SUSTAINING THROUGH CULTURAL ECONOMY: STUDY OF TOURISM-LED URBAN REGENERATION OF OLD BUND, NINGBO

Abstract

The eleventh five-year guideline of the People’s Republic of China in 2006-2010 focused on the changing economic structure towards service industry, research and development and urbanization. The twelfth five-year guideline for 2011-2015 planned towards sustainable growth, emphasizing to rebalance the economy with cities to absorb urban population expansion, and also enhancing quality of life through improving infrastructural networks. This dissertation responds to the onset of urban regeneration projects sprouting particularly within cities of China. Debilitated sites once forgotten due to rapid pace of development by expanding city areas, are now being relooked by the government on the historical, cultural value as well as the potential of a cultural economy within these areas. With the global trend of shifting focus towards quality lifestyle and liveability, within China likewise, sees a raise in initiatives such regeneration projects to reintroduce growth within stagnant developments. Through the careful study of the Old Bund in Ningbo, the paper discusses the sustainability of growth through creation of a cultural economy within a heritage site. By understanding the derivation of the current Old Bund through the study of planning strategies of the Ningbo government and project development, it uncovers the top down approach used in line with the institutional visions of the city. Also, through the study of ongoing visions and projects in supplement to the Old Bund, the paper studies the potential to expand on the scale and coverage area of the cultural economy. Through site observations as well as interviews from visitors and residents at site, the impact of the Old Bund is studied through quantitative and qualitative analysis for consideration of viability of future urban regeneration projects with similar contexts.