A Participatory Approach in Neighborhood Planning

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A Participatory Approach in Neighborhood
Planning - A Case of Regeneration Plan in Yining
City By Huang Luxin International Planning
Research Studio China Academy of Urban Planning
and Design
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• City of Yining
• Yili Valley of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region
• Was an important town on the ancient Silk Road

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• Nanshi District of Yining
• a traditional Muslim residential district
• 12 km2 in the citys old town
• low-rise high-density courtyard houses
• 87,000 inhabitants from 25 ethnic groups
• 12 elderly
• 65 Uygur ethnics

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• Distinctive characteristics, rich Uygur culture
  tradition.
• Physically preserved with traditional features
• Human-scaled streets alleys well aligned with
  ditches, trees and blossoms.
• Courtyard with colorful-painted walls
  well-designed gates

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• Losing economic vitality
• Poverty unemployment
• Insufficient infrastructure
• e.g. most streets alleys not paved
• Insufficient sewage network garbage collecting
  stations

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• Previous City Master Plan
• ignore human-scaled spatial pattern
• promote large-scale redevelopment
• Potential risk in old town
• dismantle many courtyard houses
• displace local residents
• disconnect community network

Nanshi District

• Neighborhood level
• little regulation over renovation refurbishment
• most houses privately owned
• depending on self-consciousness of citizens to
  preserve historical features use traditional
  materials
• risk of losing traditional identity

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• CAUPD commissioned by MoC
• Project active supports from various levels of
  government
• Objectives
• improving infrastructure environment
• preserving local features traditions
• stimulating local economy creating jobs
• facilitating social progress to build a
  harmonious community

• Task top-down
• Planning approach bottom-up participatory
• Targets
• to thoroughly understand the local situation
  needs
• to facilitate better communication build up
  trust
• to enhance the communitys sense of belonging

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3 major participants

• Government
• set out legal administrative frameworks

• Citizens
• appraise help modifying planning options,
  select the preferred plan for making final plan

• Planners
• a traditional plan maker, a mediator, a
  facilitator, a negotiator a communicator

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• 5 major steps
• 1. Announce planning activity to public
• 2. Collect information public opinions
  (including a questionnaire)
• 3. Consult public for appraising planning options
• 4. Host public meetings for finalizing the plan
• 5. Exhibit the final plan to the public

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• Step 1 step 2
• meet with local government, imams citizens
• investigate building conditions, local needs
  capacities
• arouse public awareness on planning
• have face-to-face communication with the
  community

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• Questionnaire
• household information, building conditions,
  neighborhood environment, residents needs
  their desires on environmental improvement
• frequent users of public space women, children
  elderly
• other specific local needs e.g. provide open
  spaces for piling up winter snow
• bilingually conducted
• distributed to 1500 households
• received about 1000 feedbacks

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• Understanding the local customs traditions
• ardent devotion to Islam, regular daily religious
  activities
• strong sense of belonging
• major places for public meeting mosques
• cleanliness hygiene
• Courtyards venues of family parties
• singing dancing, great cordiality
  hospitality
• skills in making local cuisines crafts
• women housework managers

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Initial planning focus

• protect enhance local features

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Initial planning focus

• improve circulation streets

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Initial planning focus

• install sewage network

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Initial planning focus

• provide more service leisure facilities

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Initial planning focus

• develop family-based tourism

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• Step 3
• Exhibition -- draft plan with easy-to-read
  options
• highlighted streets areas with options of
  material changes
• citizens informed consulted
• design details simulated in 2D or 3D images, e.g.
  ditches, sewage pipes, green spaces, streetscape
  building styles
• Feedbacks accommodated into later plan

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• drawing--writing competition performed in local
  primary secondary schools my dream hometown

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• Step 4
• Three public meetings
• Final plan received overwhelming support from the
  community
• A number of measures implemented joint
  resolution of the government, the planners the
  citizens.

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• Limitations challenges
• Unified interests easy for joint work problem
  tackling
• Solely government funded lacking private sector
  involvement

• Public participation / academic concept only
  introduced for 20 years.
• Mainstream planning largely a rational approach
• Planners technocrats
• Yining project ice breaking with profound
  impact -- using various means to get public
  engaged

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• From a composition written by a secondary school
  student
• a place where people can enjoy satisfactory life
• a surprisingly new look
• houses look like well-designed villas, spacious
  full of natural light
• flowers blossom in the courtyards
• campus full of flourishing trees and flowers
• No traffic jams, easy public access
• Health Street decorated with water scene, trees
  flowers
• people practice body exercise
• a sports field lit up with electric lights in
  evenings
• residents are willing to help each other
• Lets make great efforts together

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Thank you!