Page 70 - JCAU-6-4

Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Regeneration of Xinmalu, Ningbo

conserving historic districts and incorporating ecologically to preserve heritage in a dynamic and sustainable manner,
sensitive planning (Xie & Heath, 2017; Shan, 2023). creating spaces that promote quality living, support
Ningbo is a city of considerable significance in China’s emerging businesses, and safeguard the area’s identity
historical narrative. It encompasses various heritage and spatial qualities. Using multiple research methods,
areas that represent different eras and architectural styles including site visits, interviews, case studies analysis,
(Hofman, 2020). The city has a unique relationship with community participation tools, and comparative analysis,
water, as its Chinese name reflects: “Ning” (宁) means the study aims to achieve the following objectives:
serene and “bo” (波) means waves. Water is, therefore, • Provide a professional assessment of the planning
an essential part of the city’s identity. Consequently, the vision for the whole context
conservation and regeneration efforts in Ningbo, analyzed • Assess how the historical site will contribute to the
in this article, include an approach for preserving both development of the city’s downtown area
the built environment and natural assets. The analysis • Suggest strategies for historical protection
documents a consultation and research process aimed • Articulate recommendations for historical restoration
at developing a preservation and conservation model solutions
that goes beyond the physical heritage to address the • Compose recommendations for local operation
requirements and aspirations of the local community. management.

Methodologically, the study conducted a literature 2. Evolution of heritage conservation: The
review to revisit the concepts of heritage conservation, main paradigms
identity, and urban governance in the context of
rehabilitation projects. The broader context of the city The discourse of heritage conservation has evolved through
was established, and its economic, urban, and historical multiple cycles, questioning the meaning of city heritage—
evolution was analyzed. Engagement and consultation how it is formed, matures, alters, and is appropriated
sessions with various stakeholders and community over time. Cultural heritage is a contested field, with its
representatives’ engagement and consultations sessions meanings and approaches constantly in flux. This fluidity
were conducted. These sessions included community is mainly due to the dynamic nature inherent in culture,
meetings organized by city officials and Ningbo Urban society, and institutions, reflecting the complexities of
Planning and Design Institute (NBPI) , which were dealing with the past within the context of modern urban
1
facilitated and documented to compile the main topics development. Through its steady evolutionary process, the
and requirements concerning the local community. In notion of heritage has undergone fundamental reframing,
addition, open and semistructured individual interviews influencing how planners and cities manage cities’ historical
were conducted during the multiple site visits. assets. The first approach to heritage conservation emerged
th
The study examines the cooperation between the world’s at the beginning of the 20 century, a period when the
most prominent planning societies—the International rapid modernization of cities posed a real threat to what
Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP) and was then perceived as historical heritage (Alraouf, 2019;
NBPI. This collaboration was built on establishing a Chapman, 2014). Consequently, a common preservationist
dialogue between the experts nominated by ISOCARP ideal emerged, aiming to preserve these scarce monuments
for their expertise in urban regeneration of heritage areas from the major socioeconomic transformations cities were
and local experts from NBPI, who possess deep knowledge experiencing. Historical relics were treated as physical
and engagement with the local context. The main task of collections that needed to be highlighted and contrasted
the international experts was to assist NBPI in articulating against the disruptive manifestations of modernity. Smith
a vision for the urban renovation of Ningbo’s Xinmalu (2006) contends that heritage value is not inherent in
Historical District. NBPI’s main objective is to transform physical places; rather, these places give tangible expression
the Xinmalu Historical District into a model of urban to the underlying values of different communities, allowing
renovation and environmental restoration that combines these values to be declared and asserted. Vinken (2021)
the restoration of urban functions, improvement of quality argues that the dynamic processes of social appropriation
of life, and utilization of the area’s diverse qualities—spatial, and interpretation are the main reasons for the diverse
social, cultural, environmental, and economic. This goal is heritage formations that have had a permanent influence
on urban life.
1 The Ningbo Urban Planning and Design Institute (NBPI), founded According to UNESCO, heritage preservation and
in 1988, is responsible for major tasks in regional and urban
planning, including master and zoning planning, in Ningbo and conservation endeavors have grown more steadily over
other cities in China. the past four decades than in any previous period (Nara

Volume 6 Issue 4 (2024) 2 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.2623