Research On Strategies For The Shaping Of Cities' Spatial Identity

After the reform and opening-up, China's urbanization and the pace of integrat-ing into globalization speed up. Cities are constructed and developed at an unprece-dented speed and scale with the existing cities'restructuring and expanding, and new cities'springing up, also with the prominent problems such as lack of identities, dam-age to natural and cultural distinctive characteristics. To this, Great importance was attached by CCP and the state, and wide public concern was given. Urban characteris-tics planning and urban spatial identities shaping have been carried out across the country, and theoretical exploration has also been addressed. The research narrated by this thesis was conducted in above context.Based on a great deal of literature analysis and field investigation, and through the longitudinal and crosswise comparison, this thesis made a systematic and detailed study on how to shape the spatial identities of cities.Firstly, domestic and foreign researches and planning and design practice related to the shaping of city's spatial identities are examined, and the representative theory and typical cases were reviewed and analyzed. It was fined that western advanced countries had more rich and more original achievements on relevant theoretical re-searches, and our own original research still remains to be strengthened except the research on history of Chinese cities, both China and foreign countries have similar practice on the shaping of city's spatial identities such as heritage restoration, building of exoticism, symbolization and metaphorization, as well as the display of moderniza-tion and development power.Secondly, the attribute of city's spatial identities, the deriving mechanism of spa-tial identities, the structure and exhibiting styles of spatial identities are carefully con-sidered. It is argued that identity seeking is needed for aesthetic perception, and is a kind of mental appeal. "Distinguishing identity" and "commonness" are the dialectical unification of individuality and general character, and of particularity and universality. Spatial identity shaping can't contravene the general rule of the formation and devel-opment of city space, and can't for the "characteristic" characteristics. Natural conditions, urban activities, and building technology constitute the fountainhead of city's spatial identities. Spatial identity is finally decided by human will. In practical process, city's spatial identities are assemble of traditional styles, modern styles, local styles, and exotic ones at different times on different levels.Thirdly, the basic principles and methods of the shaping of city spatial identities are discussed from the perspective of identity value orientation, identity resources mining, and its practical implementation. City's spatial identity should be built by ad-hering principles of identifiability, rootedness, goodliness, stability, and sustainability. Necessary and sufficient conditions for the orientation of spatial identity can be con- firmed on the basis of natural conditions, historical heritage, industrial layout, and the future development. Extraction and refining distinguishing spatial factors on macro, meso, and micro levels respectively. Through the planning control and guide of spatial structure and spatial elements, each factor is organized and integrated and given back to concrete city space.Finally, based on the case of planning and design of Shangsi Town with "New Zealand" style and custom in Dushan County of Qiannan in Guizhou Province, this thesis make an empirical study on the application of strategies into practical shaping of city's spatial identities from the perspectives of spatial identity orientation, distin-guishing factors extraction and refining, and of spatial identities planning control and guide on different levels, etc.This result enriched the related theories of city spatial identities'shaping, and have good direction and reference guide for the realistic practice of spatial identity shaping in Shangsi Town, and for other other related practices as well.