CDE110 2018-19 G9 Final

Role 

Log

Method

Figure 0.2 Research method flow chart

Figure 0.3 The questionaries of water resources’ utlization in the community

Figure 0.4 The results of questionnaires

Figure 0.6: The questionnaire survey

Figure 0.6 The teaching assistant is testing the water

Figure 0.7 Interviews with residents

Figure 0.8: Map sketch

The main body of this paragraph is the investigation of Jintang community and its residents. The Jintang community is a resettlement community of relocated resident. Through questionnaire surveys and interviews with community residents' committee staffs (figure 1.1), the research group learned that the demographic composition of the community is mainly based on local demolition residents and migrant workers, followed by mobile workers. This diversity of demographic composition caused a lower sense of belonging among residents (Salami., et al., 2019).

Figure 1.1: The questionnaire about community and people and the survey results

Additionally, the age distribution of the population in this community is mainly concentrated under the age of 20 and over the age of 45, which means that this community has some problems about ageing and left-behind children. Through the visit, the research group also learned that most young people are working outside and have low participation in community activities.

The relocation households of the Jintang community used to be farmers. They used kinship as a link and had a unique friendship circle (Barton, Grant & Guise, 2003). The research group participated in a wedding of the community during the field trip, which fully reflected the traditional customs of their lives (figure 1.2). Furthermore, through the communication with the wedding-related personnel, the research group learned that they are still discomfort in the current community life, and this community life also has a certain degree of change in their traditional living habits.

Figure 1.2:  Crowds associated with a local wedding

The questionnaire shows that the majority of residents' activities are limited to the doorway of their own building unit, which is influenced by the “portal culture”. The “portal culture” is a continuation of the rural habits of residents. The local residents are used to communicate with others in the open space in front of the door, which means that the community is essentially separated (figure 1.3). On the other hand, residents reflected in the survey that the design of the community is not convenient for the passage of some elderly people and children, and the weakening of community management has diluted the relationship among residents, which all have caused them to prefer to use their own doorway as the main activity area.

Figure 1.3: The old people in a unit of one of the buildings

During the visit to the Jintang Community, the diversity of economic niche, which is an economically specific habitat and a series of identical economic species (Barton, Grant & Guise, 2003), of the Jintang community was discovered, including small workshops in the area, low-rise residential businesses, and messy areas. This section wants to consider the economic development of Jintang community by analyzing the business and employment of residential areas.

Job opportunity:

Because local residents are mostly relocated farmers, lack of advanced education, and have fewer transportation nearby, they are more inclined to work from home, which has become a common phenomenon in the community. Residents have transformed the residential floor into a small retail store or a functional store, such as a barber shop. But retailers rely on a transitive economy, and interviews have found that local government and community management do not support the development of such unmanageable shops, and the benefits of such stores are not ideal.

Figure 2.1: The barber on the ground floor in the resident area

Figure 2.2: The retail store on the ground floor in the resident area

Figure 2.3: The hand-writing map of the stores in the resident area of community

Business concentration area:

Observed on the map of Jintang community, the community contains a commercial concentration area. Through a visit to this commercial concentration area, it was found that although the environment in this concentration area was dirty and disordered, most of the local businesses were concentrated here. Most of these businesses rely on food delivery. In addition, the shops and small businesses here are very diverse, such as small restaurants, hairdressers, convenience stores. At the same time, this space also contains open space, where many people play entertainment activities, such as playing cards. This is a commercial concentration area with commercial flexibility but still needs to be rectified and developed.

Facility

With regard to the accessibility of local facilities in the community, there are facilities that do a good job of facilitating people's lives and improving their quality of life. Some facilities cannot meet people's needs due to distance and quantity.

Infrastructure utilization

Some convenient facilities are densely located, such as rechargeable parking lots, garbage cans and express storage boxes. Almost every three buildings have a wider parking space. The trash cans are much denser and each building has more than one nearby. Express storage boxes are set up in about every block in the community. Such a dense distribution of facilities, high accessibility, so that people's lives more convenient (Figure 3.1 and Figure 3.2).

Figure 3.1: Rechargeable cars parking lot

Figure 3.2: Express delivery bins

Recreation facility in the community center

In the center of community, there is a large public activity area containing a large number of recreational and recreational facilities, such as a slide for children and a pavilion for the elderly to chat and rest. However, the research group found that residents consider that  they would love to go to the community center but the residents prefer to make recreational facilities be closer from their homes.

Figure 3.3: The distance from the community center to residents’ homes

Firstly, the planning of this community is not very friendly to walkers. The basic principles of pedestrian planning are as follows: connected, convenient, comfortable, convivial and conspicuous (Barton, Grant and Guise, 2003). Pedestrian accessibility is not high. For some destinations, pedestrians have to take more roads because they cannot reach the destination directly (Figure 4.1). In addition, not only the disabled and the elderly are not considered in the sidewalk part of the community, but also ordinary pedestrians cannot walk (Figure 4.2).

Figure 4.1

Figure 4.2

Secondly, the key to a healthy transportation strategy is to reduce reliance on private cars (Barton, Grant and Guise, 2003). However, the road planning of Lotus New Village Community put the vehicle access in the first place. The accessibility of automobiles is not only higher than that of pedestrian system, but also wide in many roads, which greatly increases residents' dependence on automobiles. The wide road also leads to an increase in vehicle speed, which seriously affects the safety of local residents (Figure 4.3).

Figure 4.3

Lastly, parking lot is not set up properly. Most residents chose to park by the side of the road or occupy the space between buildings (Figure 4.4). In addition, aboveground parking spaces will also be occupied by residents (Figure 4.5). Both residents and vehicles cause inappropriate occupation of public space, which affects residents' activities and threatens children's safety. In short, there is an assessment form for movement (Figure 4.6) and top view of traffic in sixth districts of Lotus New Village (Figure 4.7).

Figure 4.4

Figure 4.5

Figure 4.6

Figure 4.7

At first, the residents were originally living in the countryside and moved into the community due to demolition. Therefore, their way of lives and ideas still remains like before. For example, sometimes they cook directly in the open Spaces of the community and in winter, many residents will choose to burn coal for heating, which will cause serious negative impact on the environment.

Figure 5.1

Second, according to the inquiry of residents, it can be found that the price of water and electricity is high for about 65 percent residents who were researched. And especially during the summer, the issues about energy supply may go wrong such as trip of electricity.

Besides, it is not difficult to find a lot of energy security problems. For example, a few black cables are scattered across various places, some residents might pull switches privately and some long wires are even directed from upstairs to downstairs, which may cause dangerous events without related management (as picture 5.2 shown). 

Figure 5.2

Moreover, green energy using is the significant thing to pay attention to. Although there is some realization of green energy in the community such as the polar water heater and car charging station. In particular, car charging stations, which can reduce carbon emissions to reduce environmental pollution but it is rare after all (as picture 3 shown). In addition, according to the questionnaires, there are almost not any publicity about green energy in the community.

Figure 5.3

Some signs about energy in the community.

Figure 5.4

Figure 5.5

During the field trip, the research team happened to encounter wedding customs. Their wedding banquet food was different from the general city wedding banquet. Mainly pork, there are many pig internal organs, but also hanging pig heads on the gate（Figure 7.1）. In addition, during the field visit, we found that there is still a habit of drying vegetables to make pickles in the community. Usually, use a mat to lay some cooked vegetables, dry in the sun or dry on the rope, and then take it home for pickling. Almost every unit door has a mat or rope that is dried or dried (Figure 7.2 and 7.3). This should be regarded as a special food in the community. Through the visit of the research team, it was found that there is a vegetable market next to the Minting community (Figure 7.4). It is increase access for local people to food (Barton, Grant & Guise, 2003).

Figure 7.1: Special food of Jindong community

Figure 7.2: Special food of minting community

Figure 7.3: Special food of Jindong community

Figure 7.4: The vegetable market near the Jintang community

Furthermore, during the visit, the research team found that residents like to eat on the first floor. Enhance the openness of the first floor, increase the communication among residents, and enhance the integration of the community. Then we found that residents like to eat on the first floor. However, it is difficult for some foreigners to integrate into such an atmosphere. It is important to strengthen the openness of the first floor, increase exchanges between residents, and enhance the integration of the community.

1.1 Five-water analysis method

In order to evaluate different types of water resources more intuitively and clearly, I will use the five-water analysis method (Figure 6.1) to evaluate the use of water resources in the Jintang community.

Figure 6.1  The five-water analysis method (Baton et al, 2003)

1.2 Pre-study survey

Before the questionnaire survey in the community, I made an investigation on the utilization facilities of water resources in the community, drew a map of community drainage pipes and fire hydrants (Figure 6.2) and designed a questionnaire (Figure 6.3) on the utilization of water resources in the community.

Figure 6.2 The drawing map of community drainage pipes and fire hydrants

Figure 6.3 The questionnaires of water resources’ utilization in the community

In accordance with the national class V water standard (landscape design and agricultural water) (China.State environmental protection administration, General administration of quality supervision, inspection and quarantine, 2002, p.2), I analyzed the water quality of the jintang community river with the help of environmental science students (Figure 1.4). Therefore, I think Lianhuabei river can be used for community green space irrigation, environmental improvement and landscape design.

Figure 6.4 The water quality testing

1.3 Evaluation based on questionnaire survey and field trip

Based on the results of the 33 questionnaires (Figure 6.5) I collected and the maps I drew, I evaluated five different water resource utilization situations in the community and proposed a series of improvement measures (Figure 6.6).

Figure 6.5 The results of questionnaires

Figure 6.6 The evaluation and recommendation of water utilization

Figure 6.7 Community river               Figure 6.8 Community well

 6.9 Residents collect green water in buckets

After research, the paragraph will analysis three parts of biodiversity of community including species of community, current situation of greenery and structure of greenery.

Figure 8.1: Florists

Figure 8.2: Animal species

Firstly, as figure 8.1 ＆ 8.3 shows that, biological systems of community depend more on land, however，river was not being used effectively due to the riparian reinforcement by concrete. River hardened cannot provide suitable environment for aquatic plants growth and habitats for related animals and microorganisms. Therefore, the community lacks aquatic biodiversity（Nanjing Forestry University & Nanjing Normal University, 2013).

Figure 8.3: Riparian reinforcement

Secondly, according to the figure 8.4, the community did not maintain greenery well and set fences to prevent normal communication between residents and greenery. That behavior causes residents cannot obtain the pleasure of greenery，therefore the residents destroy greenery to grow green vegetables as figure 8.5 shows.

   Figure 8.4: Grass disrepair

Figure 8.5: Vegetable grown by residents

Thirdly, in terms of greenery distribution，the figure 8.6 based on satellite imagery shows that the distribution of greenery is fragmented, which can not protect the daily activities of animals. Furthermore, according to figure 8.7, plants have a simple vertical structure that cannot provide habitat for a wider variety of organisms (Liu et al. 2018).

Figure 8.6: Greenery distribution

Figure 8.7: simple vertical structure

Conclusion

Assessment

Introduction to proposal

Given the Jingtang community has the characteristics of a Huiqian community (Move back to the resettlement) and unique portal culture, we hope that through the rebuilding of residential building and surrounding facilities to awaken people's collective consciousness and form the community culture, improve the residents' quality of life, specific measures include residential buildings surrounding design, penetrable residential buildings and river-friendly ecological trails.

Residential buildings surrounding design

Jacobs (1961) believes that the charm of wide sidewalks lies not only in safety, but also in communication; A wide and well-designed sidewalk can effectively support public activities. I think her theory applies not only to the street, but also to the public space between residential buildings in Jintang community.

As the public space between some residential buildings is occupied by parking Spaces, residents often do not feel the openness of public space.In order to make full use of public space, according to Jacobs' sidewalk design concept, we allocate the community green landscape around residential buildings and remove parking Spaces between residential buildings to create conditions for residents to enjoy the public space and green space around residential buildings (Figure 9.1).

Figure 9.1 The transformation of residential buildings surrounding design

Penetrable residential buildings

Since Jacobs (1961) believes that a successful street should be a public place where residents' private lives extend to others' lives, we believe that through architectural design, residents can passively interact with others while protecting their privacy.

As residents are accustomed to activities at the entrance of residential buildings, it will be very difficult for residents to take the initiative to go to the community public space.Therefore, in order to let residents interact with others, using architectural design to break the sense of belonging of residents to their residential buildings and improve the sense of openness will be an effective measure to promote the interaction between residents.

Figure 9.2 Transformation of portal culture with green landscape and penetrable residential buildings

The idea of penetrable residential building was proposed based on the lack of utilization of public space on the first floor of residential building in Jintang community and the portal culture of the community. Penetrable residential buildings aim to break the closed state of residential buildings and make residents interact passively with residents passing through the buildings, which is an effective combination of the habit of Chuanmen (visiting rural residents at doors) and modern community life.

River-friendly ecological trails

Since Jacobs (1961) believes that the shops and bars on both sides of the street are an important part of urban life because they can provide a place for residents to socialize, we believe that wherever there is a public demand, there is a possibility to socialize.

According to our questionnaire, residents could not fully interact with the river due to the community fence and slope along the river. We made a detailed plan on how to make full use of the river to build ecological trails (Figure 9.3). We can not only promote residents' outdoors activities by building river-friendly ecological runways, but also improve community leisure facilities, biodiversity and develop agricultural economy through ecological restoration of rivers (Figure 9.4).

 Figure 9.3 A detailed plan for river friendly-ecological trails

Figure 9.4 Various dimensions of river ecosystems (Srinivas, 2016)

Benefits of proposal

Our transformation proposal for residential buildings and surrounding service facilities will have various benefits on the quality of life, community culture and residents' collective consciousness (Figure 9.5).

 Figure 9.5 The benfits of our transformation proposal

Scenario planning

Scenario planning (Figure 10.1) originated in the United States and its main feature is to design response measures to improve the flexibility of the plan by assuming future development results (World Vision UK, 2013).

Figure 10.1 The process of stakeholders’ workshops in participatory scenario planning (World Vision UK, 2013)

Scenario planning in workshop

In the seminar with residents, the main role of scenario planning is to make up for the lack of residents' planning ability and enhance the fun of participation. In order to enhance the authority of the activity and combine it with our planning plan, we bought a large number of models of trees, flower beds and fences, office buildings, cars and residents. We hope that residents can place trees representing green belts, flower beds representing green spaces and office buildings representing buildings in need of renovation and new facilities in the community model (Figure 10.2).

Figure 10.2 Scenario planning in participatory neighborhood planning

Information provided by residents at the workshop       

Our initial plan was to remove the community fence and build a walkable community, green land along the river and the renovation of the first floor of residential buildings.

First of all, the overwhelming majority of residents are in favor of the removal of the community fence, only a small number of residents questioned the safety of the community.

Secondly, residents are indifferent to the construction of pedestrian communities. Some residents think that banning vehicles from the community will cause inconvenience to the community business.

Thirdly, the construction of green land along the river has won the approval of all residents. In addition, some residents hope to build parks along the river in the eighth district.

Finally, residents believe that the renovation of residential buildings must be funded by the government.

Photo

Figure 11.1

Figure 11.2

Figure 11.3

Figure 11.4

Figure 11.5

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