Hybrid temporary urbanism and the governance of fragments in Hong Kong and Chinese cities

Abstract

This paper explores how temporary urbanism and particularly the latest trends of hybrid temporary urbanisms (comprised of both bottom-up and top-down arrangements) have been spreading in cities, in periods of crisis and disruptions. While a significant amount of work has been produced on European and North American cities, far less is known about the temporary reutilization of under-utilized open spaces (including temporary architectural interventions) in Hong Kong and China’s mainland, and particularly how they are set up, negotiated hence governed and with what legacy. We will label those spaces ‘urban fragments’ referring to Colin Mc Farlane’s work. In such contexts, hybrid temporary urbanism occurs in response to issues of liveability, well-being and local needs (i.e. filling gaps in service provision and tackling community well-being). This paper will be answering the following three questions: How to reconnect people and under-utilized urban fragments with low-cost interventions? How temporary urbanism could promote alternative uses in public open spaces? How to challenge outdated design guidelines and rigid planning rules by using pilot urban projects? To do so, it will build on fragments and assemblage theory and deconstruct hybrid temporary urbanism interventions through three dimensions: a spatial dimension (the nature and characteristics of unused spaces), a political/governance dimension (related to power, regulations, and landownership) and a knowledge dimension (related to skills and social networks).

This paper will mobilize a set of case studies in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Chengdu.

Hong Kong is a world-class metropolis characterized by an extreme form of vertical urbanism. In this intense urban context, public open spaces are very limited, especially in old urban areas. Furthermore, most of these spaces were created by adopting a rigid, top-down approach by applying standard solutions to a variety of different sites and urban conditions. These valuable but often underutilized open spaces do little to serve residents’ needs, as they neither facilitate social interaction nor encourage community activity. We are here using two pilot interventions ‘Nullahplace’ and ‘CWLane Reading Space’. Both responded to the need of having high-quality open spaces that can become new gathering places for the community by making use of existing but dysfunctional public open spaces.

Shanghai, shifting its focus from solely economic development to urban quality improvement and people-centric development, has embarked on micro-regeneration temporary initiatives as an alternative to traditional urban regeneration methods. These projects, including '345 Xinhua Rd' and 'College Student Community Garden Competition in Dongming,' focus on renovating, repurposing, and reimagining community public spaces. They not only aim to enhance these local areas but also align with Shanghai's people-oriented urban regeneration agenda. Through temporary uses, these projects engage local communities and non-state actors in a collaborative process allowing for the continuous evolution and redefinition of public spaces.

Chengdu, characterized as a liveable city with robust grassroots planning practices, exhibits a paradigm shift in China’s modern top-down planning dynamics. Traditionally, the local planning authorities take charge of the refurbishment of public spaces. However, in Chengdu, neighborhood committees have evolved into active facilitators, mobilizing residents to engage in community activities through alternative governance mechanisms, hence fostering neighborhood micro-regeneration. Here we examine 'Grandma’s Kitchen,' a resident self-built collective occupying unused public spaces for gardening purposes. Led by retired workers, the community vegetable farm grows, and harvests products used to prepare meals for elderlies in need through the goal of ‘young seniors helping old seniors’.