The heritage value of campus cultural landscapes : a case study of Beijing 101 Middle School

Abstract

In mainland China, there are a great number of historic campuses, but their values are not fully recognized and conserved. Recently, however, there is an increasing awareness of the value of school campuses and their importance as the embodiment of collec@ve memory of student community and school ideology. This thesis aims to highlight the value of more recent school campuses, interpret them as cultural landscapes, and discuss the poten@al conserva@on methods of school campuses through the case study of Beijing 101 Middle School. Built upon the relic of an imperial garden, the campus is originally a designed cultural landscape. Due to the constant involvement of stakeholders in modifica@ons to the natural landscape and new construc@on, the campus can also be described as an organically evolved landscape. The interac@on between people and nature on the campus not only illustrates the development of educa@on in New China but also plays a prac@cal role in the life of the student community. Through research and interviews, historic, social, and “ideological” values, as well as associated character-defining elements, are determined. Based on an analysis of the strength, weakness, opportuni@es, and threats of the campus heritage, conserva@on guidelines that establish limits of acceptable change are proposed. These will iden@fy the most significant tangible character-defining elements, according to public opinion, that should be preserved. In addi@on, the role of community engagement in basic management and interpreta@on will be discussed as a means to help preserve intangible character-defining elements. The overall goal of the recommenda@ons is to achieve a balance between conserva@on and development of these important and undervalued heritage sites.