The potential of the li and the wangcheng for contemporary urban design

摘要

China's rapid urbanization over the past two decades has favoured high-density development, rather than drawing on the country's rich urban history and planning concepts (Chen, 2008). The result is too often urban landscapes devoid of local history and identity, designed for vehicles rather than pedestrians. The number of cities in China grew from 193 in 1978 to 667 in 2003 (Song and Yu, 2005, p. 106), and these new cities are regularly overlooked in urban studies. One such city is Xuecheng, known as Lincheng until 1952, in south-west Shandong Province. It has grown from a rural town into a significant urban centre over the past century. Its analysis using a Conzenian approach suggests the scope for design grounded in traditional urban form.