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3
Urban village: The rapid development of Shenzhen and other
areas has led to massive influxes of workers from other regions,
bringing about the formation of urban villages low-cost
housing. Here, inside the city, lie densely-clustered areas with plot
ratios of more than 3, formed by homes extended by former
peasants. These are home to millions of labor
in the service industry; the high mobility of res
urban administration in many of these urban v
severe social problems and security concerns.
architecture
House for Security Guards, Janitors anBabysitters
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U: Urbanus
ACT I
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Inthreeacts: UrbanusandtheRoundhouseHousingProject;
Interactionsbetweenspatialboundariesand time
DramatisPersonae
P: Hakkapries,geomancer,daylaborerM: Hakkavillager,daylaborerU: Urbanusarchiec,parnero MengYan,LiuXiaodu,andWangHui.
ACT I
M: (reciingscripure)IBodhisatvahavehesemblanceome,oman,oalllie, ohelong-lived,heni beno Bodhisatva.Sowhais heBodhisatvalikehen?P:WeHakkablendConucianism,Buddhism,andDaoismogeherBodhisatvasandranscendenssitingdownogeheroea; ancesorsanddevilsoeringupsacricesogeher.BuheDiamondSuraisdenielyrequiredreading.U:WhenIwaslitleIlivednearOxSreeinBeijinghawasarealneighborhood.Iwasmosbuslingnearianqiaohaswherehepeoplewerepoores.Teydidnhaveanywhereoplayinsideheirhouses,soheyookheunouside.WhenIwasworkinginNewYork,myriendsareallinManhatan,andheydoninviepeopleovereiher...P:Tememorialempleisheclansancesralempleandamicrocosmoheclansorunesoverheyears.Teupperandlowerhallsarehemainparoheconsrucion:heupperhallenshrineshespiriablesohe
ancesors,healar,anddesksandchairsincubiclesoheleandrighohehall,whicharemainainedbyhedescendans.ANewYear,weinvieoperaroupesoperorminheemple,andaheLanernFesivalwelighlanernsorheancesors.U:WedoenarrangeomeeupaMoMAaerworkespeciallyonFridays,wheniwasreeogeinandwedlookaheexhibisandhengedinnersomewherenearby.herichnessociylieisrelaedohewealhoheciy:iyoudonhaveenough,henyouhaveosharewihohers.Islikebeingdislocaedinime:IwasreadingabookabouciylieinChinaduringheMingandQingdynasiesrecenly,andheyhadveryrichlivesoosiingdownoverapooeainaeahouseandchaingawayhemornings.
M:Teomb-SweepingFesivalisabigevenorHakkaclans.Tedaybeore,weprepareseamedricebuns,chicken,pork,bambooshoosandoheroods,andincense,candles,recrackers,ghosmoneyand ghospapers.Insidehehall,wearrangeseasorhepariarchsandmariarchso
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ourlineage,andweplaceouroeringsonhealar.Teheadandassisan
priess,heincense-bearer,hewine-bearer,hegi-bearer,andheea-bearerpreside.P:Fire!
M:Ahreeinhemorning,hesoundohecannonswouldcallhemenoeveryamilyoheempleoworshipheirancesors.P:SaybehindMamaandinronoMas youkneelandprayohepariarchsandmariarchs.U:Aeryoudlinedupandprayedaccordingoyourgeneraion,youdhavehewonderuleelingobeingheparoaamilyline.P:Aerwards,wedleouandcirclearoundhecouryardslowly.U:Iwasanunconsciouslyconcenric,pereclysymmericalgure.
M:Tawouldmakemeeelreallyinsignican.U:Ivehadheeelingobeingparoacrowdbeore,ooin1976,aerhemagniude7.8earhquakeinnearbyangshan,peopleinBeijingmovedousideandspensummerandauumnoudoors.Tedisaserbrokedownallhedivisionsbeweendierenamilieswelivedinanemergencyenwihheoldwomanromupsairs,sickingogeherandlookingaeroneanoher.
M:Tasnowhaislikeinroundhouses.
P:TeexonheWorhiesispopularhereallpracicalphilosophyabouhowohandlematersandcomporonesel.U:Aerhe1976earhquake,somehingineresinghappened:Beijinglledup.Peoplepuallohepublicspaces,owork,nomaterhowbigorhowsmallheywere,andheybuilanew,emporaryciy.Tevericaliyoodaysaparmenbuildingsisnasgoodasalevelciy:backinhosedays,hechildrencouldrunaroundhroughheneighborhoodoheirhearsconen.Andherewereplenyoemporarydisaserenshapeoplekep
ACT II
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buildingupunilnallyheywerepermanensrucure
howIrsgomysarasanarchiec.P: Backhen,allyearround,whenwewereouooodcoinsorubogeher,whenwecouldngecrediandcanyhing,ouoalloourrelaives,whocameoouraid?promoedbychance,everybodycomesofaterme.
M: HowarepeoplesupposedolikegrouplivingaerP:Youwanoleaveheroundhousesandleaveyourhhomemakesheman;hemankeepshehome;husdconormoheavenandearh.Iyouleave,wherellyou
ACTII
U:Forme,Hakkaroundhousesarenjusamodelcopsocieyheyreheproducoaculureogrouplivingapopulaiondensiy.AndIhinkhalow-incomedemoliving.P:Andyouwerensogoodwihiyourselves,wereyo
M:--Hemeans,youwerensaisedwihhehingsyorigh?U:Oh,Idonapproveaallohewaycouryardswere
hearoBeijingchangedinoindividualpleasure-domorridiculousprices.Ando courseheownersall havehroughhegarage,nohroughherongae.TesrecouryardsIlikeareheknocked-ogehermixedyardwereconveredromcouryardsohousingorlosoduringheCuluralRevoluion.TeresareallylivelysidDuringheQingdynasyiwasoneamily,onehousehbuhen,herewerenanycarshen.Teressomehi
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aboulieinhehuongs.M:WhenIrsgoohebigciy,Ineverdreamedohavingmyownhouse.P:NevermindwhenIrsgoohebigciyevennow,enyearshavegoneby.
U:PeoplehavemadeabigussovercouryardrenovaionplansinBeijinglaely,buiyouaskmehearchiecsarejusherunningdogsoherealesaedevelopers,putingonashowabouhowheyredoinghisallorheordinarypeople.Teymighaswellknockdownhecouryardsandpuupskyscrapers,iheycouldjusdoaproperjobopreservingaewradiionalcouryards.MeanwhileherearereporshaheFujianRoundhouseshavebeenlisedasaWorldHeriageSie.P:Teyrejusryingodrumuppubliciy.ForunaelywedondohawhereImrom.M:Whenwecomeohebigciiesowork,wecomewihoherpeopleromhome.Whenwereinrouble,wecanaleasurnhemirroroeachoher.U:Wevealwaysocusedonworkingwihpublicspaces.InChinasdevelopmen,heconversionopublicoprivaehasbecomeaparicularlypressingissue,andpeoplearesilljusryingolearnenoughogureouwhaodoaboui.Anywhereyougo,youcanseehapeoplexupheirownlitlespacesnicely.WhenIwaslitle,everyonewouldgoseeopen-airmoviesogeher;nowadays,evenhenewspapernoiceboardsyou usedoseeonhesreeseverywherehavealmosallbeenorndown.
M:Tegeneralsorenearmemovesheirelevisionouonohesreesomeimessowecanallwachooballgamesogeher.P: Isniceowachelevisionahomeaeralongdayowork...U: Howmanypeoplelivewihyou?
M: Hesgoourcouplesinheoneroom;Ivegohrebunks.SoI likegoingouoheparkinheevening.U: You see, people sill use public spaces and puheres nobody a he op paying atenion o haencouraging i. One ime we designed a plaza o
governmen wih nice long, deep benches so pedown on hem. Te governmen panicked and speople couldn say in he park. Tey were worrposing noices or meddling wih he b enches. Ione o Beijings bigges hospos, is no dierenand go all day wih nowhere o cach heir breacloser, youll see he lawn bars here have been driangles so people have nowhere o si. Dierendieren concepions o public spaces. (P silenask ha occupies his days: cleaning and washin
M: Tisisgoodorhimoo.U: Ilikeclimbinghesairsinoldbuildings.IlivedonhsoryaparmenbuildingwhenIwasinNewYorkainplace,buihadawindowhalookedrighouonoMa
M:WhadowegeoseeromhewindowsinheRProjec?U:akealook.Whadoyousee?
M:Teciy,wayoinhedisance.(Hepauses,deepinP:Spacingoubyhewindowagain!Allwecanseerom
buildingsinhehigh-classbuildingsinback.M:Whaswrongwihspacingou?Ismyspace.P: Isnoaalllikehomewasbubeingableoliveilowrenisanasic.Idonknowwhaheaparmenow
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ACT III
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buildingshinkous,hough.M:Whyhinkabouhem?Youspendwhaeverchanceyougesaringa
heposerohesarleyouvegoonyourwallanyway,noouhewindow.P:Iveneverbeenhiscloseohem.Youvegosecuriyguardsorhem,huh?U:Poorpeopleareooweak:heyhaveogeheirsrenghromohersespeciallypeoplewhocomeoheciiesromhecounrysideowork.Tesepeoplesayinclosecommunicaionwihoneanoher,asiheyneededobeableoreerooneanoherconsanlyandsayincloseouchorheirwork,orheirdreams.Wesernuopianlow-incomehousingprojecsailedorhemosparbecausehearchiecsseemedohinkhaworkersdidnwanoliveogeher.M:Illleavesoonerorlaer,hough.Imlearninghowodriversormanagershere,andhenorabigcompanysomewhere.
ACTIII
U:Alooarchiecureisnabouarchiecureanymore.Urbandevelopmenposessomanyquesionshasomeimeswehaveoaceridiculous,bizarrequesions.
M: Nobodyaskeduswhawewan.Iyouresosressed,whynojusgohome?
P:CiiesarehecenersoheworldIcanleave.U:WhawereesingwihheRoundhouseHousingProjecisheconceporoundhouseciiesoakingroundhousesinoheciies.Whaormawillworkbes?Weveesedroundhouseswihdiameers
rangingrom50meerso100meers,andinheendw72-meer,six-soryunis.Weveexperimenedwihin
cross-pahsandhelike.Tekeyhereisobreakhrougoroundhouses.Inheend,weselecedanE-shaped,consrucion.P:WhaMaosaidabouhecounrysidesurroundinanymore.Lesgolook.U:Howwillroundhousesineracewihheciy?RighRoundhouseHousingProjecislocaedonheouskihigh-endaparmendevelopmen,buiwouldworkinciyaswelljuslikeaurbanvillage.WhenVankegaveuvillagesoworkrom,wedidplaniinhedownown,nandoverpassesevenspider-webbinghroughcommoallowiodevelopanevencloserrelaionshipwihh
M: Iusedoliveonheouerringhereonherighabawihourorvepeoplelivingini.P: Ilive in he square building on he le: wo masharing a wo-bedroom aparmen, much more pnew developmen. Bu looking up o see a oweribuilding wih winding corridors sacked on op oeven more dizzying han living in a high-rise.
U:Wihheerociouspace ourbandevelopmenwasedspaces,which youmighno seea rs,haTaswhy weadopeda hemeollingin ciies.developmenandconsolidaionoresources,arch
urBaNuS
URBANUS
,
1999
URBANUS
URBANUS
urBaNuS a & Dsgn,in.
Under the leadership of partnersXiaodu Liu,Yan Meng and Hui Wang,URBANUS is a think tank providingstrategies for urbanism and
architecture in the new millennium.
The name ofUrbanus derivesfrom the Latin word ofurban,and strongly reflects the officesdesign approach:reading architectural
program from the viewpoint of theurban environment in general,and the
ever changing urban situations inspecific.
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spaceoworkwih.M:urning, urning,urningalongheinside ringcolors or signs so you can ell where i ends. You P:My kid was so happy o come here rom he c
M:Teres no way youll bea him a hide-and-seeyes!U:Imaginary spaces are very imporan oo. I likaricial oress people used o have in heir courdisillaion o he radiional ideal liesyle: mouncouryard, a spacious sudy, sreams, hills and winlike a miniaure landscape. Tis requires exquisicreae, and wih he righ background you can sei. Oherwise is jus a place o play.
M:Hide-and-seeksarsinhe publicspacesoeaP: Fromhisspoyoucangoinanydirecion leshouldlimihescopeohegamewecandoiohe building.
U:WhenI wasin college,Ihoughabousagedeime andboa-makingand archaeology.Allo hspace,insome way.Inheend Idecidedhaarchiaconribuionosociey!W henI signedupor arpeopledidnundersandwhai was heyhougcarpenryandconsrucion.P: Saniaionworkershavei alo morecomoraconsrucionworkers.(oM)Yourold securiyguoogood andsable.Nowadaysyouhaveo runaeverywhere.
M:Wereprety well-o,boho us.U:Terearea loo dierenkinds opeoplein hHousingProjecs,juslike inan urbanvillage.Wheoneohe urbanvillagesin Shenzheninhemornyoungproessionalsin wesernsuisandleahershwork.Isnolike Beijing,whereplacesare eiherulower-class newaparmensaremoslyvery expcanaordolivehere whenheyrs gehere.P: Iveseenhe skylineyouwere alkingabouoo
foor-o-ceilingwindowsinanaparmenupaboveveryweek,andromhereIcanseeallhewayo
M:Youcouldseei youcango higherup workskyscrapersdownown,moveinoone ohe propbuildingshere.P: Tasawully...uiliarian.Te roundhousesareknow.In myhome,Ive urnedhemirrorso aceU:Yes he dieren homes in he roundhousesdirecions, bu you can always see he sky. PeopleRoundhouse Housing Projec; hey can open inplaces o play poker. In he yard hey can play ballbikes. Tey could hink abou opening some renor riends or relaives o say in when hey visi. Tevery foor are a public space wih sairs going upwe designed he empy space in and well see whwih i.M: Buildingscanchangeheway welive.U:Archiecscanchangesociey,hough.Allweshellori.
(Tehreemen eachakeup amirrorand sandsoneorsomehingdieren.)July2008 Gu