VIRTUAL: Prague Heritages
Abstract
Wenzhou’s contemporary landscape is structured by historical infrastructural systems such as the Wenruitang water network and modern infrastructural networks, some of which are still under construction. Both networks have been planned vertically by a centralized power. In its recent history, Wenzhou has been notorious for its small-scale private entrepreneurship and initiative, which made the city a “model of development” during the post-1978 reforms. This bottom-up economy model impacted the built environment at different levels, from creating a new industrial, rural landscape to ad-hoc vernacular forms of adaptive reuse. But it also created an influx of capital in the countryside, allowing remote communities to invest in local infrastructure in areas neglected by the central government. Hence, this form of private investment in public planning and architecture is strongly connected to the Wenzhou Model, and the scope of this phenomenon is unique. Built between the 1990s and the late 2010s, these projects vary in scale and nature, from road transformation and bridges to water purifying systems or public pavilions. However, all of them are expressed in public space with little monuments mentioning the date, the donors, and other relevant information, denoting the importance of these contributions to the community and inscribing these projects in collective memory. However, given the semi-informality of these projects and the large-scale urbanization, most of them are threatened with demolition. Our research project aims to document the range and nature of this phenomenon, their representation in public space through intentional monuments, and question their historical value.
Vincent Peu Duvallon is an Assistant-Professor and Executive Director of the School of Public Architecture at Wenzhou-Kean University. He received his professional degree at the ESA in Paris, France, and did his apprenticeship with Christian de Portzamparc and Frederic Borel in Paris. In the last decade, he has maintained an active professional practice in Asia with built works in Korea and China. His work in Wenzhou and Shanghai has been recognized for adapting antiquated factories into new mixed-use. His research focuses on contemporary vernacular environments and landscapes.
Xinyu Fan has been studying architecture at the School of Public Architecture, Michael Graves College, since Fall 2020. During her studies, she participated extensively in extracurricular projects and various competitions. She participated in the research on the vernacular architecture of Wangzhai village during the first year and explored the natural environment and settlements of Wenzhou Sanyang Wetland.
Ruiyao Gao started studying architecture at the School of Public Architecture at Michael Graves College in the fall of 2021. In her studio project, she studied Wangzhai Village, one of the traditional villages alongside the Wenruitang River in Wenzhou. Ruiyao also studied Atmosphere of Housing in Nancun Urban Village, focusing on the housing conditions of migrants in Wenzhou.
Huang Tieru is a Research Assistant at the School of Public Architecture, Wenzhou-Kean University, where she got her B.A. in architectural studies before. Her work on Chinese Suburban Villages and agricultural landscape has been exhibited and presented in international conferences such as AMPS Cities in a Changing World in 2020 or XJTLU Architecture Across Boundaries in 2019.
Sirui Wu is studying architecture at the School of Public Architecture at Michael Graves College. She is interested in vernacular architecture and settlements and worked on the Wangzhai village refurbishment project during her first-year studio project. She actively participated in the competition of “WKU Main Gate Design”.
Yiwei Ye has been studying architecture at the School of Public Architecture, Michael Graves College, since Fall 2021. During her studies, she participated extensively in extracurricular projects and various competitions. During her first-year studio, she worked on design proposals for the Wangzhai village refurbishment.
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Wednesday 28th June, 2023