I'm in Bangkok at the moment, but am still recovering from a strenuous 40 km hike up and down Huangshan over the weekend. Tomorrow I head to Siem Reap, Cambodia to see Angkor Wat. I will update with pictures once I get back to Shanghai!
Off to see some architecture!
6/16/2010
6/06/2010
JIanyeli renovation project
My research paper is on the reconstruction/deconstruction of Shanghai's historic architecture. After several months of research, I've come to see how many issues are involved that go beyond the aesthetics of architecture: economic development, urban planning, politics, social spaces, citizens' rights, city image, etc. Being able to witness all of this firsthand has been extremely valuable.
I cam across an interesting case study of Jianyeli the other day. I pass by this neighborhood--or rather, construction lot walled off with Expo propaganda signs--every day on the way home from work. Like so many other renovation projects in Shanghai, this used to be an old shikumen neighborhood that was way overcrowded...and in a good city location. The residents were relocated and all the buildings knocked down. New buildings are being built that will, according to the giant posters, "restore Shikumen to its natural beauty". Population density will be lower, living conditions will be nicer, people will make money. Very typical story.
But until I read this study, I wasn't aware of how δΈεη, or inappropriate, resident relocation can be. I am well aware of the stories of "nail houses", where residents refuse to leave their homes because of inadequate compensation and the developers end up dragging them away and bulldozing their houses down. Still, I was surprised at the underhanded methods the Xuhui district displacement company used to get rid of residents. The company had apparently run out of money for displacement and many stubborn residents were still living in their apartments. So the company hired 200 migrant workers to help get rid of them.
"The population of the lilong then divided into three groups: the recalcitrant residents, the workers carrying out the demolition, and the employees of the hoodlum company. The task of the latter, who earn a good salary—50 yuan a day—was for the time being to make the residents' life impossible by frightening and mistreating them."
The migrant workers were instructed to make noises and disturbances and generally bother the residents as much as possible. Many of the residents ended up moving out, after which the "hoodlum company" began to vandalize, steal and get violent. The district mayor met with the residents to hear their complaints, but did nothing to stop the displacement company.
The end of the story is clear when you see Jianyeli--the neighborhood is gone. Somewhere in the suburbs of Shanghai, there are bitter citizens who have received (some) monetary compensation for their forced relocation, but have undoubtedly lost all faith in their government. I don't know enough about the political environment in Shanghai, but the people's opinion matters only when it suits the government. It's hard to weigh the pros and cons of such land developments, but it's clear that only tangible benefits have value at the present. And for the time being, Chinese people are too afraid (or maybe just apathetic) to change this status quo. While the issue of eminent domain in the States can be incredibly tiring, I find it preferable to the lack of legitimacy that exists in China.
For anyone interested in reading the essay:
http://chinaperspectives.revues.org/document459.html
I cam across an interesting case study of Jianyeli the other day. I pass by this neighborhood--or rather, construction lot walled off with Expo propaganda signs--every day on the way home from work. Like so many other renovation projects in Shanghai, this used to be an old shikumen neighborhood that was way overcrowded...and in a good city location. The residents were relocated and all the buildings knocked down. New buildings are being built that will, according to the giant posters, "restore Shikumen to its natural beauty". Population density will be lower, living conditions will be nicer, people will make money. Very typical story.
But until I read this study, I wasn't aware of how δΈεη, or inappropriate, resident relocation can be. I am well aware of the stories of "nail houses", where residents refuse to leave their homes because of inadequate compensation and the developers end up dragging them away and bulldozing their houses down. Still, I was surprised at the underhanded methods the Xuhui district displacement company used to get rid of residents. The company had apparently run out of money for displacement and many stubborn residents were still living in their apartments. So the company hired 200 migrant workers to help get rid of them.
"The population of the lilong then divided into three groups: the recalcitrant residents, the workers carrying out the demolition, and the employees of the hoodlum company. The task of the latter, who earn a good salary—50 yuan a day—was for the time being to make the residents' life impossible by frightening and mistreating them."
The migrant workers were instructed to make noises and disturbances and generally bother the residents as much as possible. Many of the residents ended up moving out, after which the "hoodlum company" began to vandalize, steal and get violent. The district mayor met with the residents to hear their complaints, but did nothing to stop the displacement company.
The end of the story is clear when you see Jianyeli--the neighborhood is gone. Somewhere in the suburbs of Shanghai, there are bitter citizens who have received (some) monetary compensation for their forced relocation, but have undoubtedly lost all faith in their government. I don't know enough about the political environment in Shanghai, but the people's opinion matters only when it suits the government. It's hard to weigh the pros and cons of such land developments, but it's clear that only tangible benefits have value at the present. And for the time being, Chinese people are too afraid (or maybe just apathetic) to change this status quo. While the issue of eminent domain in the States can be incredibly tiring, I find it preferable to the lack of legitimacy that exists in China.
For anyone interested in reading the essay:
http://chinaperspectives.revues.org/document459.html
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