Towards the Methodology for the Reuse of Industrial Heritage in China

The theme of this dissertation is to reflect on the reuse methodology for the industrial heritage, through the analysis of different reuse ways used in the Chinese cities. A comparative perspective with typical methodologies and strategies used in Europe is barely sketched in order to illuminate the specificities of the Chinese situation. The discussion on the industrial heritage mainly focuses on the immovable tangible industrial heritage in modern and contemporary time (after 1860), including the industrial buildings and industrial sites. They are called Industrial Architecture Heritage, according to definition provided by the Architectural Society of China established in the Industrial Architecture Heritage Academic Committee (IAHAC), which is the first academic organization for industrial heritage preservation in China. The other types of industrial heritage, such as the industrial equipment, production technology and enterprise culture, are also significant and should not be ignored in the reuse. Based on the main question--what is the methodology for the reuse of industrial heritage in China--there are some sub-questions: What are the main characteristics of the industrial heritage in China? How can the industrial heritage be recognized and protected in China? What is the regulation for the industrial heritage in China? What are the operation mechanisms of current reuse approaches for the industrial heritage in China? What are the problems of the conventional reuse methodology in China? What can we learn from the management and reuse methodology in Europe? Where is the balance between preservation and transformation of industrial heritage in China? How is it possible to deal with the conflict between economic goals and the value enhancement of industrial heritage? The whole dissertation is divided into six chapters: (1) Identifying the Industrial Heritage in China: Dilemma and Opportunities; (2) Exploring the Reuse Ways of Industrial Heritage in China; (3) Industrial Heritage in the Context of Europe: Conceptual and Methodological Issues; (4) Methodology for the Reuse of Industrial Building --Case Study: 1933 Old Millfun, Shanghai; (5) Methodology for the Regeneration of Historic Area with Industrial Heritage--Case study: Tianzifang , Shanghai; (6) Distinguishing the Methodology for the Reuse of Industrial Heritage in China. Their first part has a brief review of the question of industrial heritage between demolition, protection and reuse under the background of distinctive situation in China. The Chinese definition of industrial heritage is discussed with the industrialization process and its particularity different from the western counterpart. Since the management and regulations of industrial heritage are under the cultural heritage protection system, therefore, it is inevitable to have a discuss on the cultural heritage in terms of conceptual dimension and the legal management system in order to explain the difficulty in the protection of industrial heritage. The second chapter focuses on the different reuse ways of industrial heritage in several Chinese cities. The main reason for such a regional perspective is that the practice of industrial heritage reuse has been largely a result of their unique industry development history accompanied by the uneven policies in protection and reuse. As a result, a total of five cities are selected in this part: two municipalities directly under the Central Government—Beijing and Shanghai, which are the biggest metropolis in China; another two cities in the eastern coastal region—Tianjin and Nanjing; and one city in the north-east region—Harbin, a typical city in China’s traditional industrial base. They all industrial cities and facing the problem of abandoned industrial buildings and facilities after the de-industrialization. By reading the different reuse ways and protection policies and implementation in these cities located in different regions, the big picture of industrial heritage reuse in China would be showed together. The main aim of the third chapter is to read the evolution of industrial heritage’s conceptual and methodology dimensions in the Europe context. The concepts of “industrial archeology”, “industrial heritage” and “industrial landscape” are discussed respectively. It could say that industrial heritage always plays a central role when the European countries are dealing with these industrial remains throughout the social and economic programs. Therefore, the innovation of methodologies and the diversification of strategies, including the “patrimonialization”, industrial heritage tourism, Ecomuseum and trans-border collaboration, are studied in order to give some useful experience for the conservation and reuse of industrial heritage in China In the fourth and fifth chapters, with the two case studies of 1933 old Millfun and Tianzifang area, the specific reuse methodology of industrial heritage is present in both architecture and urban level. In the first case, through the restoration and renovation from 2006 to 2008, the original abattoir is reused as spaces for creative industry, such as conference, exhibition, banquet and office. This study, including the historical research on the realization of architecture and the reuse methodology research, shows how the protected industrial heritage can be rehabilitated with the new uses. The aim of historical research is to reveal the original designs and construction process of architecture, such as the original function, original architectural space, original material and original technology, basing on architectural archives from Shanghai Municipal Archives. Meanwhile, through reading the drawings, interviewing the architects who design it and site investigation, the strategy and methodology used for 1933 old millfun are studied in details. In the second case of Tianzifang, the mixed industrial and residential area was transformed into art community and commercial space. The aim of this research is to explore that how did a decline historical block mingled with industrial and residential functions gradually become such a popular and vibrant place with community-initiated rehabilitation in the context of huge transform over the past twenty years. Through the literature review and fieldwork, the historical geography of this area and the transformation of this area are revealed. Then the particularities of Tianzifang’s dramatic regeneration process are identified in the aim of contributing industrial heritage in the rehabilitation of historic districts. The sixth chapter is trying to summarize the characters of the typical reuse modes, such as government-leading reuse, enterprise-leading, developer-leading and government-assisting reuse, “bottom-up” reuse, pointing out their operation mechanism and the existing problems. Finally, this study suggest the methodology for the reuse of industrial heritage by offering the protocols in investigation, assessment, feasibility study and design principles for reuse.