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Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Is it a matter of design?

advanced technologies, and improve production efficiency issue frames these topics from the perspective of design,
to increase agricultural income and enhance food security. considering its different scales of applications, disciplinary
Rural infrastructure involves investments in fundamental hybridization, and role in transformative processes
infrastructure such as roads, clean water supply, electricity applied to the scope of rural revitalization. The policy
networks, health care, and educational services to reduce intersects with the ecological civilization ideology and,
the gap between rural and urban areas. Economic such as other sustainable agendas around the world, calls
development means diversifying the rural economy for the invention and experimentation of new esthetic
through the development of non-agricultural sectors dimensions that mirror technological innovations, cultural
such as rural tourism, local craftsmanship, consumer richnesses, socioeconomic values, and political narratives
goods production, and services to create employment (Semprebon, 2023). By keeping this as the polarizing
opportunities and increase income. Technology fosters aspect of singular and specific positions and experiences,
innovation in rural areas, including the adoption of digital we can trace a collective reflection where rural China is
technologies, precision agriculture, rural e-commerce, and viewed as a fertile testing ground for contemporary design
other digital solutions to improve efficiency and market disciplines worldwide.
access. Social development aims to improve access to
basic social services such as education, health care, social Li et al. (2024) have showcased an example of the
security, and housing to enhance quality of life and reduce execution of a typical top-down policy targeted to
rural-to-urban migration. Environmental sustainability regenerate the local economy after the downfall of the
promotes sustainable agricultural practices, natural mining industry. Yubai Village, historically important for
resource management, and environmental protection coal transportation in western Beijing, faced economic
to preserve rural ecosystems and ensure long-term food decline as transport routes faded. Along with ongoing
security. Community participation actively engages local rural revitalization efforts, it seeks to leverage its regional
communities, agricultural cooperatives, private businesses, advantages by focusing on tourism. The strategies
and other stakeholders in the decision-making process and they presented aim at enhancing services, improving
implementation of the plan to ensure its effectiveness and landscapes and roads, and developing cultural brands to
sustainability at the grassroots level. Policies and financial attract tourists, revitalize the industry and boost economic
support are mechanisms to ensure the implementation of growth, serving as a model for similar villages. The design
specific programs and promote investment by both the actions are mostly focused on landscape architecture,
public and private sectors. Monitoring and evaluation which is addressed as the discipline in charge of rebuilding
involve tracking progress, identifying challenges, and the image of the village through its main elements, such as
making necessary adjustments to the plan as it progresses eye-catching features, public open spaces, nodal spots, and
to ensure the achievement of set goals. streets. The goal is to formulate a new esthetic experience
based on experiential perception that attracts tourists
The success of the “Strategic Plan for Rural
Revitalization in China” depends on the effective and willing to spend time and money in an artificially built new
coordinated implementation of these and other measures, cultural environment.
as well as the ongoing commitment of the government, The study by Dong et al. (2023) emphasizes the
rural communities, and stakeholders in the long term. Far importance of ecosystem service assessments along
from playing a central role in the process, architecture is rural riverbanks, transitional spaces that connect water
nonetheless called to act at various decision points, sectors, and terrestrial ecosystems. It proposes 17 assessment
and supply chains and to explore qualitatively the potential indicators based on a case study in Shuiku Village,
of acting on specific sites. Multidisciplinary engagement is Shanghai, to guide ecological restoration in rural riparian
the key to unlocking these potentials, working out projects zones. By evaluating ecosystem service supply-demand
coherent with the political mandate, and looking further. relationships, the study suggests restoration approaches
tailored to local environmental conditions, highlighting
2. Rural revitalization and design the need for precise analysis at a small scale. In this case,
As readable in its aim and scope section, the Journal the dimension of design emerges not as a method of
of Chinese Architecture and Urbanism is a platform for inquiry but as the goal. The fact that the assessments are
discussion and debate relating to architectural heritage based on a unique sample questions the generalizability of
preservation, resilience, and cultural sustainability the results. Conversely, the methodological approach can
of modern vernacular architecture in the Chinese easily be extracted and adapted to different contexts. From
context, as well as the cultural influence of Chinese this perspective, the study employs landscape architecture
architecture worldwide, past and present. This special techniques in a quantitative way, clearly following the

Volume 6 Issue 3 (2024) 3 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.3370