IN-PERSON: Prague – Section B
Abstract
Existing research on rural development often focuses more on the designation of ‘formal’ or ‘informal’ aspects of the settlements. Frequently rural villages are labelled as informal, disordered, and spontaneously formed in terms of their buildings, street/lane networks, public spaces or green or blue spaces. However, it has become increasingly difficult to separate urban and rural aspects due to several factors: the rapid changes to urbanization processes; technology development; land ownership; variations in district zoning; and evolution of the relationship between people and the larger ecological system. This study investigates how formal and informal development are interlinked as a continuous process to shape Urban Villages, and how concepts of sustainable living can be developed in areas that have evolved beyond the simple division between urban and rural characteristics in Southwest China. This study analyses two urban villages in Kunming City in Southwest China. It allows exploration of how the changes to buildings; public spaces and the morphology of villages have been influenced by social customs and collective spirit and characteristics of different resident groups in those places. It is argued that residents’ sense of place, and their understandings of safety, social interaction, and public facilities have maintained, to some extent, interpretations of what urban and rural villages would be. However, residents’ daily lives must also accommodate new transformations brought by the rapid urbanization process. It is suggested that those perceptions and practices will contribute to the improvement of sustainable living in the mixed urban and rural communities.
Dr. Yun Gao works as an academic and an architect. She is a Reader in Architecture at the University of Huddersfield. Her academic research explores design of socially responsible and environmentally sustainable built environment, and traditional and cultural changes reflected in architectural and urban development in developing countries. She is author of more than 50 published research papers and three books. Yun has also been awarded research funding from a number of Research Council in the UK and in China. Yun has held a Visiting Professorship at the Yunnan Arts University in China.
Adrian Pitts is Professor of Sustainable Architecture in the Department of Design and Built Environment at the University of Huddersfield. Adrian has taught in the field of environmental design and sustainability at three universities over a career spanning more than 30 years. He has also held visiting positions at several other university internationally and he is author of well in excess of 100 published research papers and four books. His research interests have involved practical/experimental research in real buildings/laboratory settings as well as simulated/theoretical studies. In recent years he has led a research network linked to rural sustainability in China.
Ling Zhou is a PhD student studying at the School of Arts and Humanities, University of Huddersfield. Her research subject is about the influence of urbanization on Chinese villages. Ling is specially interested in villages that are located on the suburb areas of cities.
3:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Thursday 29th June, 2023