Eighth International Conference on The Constructed Environment

Abstract

Urban planning is a powerful tool for improving human living conditions. Modern Chinese urban planning has taken place since the 1970s and it has played an important role in the construction of cities and in the rapid economic development. Meanwhile, urbanization gives rise to a new set of complex issues, such as climate change, sanitation, and public health. As the vast majority of the Chinese population will live in urban environments, urban planning needs to pay more attention to the health of cities and its residents. Derived from the UN healthy city initiative, China has developed a domestic standard for healthy city criteria. This paper draws primarily on recent peer-reviewed literature on the development of the healthy city concept, using Shanghai Taopu Smart City urban planning as a case study to illustrate how Shanghai urban planning has begun to integrate the healthy city mandates in carrying out their zoning process. Key Taopu urban planning decisions such as zoning change, transportation network adjustment, soil pollution remediation, and underground space development were strategic in healthy planning for dense urban environment and can be applicable to other megacities in China. Conclusion discussed the strengths and weaknesses of healthy city criteria and the effectiveness of integrating healthy city concept in Shanghai urban planning.