A Further Exploration of Chinese Urban Design at the Beginning of the 21st Century

This paper systematically analyzes and summarizes the development of Chinese urban design theories and practices in the new millennium.While absorbing successful international experiences,contemporary Chinese urban design has also developed its own languages that exhibite multi-layered,multi-dimensioned and multi-modal integration of urban design and statutory plans.Based on Chinese urban design practices in the new millennium,this paper discerns four trends in contemporary Chinese urban design,namely conceptual urban design,design for urban structural adjustment,historic-preservation-based urban design,and eco-oriented urban design.The paper concludes that urban design is not merely a part of urban planning,nor is it an enlarged architectural design.Instead,urban design aims to create delicate,elegant,habitable,livable,and enjoyable urban spaces that are sensitive to temporal concerns.In addition,urban design should also stress the creation of unique urban spaces and forms,promote endogenous growth opportunities and care for human perceptions,experience and scale.Finally, urban design must pay attention to both ordinary and signature buildings and integrate spaces of both everyday life and grand urban narratives.