IN SEARCH FOR THE �RIGHT� URBANIZATION APPROACH FOR SHANGHAI: A STUDY OF KNOWLEDGE AND INNOVATION COMMUNITY (KIC), SHANGHAI

Abstract

Ever since the era of economic reform in China, its large cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, have been undergoing major transformations at an accelerating pace. The changes brought about by the reform and Open Door policy were necessary to rejuvenate its economy, which was greatly affected by its socio-political conditions. Based on a report on China's urban competitiveness1, its first-tier cities, including Beijing and Shanghai failed to make the list of habitable cities. This dissertation hypothesizes that if Shanghai continues to be dictated by any forces, one of the challenges that the city faces from the result of short-term goals of urban regeneration is the lack of sensitivity towards a specific context, compromising its future quality of life in the city. The built environment of cities is always undergoing changes. In order to stay relevant to today’s needs, mature urban fabric are usually targeted for regeneration. In the midst of a dynamic shift, challenges may arise as to whether the city has the ability to protect the quality of the old and new urban areas. The dissertation aims to address the issues of urban alienation associated with current projects that are related to the vision of creating a Knowledge City in Shanghai. The goal of the research is to find out if the next generation of Shanghai’s urban development is capable of casting a comprehensive vision in the context of a Knowledge City, that will seek for long-term outcomes. Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) district, and its street, Da Xue Road, are selected for their unique characteristics that are associated with the vision of a Knowledge City that Shanghai is shifting towards to. The research on this case study focuses on understanding its intrinsic qualities of the site and characterizing essential elements of KIC for Shanghai’s future urban planning. The dissertation concludes with highlighting opportunities and challenges for Shanghai’s future developments, which seeks to persuade authorities and key players by making conscious decisions towards urban planning and design of Shanghai.