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Revitalizing Multi-Ethnic Communitiesthrough Urban Renewal

Yang, Xiao LU (2025) ASBM01 20251
Department of Architecture and Built Environment
Abstract
In the era of urban renewal in China, historic and ethnic neighborhoods often face the erosion of authentic cultural spaces. Wenhua Lane in Kunming, once a naturally formed multi-ethnic community with strong ties between daily life, space, and cultural practice, has become a typical example of how modernization processes can strip a place of its cultural vitality. Today, Wenhua Lane suffers from a fragmented community, superficial cultural representations, and declining space usability. Its transformation into a space of visual consumption rather than lived experience has led to the loss of long-term residents, weakened social cohesion, and the disappearance of mechanisms that once supported interethnic interaction.

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In the era of urban renewal in China, historic and ethnic neighborhoods often face the erosion of authentic cultural spaces. Wenhua Lane in Kunming, once a naturally formed multi-ethnic community with strong ties between daily life, space, and cultural practice, has become a typical example of how modernization processes can strip a place of its cultural vitality. Today, Wenhua Lane suffers from a fragmented community, superficial cultural representations, and declining space usability. Its transformation into a space of visual consumption rather than lived experience has led to the loss of long-term residents, weakened social cohesion, and the disappearance of mechanisms that once supported interethnic interaction.

This research combines fieldwork—including surveys, interviews, and spatial observation—with analysis of comparable renewal cases in Shenzhen, Fuzhou, Los Angeles, and Toronto. These cases provide insight into how small-scale interventions, community-led design, and flexible cultural infrastructure can help reestablish meaningful connections between people and space. Rather than aiming to restore Wenhua Lane through cosmetic renovation or symbolic imagery, the study proposes strategies to revive its cultural mechanisms. The goal is to create spaces that are not only visually “cultural,” but capable of supporting daily use, shared memory, and active participation—allowing culture to be lived, not just displayed. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Yang, Xiao LU
supervisor
organization
course
ASBM01 20251
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Urban renewal, cultural space, community-led design, social cohesion, lived experience
language
English
id
9208805
date added to LUP
2025-07-14 11:57:54
date last changed
2025-07-14 11:57:54
@misc{9208805,
  abstract     = {{In the era of urban renewal in China, historic and ethnic neighborhoods often face the erosion of authentic cultural spaces. Wenhua Lane in Kunming, once a naturally formed multi-ethnic community with strong ties between daily life, space, and cultural practice, has become a typical example of how modernization processes can strip a place of its cultural vitality. Today, Wenhua Lane suffers from a fragmented community, superficial cultural representations, and declining space usability. Its transformation into a space of visual consumption rather than lived experience has led to the loss of long-term residents, weakened social cohesion, and the disappearance of mechanisms that once supported interethnic interaction.

This research combines fieldwork—including surveys, interviews, and spatial observation—with analysis of comparable renewal cases in Shenzhen, Fuzhou, Los Angeles, and Toronto. These cases provide insight into how small-scale interventions, community-led design, and flexible cultural infrastructure can help reestablish meaningful connections between people and space. Rather than aiming to restore Wenhua Lane through cosmetic renovation or symbolic imagery, the study proposes strategies to revive its cultural mechanisms. The goal is to create spaces that are not only visually “cultural,” but capable of supporting daily use, shared memory, and active participation—allowing culture to be lived, not just displayed.}},
  author       = {{Yang, Xiao}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Revitalizing Multi-Ethnic Communitiesthrough Urban Renewal}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}