The Urban Design Strategy For The Regeneration Of Old City Center

In recent years, many old city centers in China are experiencing the phenomenon of aging and decay; therefore, the revitalization of old city center is becoming a significant subject in urban study. Focusing on the adverse conditions of those China cities, the dissertation researches into the characteristics, contradictions of the old city centers as well as the underlying reason behind them. Further, it explores the way of synthetically regeneration of the old city center through effective urban design, hoping to give some useful instructions to the development of the old city center.The dissertation is composed of seven parts.Chapter 1: The study subject is put forward. According to the present background of city development of our country, the significance, objective, content and frame of this research are clarified; and the relevant important definitions are also defined.Chapter 2: The history of urban renewal and regeneration in western countries is retrospected, and the success experiences and failure lessons are summarized. Compared with the causes and experiences of old city centers' decay in our country, this study points out that the synthetic regeneration is the inevitable choice for the healthy and sustainable development of old city centers in China.Chapter 3: The theories of city center district, urban renewal and urban regeneration are studied, which form the main theoretical fundament of the dissertation.Chapter 4: By analyzing the main characteristics of old city center and their urban design, this study discusses the significance of applying urban design to the regeneration of old city centers.Chapter 5: The present principal problems and contradictions, which the old city centers of our country are confronted with, are analyzed based on the field investigation of Qingdao, Hangzhou, Ningbo and Changshu four cities. The underlying causes are also looked further into. According to the reality of coexisting opportunities and challenges, this study brings forward the practical target and fundamental principles of old city center's regeneration.Chapter 6: On the basis of theoretical summary and case study, the regeneration design strategy for old city centers in our country is put forward.Chapter 7: By applying strategy theory to Qingdao city specific study, the dissertation puts forward the city design strategy on the regeneration of Qingdao's old city center.