ring Roads to circulate the fast traffic around, and a seventh is planned.

2 Belts + multiple centres

2nd - 5th Ring Road

Thesis by Rutger H. Kuipers “MODERNIZING BEIJING”

TUDelft MSc 3 Studio: ExploreLab

BEIJING

CHARACTER

The Old City is developed within a rigid grid of northsouth and west-east oriented directions. The layout relates to the central axis that runs north to south and contains the most important monuments of Beijing.

In every level of scale from city to city-block to neighborhood (sub-block) to courtyard house and its rooms, the symmetrical lay-out of, what Liangyong calls the “fishbone-structure”, is repeated.

city

block

subblock

courtyard compound

house

room

Typical to Beijing is its low-rise city centre.

The resulted cityscape is under pressure of modernisation. The density is too high in the center, the answer could be high-rise, which will destroy the cityscape.

To preserve the cityscape, the government introduced a building height regulation on the city centre area.

Although corruption lead to the ignorance of the regulation.

In the Old City the hutong areas became subjected to rapid growth and overcrowding from migrants in the 50’s when the land became state-owned. It resulted into an increasing density, by which they lost their formal lay-outs.

In the Ming dynastie an avenue would be 24 bu (about 36 meters), a street would be 2 bu (about 2 meters) and an alley would be 6 bu (about 9 meters). In that time there were about 400 alleys in the city. Due to the overcrowding smaller alleys appeared.

Building Height Regulation

From RingRoad to alley Thesis by Rutger H. Kuipers “MODERNIZING BEIJING”

TUDelft MSc 3 Studio: ExploreLab

BEIJING

PRESERVATION

In order to preserve the old hutong areas, or at least some of them, Beijing introduced the Preservation Plan.

The yellow areas indicate the 25 areas listed for preservation.

Thesis by Rutger H. Kuipers “MODERNIZING BEIJING”

TUDelft MSc 3 Studio: ExploreLab

BEIJING

POSTMODERN PRESERVATION

Despite this preservation policy, still a lot of buildings get torn down and their inhabitants are being relocated to the outskirts.

The buildings that are torn down are being rebuilt in their old original state.

The state in which they were before they became victims of overcrowding and dilapidation. They are being adapted to the modern demands, added with good facilities like; toilets, bathroom, electricity etc. The result is a kind of postmodern replica of the courtyard house.

The new buildings are then being sold again. The former inhabitants should originally be able to move back, as the government stated in their policies. But in reality the building is now so expensive that they can not afford it anymore.

Moreover they will be encouraged to move to the outskirts, so there is more profit to make on the buildings.

These buildings are now very popular in wealthier population groups. The combination of a traditional styled courtyard house and a prime location in the city center appeal to many people.

This gentrification is a solution to the density in the innercity. It’s likely that the government doesn’t want to expose the ‘poor face’ of Beijing to its visitors and thus relocates poor people to the outskirts, ashamed as it is for their appearance.

Thesis by Rutger H. Kuipers “MODERNIZING BEIJING”

TUDelft MSc 3 Studio: ExploreLab