Transformation of waste landscape in Shanghai : progressive reclamation of obselescent lilong housing

Abstract

Shanghai has experienced rapid urbanization over the past three decades, accompanied by large-scale economic development. The spatial structure and landscape of Shanghai has been significantly transformed due to this urbanization and decentralization process. As the byproduct of urbanization process, the creation of all kinds of “wastes”( including actual waste as well as some waste or wasteful places) are an inevitable effect of urban growth which sustain our activities of growth. As a result, these “wastes” have caused a number of negative impacts on the environment, natural resources, human health, social and economic issues. The objective of this thesis project is to explore the potentials embed in those waste landscape in terms of landscape intervention as well as update our understanding and redefine the roles of those areas in the process of urbanization. How landscape as a medium to construct the city and how to redefine and reclaim waste landscape that in order to propose sustainable urbanization in Shanghai would also be explored and reflected from this thesis project.