Infrastructure, Crisscrossing the modern and traditional: reticulars and grids by Temesgen Abegaz

Suzhou

WATER URBANISM The Jiangnan Wetland & Water Village Corridor Suzhou, Yangtze River Delta metropolis, China

VOLUME 1_EXPLORATIONS

Spring Studio 2017, Suzhou, China 2017 K.U.Leuven, Master of Human Settlements, Master of Urbanism and Strategic Planning

WATER URBANISM STUDIO SUZHOU STUDIO TEAM KULEUVEN Racha Daher Bruno De Meulder Stefanie Dens IN COOPERATION WITH 1. Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, XJTLU Christian Nolf Florence Vannoorbeeck Chang Liu Chia-Lin Chen 2. SUST (Suzhou University of Science and Technology) Wang Yong FIELDWORK SUPPORT Daoming Chang Xiang Zeng MORE INFO ? MAHS / MAUSP / EMU Master Programs Department ASRO, K.U.Leuven Kasteelpark Arenberg 1, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium Tel: + 32(0)16 321 391 Email: info@mahsmausp.be ISBN XXXXXXXX Wettelijk depot XXXXXXXX © Copyright by K.U.Leuven Without written permission of the promotors and the authors it is forbidden to reproduce or adapt in any form or by any means any part of this publication. Requests for obtaining the right to reproduce or utilize parts of this publication should be addressed to K.U.Leuven, Faculty of Engineering – Kasteelpark Arenberg 1, B-3001 Heverlee (België). Telefoon +32-16-32 13 50 & Fax. +32-16-32 19 88. A written permission of the promotor is also required to use the methods, products, schematics and programs described in this work for industrial or commercial use, and for submitting this publication in scientific contests. All images in this booklet are, unless credits are given, made or drawn by the authors (Water Urbanism Studio Suzhou, 2017).

WATER URBANISM The Jiangnan Wetland & Water Village Corridor Suzhou, Yangtze River Delta metropolis, China

VOLUME 1_EXPLORATIONS

Spring Studio 2017, Suzhou, China 2017 K.U.Leuven, Master of Human Settlements, Master of Urbanism and Strategic Planning

WATER URBANISM I.1. studio brief

The future of cities is greatly affected by water: climate change, sea level rise, storm surge, flooding, uneven water distribution, water pollution, ground-water contamination, water scarcity, loss of biodiversity, public water privatization, among others, along with many social, ecological and political issues related to water, are increasingly on the rise. Water has become a pressing issue for urbanization. Throughout history, water played an important role in the logics of urbanization and city livelihood, and for millennia, water cleansing took care of it self. Since 19th century industrialization, increased pressures have put such a load on water that habitats are no longer able to cope. Epidemics related to cities and water took an “out of sight, out of mind”1 approach, and water increasingly disappeared from cities at large. But water is everywhere, and is in constant motion. It affects us at many scales. The linear approach of top-down hardline engineering to contain it, block it, and fight it has proved time and time again insufficient. ter cleansing took care of it self. Since 19th century industrialization, increased pressures have put such a load on water that habitats are no longer able to cope. Epidemics related to cities and water took an “out of sight, out of mind”1 approach, and water increasingly disappeared from cities at large. But water is everywhere, and is in constant motion. It affects us at many scales. The linear approach of top-down hardline engineering to contain it, block it, and fight it has proved time and time again insufficient. ter cleansing took care of it self. Since 19th century industrialization, increased pressures have put such a load on water that habitats are no longer able to cope. Epidemics related to cities and water took an “out of sight, out of mind”1 approach, and water increasingly disappeared from cities at large. But water is everywhere, and is in constant motion. It affects us at many scales. The linear approach of top-down hardline engineering to contain it, block it, and fight it has proved time and time again insufficient. ter cleansing took care of it self. Since 19th

century industrialization, increased pressures have put such a load on water that habitats are no longer able to cope. Epidemics related to cities and water took an “out of sight, out of mind”1 approach, and water increasingly disappeared from cities at large. But water is everywhere, and is in constant motion. It affects us at many scales. The linear approach of top-down hardline engineering to contain it, block it, and fight it has proved time and time again insufficient. Approach

De Meulder, B., & Shannon, K. (2013). Water urbanisms: East (Vol. 2, UFO). Zürich: Park Books.

WATER URBANISM. FIELDWORK

Think Tank Infrastructure Crisscrossing the modern and traditional: reticulars and grids Throughout the history of Suzhou, water was the base for all village establishments and the main transportation for the whole corridor. However, during the 20th century, there has been a process of industrialization and modernization in the area shifting the “water life” into “road life” in the area. Water has been no longer the main infrastructure, insteads the barriers for city connections. Besides that, several industrial zones and new urban quarters were formed and connected by the grid system of roads, surrounding reticular traditional streets networks in the villages. Consequently, the co-existences of traditional infrastructure in the villages and modern infrastructure in new neighborhoods and industrial zones in Suzhou show that infrastructure has not only horizontal characteristics that spreading and connecting the territory, but also contains vertical layers of socio-economic activities, landscape, ecology in both old villages and new urban quaters. The research on Infrastructure in Suzhou is summarized into four main sections: (1) Infrastructure as territorial connections and the logics of city development, (2) Infrastructure as collectors people collector, (3) Mobility in the relation with socioeconomy(4) Infrastructure-scapes: tradition vs modernity

WATER URBANISM. FIELDWORK

INFRASTRUCTURE AS TERRITORIAL CONNECTION IN RELATION WITH CITY DEVELOPMENTS

The Soviet Map: Water as main infrastructure connecting East-West Corridor. Source: Soviet Map, Re-drawn by Authors

division in 2 columns division in 2 columns for text for text Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival in Suzhou: Water as the main infrastructure and lively activities on the bridge

WATER URBANISM. FIELDWORK

The Soviet Map of Jiangnan corridor illustrates the dominance of water in the areas emphasizes the fact that water was used as main infrastructure to transport among the villages. Besides that, the appreances of main road along the grand canal, few streets and bridges along the corridor expressing the process of shifting and replacing boats into car roads sytem.

5 km

Tradition: Water as the front yard

10 km

5 km

Modernity: Water as backyard and waste container

Main road Local1.road Annotations in this style, The great canal this is the maximum width for Bridge them. References to literature and other Secondary waterways drawings will all be placed Primary here.waterways Dyke

10 km

WATER URBANISM. FIELDWORK

INFRASTRUCTURE IN RELATION WITH CITY DEVELOPMENTS

Current Infrastructure system: Water as barriers and Villages as a bridge for new developments.

Modern Infrastructure: Oversized road in Tongli new neighborhood area

WATER URBANISM. FIELDWORK

The current infrastructure of Jiangnan corridor in 2016 shows the dominance of road system in larger sizes and become the foundation for city development. Consequently, water became the barriers disconnecting the territory and is seen as watsed water containers rather than transport. Besides that, the reticulars streets patterns of the villages are surrounded by the powerful grid road system. The villages has been cut through and become the “bridges” to “transits” for new developments.

Turning Point Bridge Harbour Boat lines Regional Link Road Primary - Grid Link Road Secondary Road Thirdary Road

Tradition: Alternative open spaces along pathways

10km

Modernity: the homogenous landscapes, and road for cars

Neighborhood Street

WATER URBANISM. FIELDWORK

INFRASTRUCTURE IN RELATION WITH CITY DEVELOPMENTS

Future Infrastructure Development and Public Transport Connection

Suzhou Region Integrated Transport Planning Map

In regional scale, the plan of the gorvenment is trying to connect Suzhou city in general and Jiangnan corridor in specific with big cities like Shanghai and Hangzhou expressing the power of infrastructure in urban planning of the country. Moreover, the new railway sytem connecting Suzhou center to the corridor is introduced. The heavy high-speed road system from the north to the south cutting through the agriculture lands, water and villages make the corridor become the transit area

WATER URBANISM. FIELDWORK

The public transport map in the corridor once again demonstrates the importance of north-south direction when high-speed railway and metro connecting from the north of Suzhou center to the south city while only slow public tranport such as bus system spreading through the corridor. In addtion, there is no long distance water public transport was found in the area showing water is also ignored by goverment in Suzhou.

Bus line Bus stop/station Train line Metro line Projected road 1 km x 1 km sudy area

New Planning of New Road in Suzhou: how can the infrastructure become landscape in order to improve rural area ? Source: Wujiang 1058 Exhibition Hall

WATER URBANISM. FIELDWORK

INFRASTRUCTURE IN RELATION WITH CITY DEVELOPMENTS

East West Corridor Connection - The local connection between villages

North-South Connection: High-speed North-South Highways make Jiangnan Corridor as an transit area

WATER URBANISM. FIELDWORK

The East West corridor connections mostly connect between villages and rural areas with reticular pattern of streets network. The speed of the roads are punctuated but mostly average that can link from one village to another .

Bridge East - West Link Primary Road 1 East - West Link Local Road 1 East - West Link Primary Road 2 East - West Link Local Road 2 East - West Link Primary Road 3 East - West Link Local Road 3 East - West Link Primary 4

10km

East - West Link Local Road 4

Comparing to the East-West connection, North South connection has high connectivities to more interal streets especially new developments. These roads are high-speed avenue emphasize the fact that the corridor is transit area that link the north city to other main city from the south.

Bridge North - South Link Primary Road 1 North - South Link Local Road 1 North - South Link Primary Road 2 North - South Link Local Road 2 North - South Link Primary Road 3 North - South Link Local Road 3 North - South Link Primary Road 4 North - South Link Local Road 4 North - South Link Primary Road 5 North - South Link Local Road 5 North - South Link Primary Road 6 North - South Link Local Road 6 North - South Link Primary Road 7

10km

North - South Link Local Road 7

WATER URBANISM. FIELDWORK

INFRASTRUCTURE AS PEOPLE COLLECTOR Due to the plan of government, Tongli was developed as the tourist area that water has been maintained as openspaces where most of the activities are held. Besides that, the alternative squares, collective courtyards along the alleys and commercial streets inside the area also illustrates the traditional way of using infrastructure as open-spaces and gathering points Gathering Point Pedestrian Car movement/density Productive landscape Fence Commercial Tree House Boudary

A1 - Water is open-spaces in Tongli

B1- Fishing activities on canal banks and brid

dges

WATER URBANISM. FIELDWORK

In the village, water is still used for fishing in leisure time along the canal bank or on the bridges proving infrastructure can be spaces for unexpected activities happen. Moreover, the new neighborhood was planned without any open spaces, thus ,the low traffic streets become the drinking tea and gossip places for people in the area.

Gathering Point Pedestrian Car movement/density Productive landscape Fence Commercial Tree House Boudary

The high desity of traffic road is the potential place for informal market where people can selling the products harvested from the villages.

Gathering Point Pedestrian Car movement/density Productive landscape Fence Commercial Tree House Boudary

C1 - The highspeed and densed road generate informal market along the road

WATER URBANISM. FIELDWORK

INFRASTRUCTURE AS PEOPLE COLLECTOR The site is an urbanized area with two main roads with high density of vehicles that become commercial places that attract people do business. The underneath space of the bridge is used as common sport facility which is the main community space in the neighborhood. Besides that, because of the scarce of playgrounds for children, the low-traffic streets become the space for children playing.

Gathering Point Pedestrian Car movement/density Productive landscape Fence Commercial Tree House Boudary

A2- The Sport facilities underneath the brigde and children playground in low traffic street

B2- Informal Market and Sport facilities on high d

WATER URBANISM. FIELDWORK

The densed and highspeed traffic roads generate the informal market that people can sell foods better. Normally, the junctions, intersections of urban roads and neighborhood streets will be taken advantage as entrances for the villages and become the informal markets and other public facilities as sport yards are attached.

The site were planned as industrial zones, most of the roads surrounded by fences separating the roads from constructions. There is only one road is developed as linear residential area. The road become the civic and commercial spine of the area which absorb the workers from the industry, villages to go shopping, having meals and children to play.

Gathering Point Pedestrian Car movement/density Productive landscape Fence Commercial Tree House Boudary

density of traffic road

C2- The commercial road in industrial zones and the gathering spaces in the middle of the street

WATER URBANISM. FIELDWORK

MOBILITY IN RELATION WITH SOCIO-ECONOMY The research on mobility in the site reflects the logics of movements in the neighborhood scale in which infrastructure has become the socio-economic improvement that allows the formal and informal mobility co-exist in the site. In other words, infrastructure increases job opportunities and incomes for residents, reflects the culture and logics of movements, stations, harbours in different scales of Jiangnan Corridor. Tongli area is historic neighborhood attracting many tourists.. Therefore, besides the formal tourism activities, there are a lot of informal mobility in which water and road become the main income for residents here by promoting informal boat and tricylce taxi. Besides that, informal e-bike taxi also works in the new neighborhoods surrouding create a system of cheap mobility in the area

Staying along the canal, the residents in the reach the main road. Thus, a system of informal people from deeply inside the village to the mai established go hand in hand with the informal e transport agriculture products.

A1 - Formal and Informal public transports in Tongli Area

Goods Transports Agricultural/Aquacultural products

B1 - The informal e-bike taxi in the village to new

People Transports

Goods Transports

Industrial Products Agricultural/Aquacultural products

PrivateProducts Industrial

People Transports

Public Private

Public

E-bike / Bike

Large Cargo Boat E-bike / Bike

Informal Motobike Taxi Large Cargo Boat

Bus Line /Motobike Station Taxi Informal

Fishing Boat

Truck Fishing Boat

E Trycicle Bike Truck

E Trycicle Bike

Formal Cargo Boat Taxi

Tourist Bike Taxi Formal Cargo Boat Taxi

Tourist Bike Taxi

Informal Cargo Boat Taxi

Big Bus Bridge Line / S Small Bridge

Market

WATER URBANISM. FIELDWORK

e villages hardly taxi to transport in road has been e-truck system to

The system of mobility in the site is similar with B1 that the demands of movement of people from inside the villages to the main road, there were systems of e-bike taking the residents and products to the junction of village and main street. Moreover, the alternative road-water transports of goods of the factories established a long harbour along the rivers.

M M

w roads

C1 - The movement of agricultural and aquacultural products from villages to roads

Station

Big Bridge Small Bridge

Market

WATER URBANISM. FIELDWORK

MOBILITY IN RELATION WITH SOCIO-ECONOMY

One of the main markets in the corridors generates the informal e-bike taxi taking people from other areas to the areas and vice versa. The informal taxi will be located in the intersection nearby the market where large amount of other movements happens. Moreover, the alternative truck and cargo boat transporting goods for the factory happens along the rivers which also promote the informal boat taxi nearby

Because of the informal market on the main the movement in the villages are e-bike tra aquacultural products to the market. New stree tool helping people to carry and sell products eas

M M

B2 - The movement of agricultural and aquacultu

A2 - Market generates informal e-bike taxi and the informal boat taxi network

Goods Transports Agricultural/Aquacultural products

People Transports

Goods Transports

Agricultural/Aquacultural Industrial Products products

Industrial PrivateProducts

People Transports

Public Private

Public

E-bike / Bike

Large Cargo Boat E-bike / Bike

Informal Motobike Taxi Large Cargo Boat

Informal Bus Line /Motobike Station Taxi

Fishing Boat

Fishing Boat Truck

E Trycicle Bike Truck

E Trycicle Bike

Formal Cargo Boat Taxi

Tourist Bike TaxiTaxi Formal Cargo Boat

Tourist Bike Taxi

Informal Cargo Boat Taxi

Big Bus Bridge Line / S Small Bridge

Market

WATER URBANISM. FIELDWORK

The logics of informal cargo boat harbour nearby the industry is once again appears in the industrial areas. Besides that, there are many workers live in the dormitory in the factories do not have vehicles, therefor the system of public transports and informal e-bike takexi beome important

n road, most of ansporting agriets become the sily

ural products from villages to main roads

Station

Big Bridge Small Bridge

Market

C2 - The network of informal e-bike taxi, boat taxi and agricultural products to roads

WATER URBANISM. FIELDWORK

INFRASTRUCTURE-SCAPES: TRADITION VS MODERNITY Even though the Jiangnan corridor has been developed with many different housings, industrial projects but all the roads/streets/pathways can be categorized into 8 typical ones: four from villages and four from new urban areas. The research on street-profiles shows the characteristics of each road/street in terms of landscapes, sizes, ratios between greenery and road and the houses along the streets. Through that, it reflects how the traditional and modern ways residential areas react to the infrastructure. For example, the alternative courtyards and chainge in sizes of pathways in Tongli and organic road pattern integrated with tree in the villages constrasting to the homogenous and straight housing, landscape in modern neighborhoods

Different size and alternative courtyard in the alleys

Commerical streets with tree in the village

Organic pathway with landscape in village

Bridge as landscape and green pathway along the waterways

WATER URBANISM. FIELDWORK

New Car access way to villages is fenced by industrial area

Fences of industrial area along four land roads

Commerical streets in the new urban quarter

Highway with greenery

WATER URBANISM. FIELDWORK

INFRASTRUCTURE-SCAPES: TRADITION VS MODERNITY Most of the roads or streets in the neighborhoods of Jiangnan corridor demonstrates contrast images of traditional and modern landscapes along the infrastructures. The analysis of infrastructure-scapes will first show the changes in landscapes along the roads then hightlight the differences of characteristics of spatial setting and space-using in the villages and new urban quarters. Through that, the question of integration between traditional ecological landscape and modern technology in Suzhou is raised to be rethought ?

Fenced industrial road

Agricultural and green-house

Sport facilities underneath the bridge next to villages

A2 Section - The contrast of infrastructure as car-parking (modern) and community, market (village)

Oversized road and homogenous architecture

Green and livable activities on the bridge

Various retailed shops

Connected waterscape

A1 Section - The boulevard in new urban quarter and sequences of open-green spaces, commericial spaces along pathways in Tongli

WATER URBANISM. FIELDWORK

Vast car-parking lot and fences along the road

Green square with full of formal and informal economic activtities

Informal market in the junction with villages

fences along road in the new urban quarter

Changing in size with carefully material paved streets

Green Canal

WATER URBANISM. FIELDWORK

How can infrastructure be rethought as ecological system in which multi-layers of mobility, socio-economic activties and environemt are integrated ?

WATER URBANISM. FIELDWORK

References: DE MEULER, Bruno; SHANNON; Kelly. “Water Urbanism East: Emerging Practices and Age-Old Traditions” in Water Urbanism East, Zurich: Park Books Publishers, 2013, pp. 4-17 SHANNON, Kelly; SMETS, Marcel. “From Urbanism to Engineering and Back” in: The landscape of Contemporary Infrastructure, Amsterdam: NAi Publishers, 2010, pp. 52-55 SHANNON; Kelly; SMETS, Marcel. “Changing Perceptions of the Public Realm ” in: The landscape of Contemporary Infrastructure, Amsterdam: NAi Publishers, 2010, pp. 184-187 Image Credits: Tong, W.E (2010) Hui Yuan Qiong Yao - Riverside scence at Quingming Festival, the Quing dynasty palace collection, Taipie: National Palace Museum.

WATER URBANISM. FIELDWORK

millennia, water cleansing took care of it self. Since 19th century industrialization, increased pressures have put such a load on water that habitats are no longer able to cope. Epidemics related to cities and water took an “out of sight, out of mind”1 approach, and water increasingly disappeared from cities at large. But water is everywhere, and is in constant motion. It affects us at many scales. The linear approach of top-down hardline engineering to contain it, block it, and fight it has proved time and time again insufficient. ter cleansing took care of it self. Since 19th century industrialization, increased pressures have put such a load on water that habitats are no longer able to cope. Epidemics related to cities and water took an “out of sight, out of mind”1 approach, and water increasingly disappeared from cities at large. But water is everywhere, and is in constant motion. It affects us at many scales. The linear approach of top-down hardline engineering to contain it, block it, and fight it has proved time and time again insufficient. ter cleansing took care of it self. Since 19th century industrialization, increased pressures have put such a load on water that habitats are no longer able to cope. Epidemics related to cities and water took an “out of sight, out of mind”1 approach, and water increasingly disappeared from cities at large. But water is everywhere, and is in constant motion. It affects us at many scales. The linear approach of topdown hardline engineering to contain it, block it, and fight it has proved time and time again insufficient. ter cleansing took care of it self. Since 19th

WATER URBANISM partners and participants

K.U. LEUVEN Bruno de Meulder Racha Daher Stefanie Dens Xiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, XJTLU Christian Nolf Florence Vannoorbeeck xxx Suzhou University xxx

Suzhou