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Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Creative heritage and experiential tourism

it the nickname “China’s Gaudi House.” In 2012, following heritage and creativity are mutually supportive: if restored
the 2008 Beijing Olympics, a miniature replica of the “Bird’s heritage represents added value for the creative activities
Nest” Olympic Stadium, designed by architects Herzog & hosted there (bringing a cachet of authenticity and
de Meuron, was added to the roof of China House. Over historicity), the latter offers new life to the “old stones” and
the years, the original French-style villa has been almost contribute to their reintegration into contemporary social
entirely obscured by a new “Chinese envelope.” and economic life.
This project has been both praised and criticized. In Despite their diverse approaches, the four case studies
September 2010, the “museum,” along with the Louvre presented above share a common feature: the “dissonant”
and the Pompidou Centre, was featured in the American heritage of the former concessions (Gravari-Barbas
edition of the Huffington Post as one of the 15 most creative et al., 2023) today has been “cleaned up” from any negative
museums in the world. As a private museum, it was also image. Today, this Western architectural heritage serves
registered in the Guinness Book of Records. Zhang Lianzhi as a catalyst for cultural and creative tourism, aligning
has created a landmark attraction in Tianjin, but in doing with the vision of local players in repurposing the former
so, he has completely concealed – and therefore erased concessions of Tianjin. Although the instrumentalization
– the building’s colonial architecture. The “Bird’s Nest” of heritage is a common guideline, the approaches vary
addition on the roof serves as a symbol of China’s modern significantly, resulting in distinct tourism products
identity, reinforcing a narrative of national supremacy over (Figure 8).
its Western architectural legacy. Indeed, the interventions The carefully restored Minyuan Terrace and the
on the building almost entirely cover, and thus erase, the redeveloped Xiannong Courtyard, with their new functions
pre-existing colonial architecture. and activities, have been transformed into destinations
4. Discussion for urban tourists and white-collar workers from the
Tianjin metropole. These projects are reminiscent of the
Tianjin presents itself as an emerging laboratory for festival marketplaces of London’s Covent Garden Market
heritage conservation, restoration, and reinterpretation, or Boston’s Faneuil Hall, where significant architecture is
particularly through recent projects led by both the city integrated with creative or artisanal commercial functions,
and private entrepreneurs with a focus on leisure and serving as a means of giving a new image to central urban
tourism. areas.
These examples show that creative approaches in The New I-Style Town follows the model of edutainment
China concern both (creative) approaches to restoring, urban redevelopment projects, characterized by its highly
reinterpreting, or rebuilding heritage and the introduction enclosed character, which isolates it from the surrounding
of new (creative) functions within recently restored or urban fabric. It lacks residential functions and is primarily
rebuilt buildings. In the strategies adopted by local players, specialized in tourism, leisure, and commerce. The

Figure 8. Different approaches to the architectural treatment of the four case studies in relation to the planned functions and the resulting tourism development
Source: Diagram by Maria Gravari-Barbas.

Volume 7 Issue 3 (2025) 11 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.3703