Trans-cultural corridor: Sichuan Maoxian street market redevelopment

Abstract

With the high populations of the Qiang people (羌) living in Maoxian County (茂縣),

Wenchuan (汶川), Li county (理縣)& Beichuan County (北川); the geomorphology and

natural ecological environment were serious damaged in "5.12" Wenchuan earthquake. Many

of the villages were destroyed or severely damaged; it brought a huge casualties and losses to

the Qiang cultural.

Natural ecosystems through natural and artificial repair after a certain period can make basic

recovery. As a historical legacy of the Qiang village, due to the seismic requirement and the

changed of modern life living standard, it is hard to rebuild the entire intangible cultural

heritage. It is a very complex and important to focus on the content of the cultural

reconstruction of Qiang’s community. Among most of the cultural rebuilt projects were most

likely set up a new cultural museum or a cultural center to conserve the minority groups

tangible heritage. This is a very passive way to display the Qiang’s traditional heritage. As time

changes and technology advancement, Qiang people are not living isolated to the outer world.

In another hand, they share and receive information from other ethnic such as Han and

Tibetan. The county street market is the best place for them to interact with other group of

people besides selling goods for living improvement.

This thesis confers Qiang people’s traditional culture heritage and their community evolution

to redevelop a new streetscape for local market and public leisure purpose. Taking the chance

of develop from earthquake, up to 50% of the street side building can be demolished and

partially refurnish. With landscape planning and design, this street will be reset and provide a

enhance environment as a multi-cultural sharing platform.