Prosperous Lishui: A Project for Suburban China

The Chinese cities' unprecedented growth has led to economic, social, and environmental disparities, and demographic imbalances between rural and urban areas. Lishui, a minor municipality in Zhezjiang Province, launched the Future ShanShui City international competition to redefine urban development and integrate urban services in the countryside. This book explores the ongoing processes of suburbanization in Lishui Valley based on three years of design, research, and teaching activities by Politecnico di Torino and South China University of Technology.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 172 pages
Publication date: 25 October 2023
Publisher: Oro Editions

The remarkable expansion witnessed by Chinese cities over the past few decades has brought about significant repercussions, encompassing economic and social disparities, environmental crises, and demographic imbalances between rural and urban areas. These concerns, coupled with a growing recognition of the inherent unsustainability of China's economic model, have sparked a lively debate on reimagining the approach to urban development.

In this context, Lishui, a minor municipality in Zhezjiang Province, initiated the international competition Future ShanShui City. This competition underscores the urgent need for new spatial relationships between urban and rural areas, aligning with the national policies enacted. As a result, the suburban spaces in Lishui Valley are undergoing a radical transformation, resulting in an unprecedented landscape where urban services seamlessly integrate with rural surroundings, and vice versa.

The publication delves into the ongoing processes of suburbanization in Lishui Valley through a comprehensive exploration spanning three years of design, research, and teaching activities conducted by Politecnico di Torino and South China University of Technology since 2020. Comprising a rich collection of original essays and projects, this book combines reflective knowledge, critical imagination, and design experimentation to offer insightful scenarios for Chinese suburban development.

Dimension: 267 x 191 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781957183367