Tenth International Conference on The Constructed Environment

Abstract

Many high-rise apartments were built according to basic economic-standards during the late 1980s in many Chinese cities have now become gathering places for low-income people seeking an affordable living and working place. The combination of mixed living and small business spaces reflects a typical phenomenon of the old residential districts. The past researches have mostly criticized the negative aspects of the mixed-use phenomenon, aiming to restrict the non-residential functions in the name of improving environmental safety and public health. Since 2010, many cities’ renewal schemes funded by the local governments have mainly focused on upgrading the basic facilities of the exterior environment. While the scheme does help to improve some hardware conditions, it has a little to do to promote inclusive communities. Using the TangDe Community in Guangzhou as a case study, this study re-examines the negative aspects of the mixed-use phenomenon and produces an innovative proposal that intends to integrate the improvement of the hardware conditions with the promotion of an inclusive community. The paper firstly investigates the typical daily living patterns of the key stakeholders and identifies their most concerned issues. Then it explores the potential new types of relationships among peoples’ living and working activities from a long-term view. Finally, it creates an example that can best support most residents’ needs and reflect their interests. The outcome of the paper can not only promote the establishment of inclusive communities for the current low-income people’s living and working environment but also provide an innovative vision for future development.