Interpretation of significance and conservation approaches in evolving contexts: taking Lilong as an example

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Content INTERPRETATION OF SIGNIFICANCE AND CONSERVATION APPROACHES IN EVOLVING CONTEXTS: TAKING LILONG AS AN EXAMPLE by Huiqian Chen A Thesis Presented to the FACULTY OF THE USC SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree MASTER OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION August 2011 Copyright 2011 Huiqian Chen ii Table of Contents List of Figures..................................................................................................................................iv Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... vi Chapter One: Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1 1.1 General Introduction of Lilong ............................................................................................... 3 1.1.1 Architecture in Shanghai ..................................................................................................... 3 1.1.2 Historic Background ............................................................................................................ 4 1.1.3 Type of Lilong House ........................................................................................................... 7 1.2 Purpose of Conservation of Lilong ....................................................................................... 10 Chapter Two: Definition and Practice ............................................................................................ 13 2.1 Definitions ............................................................................................................................ 13 2.1.1 “Conservation”, “Preservation” and “Rehabilitation” ...................................................... 13 2.1.2 Interpretation of Significance ........................................................................................... 17 2.1.3 Choice between Rehabilitation and Preservation ............................................................ 19 2.2 Preservation and Rehabilitation Practice ............................................................................. 21 2.2.1 Preservation Example ....................................................................................................... 21 2.2.2 Rehabilitation Example ..................................................................................................... 22 Chapter Three: General History of Historic Preservation and Evolution in the United States and China................................................... ........ . .......................................24 3.1 History of Historic Preservation in US and China within evolving cultural contexts ........... 24 3.2 Guidelines and Policies in Historic Preservation .................................................................. 31 Chapter Four: Interpretation of Significance in Conservation of Lilong ........................................ 35 4.1 Interpretation of significance ............................................................................................... 35 4.1.1 Historic Significance in Different Eras ............................................................................... 36 Table1: the Evolution of Shanghai Lilong responses to the historic event……………………..38 4.1.2 Social Significance ............................................................................................................. 39 4.1.3 Characteristics of the Place and the Interaction of Residents ....................................... 42 4.1.4 Architectural and Urban Significance................................................................................ 44 4.1.5 Economic and Political Effects .......................................................................................... 48 4.2 Problems in Contemporary Development ........................................................................... 49 4.2.1 Profitable Location vs. Sacrifice of Quality and the Overloaded Residents ...................... 49 4.2.2 The Change of Residents (Original Tenants vs. Immigrants) ............................................ 52 4.2.3 Profit vs. Humanistic Care and Scenery Preservation ....................................................... 53 4.2.4 Integrated Problem in Politics, Economics, and Social Aspects in Contemporary Age .... 55 4.3 The Evolution of Conservation Practice of Lilong ................................................................ 57 4.3.1 Evaluation and Conservation Approach evolution ........................................................... 57 4.3.2 Conservation Management Regulation for Lilong and the problems examined in a sustainable aspect ...................................................................................................................... 62 iii Chapter Five: Case study: Conservation of Jian Ye Li ..................................................................... 68 5.1 Introduction of Jian Ye Li ...................................................................................................... 68 5.2 Interpretation of significance ............................................................................................... 70 5.2.1 Architectural Significance ................................................................................................. 70 5.2.2 Social and Community Values ........................................................................................... 72 5.3 Conservation of Jian Ye Li .................................................................................................... 74 5.3.1 Project Introduction .......................................................................................................... 75 5.3.2 Specific Problems .............................................................................................................. 76 5.3.3 Conservation of Tangible Significance .............................................................................. 77 5.3.4 Conservation of Intangible Significance ............................................................................ 79 5.3.5 Conservation Management .............................................................................................. 83 5.4 Comments ............................................................................................................................ 86 Chapter Six: Case Study of the Tenement House in New York ...................................................... 92 6.1 Brief introduction of Tenement House ................................................................................ 92 6.2 Preservation and Rehabilitation Approach of Tenement House ......................................... 93 6.2.1 Architecture and Infrastructure ........................................................................................ 93 6.2.2 Rehabilitation .................................................................................................................... 94 6.3 Comments ............................................................................................................................ 96 Chapter Seven: Recommendation for Conservation of Shanghai Lilong ....................................... 99 7.1 Mixed Use and Function Transition ..................................................................................... 99 7.2 Architecture Upgrade ......................................................................................................... 101 7.3 Management ...................................................................................................................... 101 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................... 107 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................. 111 Comprehensive Bibliography ....................................................................................................... 118 iv List of Figures Figure 1: Xing Ren Li‐ example of early Stone Gate Lilong ............................................................. 8 Figure 2: Elevation of Shikumenn .................................................................................................... 8 Figure 3: Huai Hai Fang ‐ example of New Type Lilong House ........................................................ 9 Figure 4: Plan of Jing An Villa‐ ‐ example of New Lilong House ....................................................... 9 Figure 5: Definition of terminology and their relationship ............................................................ 17 Figure 6: The re‐created Levine kitchen at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum ................... 22 Figure 7: Arbereich Reichstagsgebaude in 1872, 1964 and the cupola by Norman Foster .......... 22 Figure 8: Map of Shanghai 1901 .................................................................................................... 37 Figure 9: Banquet Party with Western‐style dining and a traditional opera performance in a courtesan house. Han Bangqing, Haishang hua liezhuan, Shanghai, 1894 ................................... 42 Figure 10: Life in Lilong in Huaihai Fang ....................................................................................... 43 Figure 11: English terrace house and site plan .............................................................................. 46 Figure 12: Huaihai Fang and its Site plan, plan and section of Lilong on Henan Rd. .............. 47 Figure 13: Traditional architectural elements of Shikumen .......................................................... 47 Figure 14: Structural and force flexibility of Lilong ....................................................................... 48 Figure 15: Bird view of current condition ...................................................................................... 55 Figure 16: street view of Xintiandi ................................................................................................. 58 Figure 17: Tianzifang ‐ example of adaptive reuse as art studio ................................................... 60 Figure 18: The historic master plan of Central Lane ...................................................................... 69 Figure 19: Plot of Jian Ye Li in Early and Late 1940s ...................................................................... 69 Figure 20: Bird view of Jian Ye Li .................................................................................................... 69 Figure 21: Matouqiang .................................................................................................................. 71 v Figure 22: Guanyindou ................................................................................................................... 71 Figure 23: Ground Floor Plan ......................................................................................................... 72 Figure 24: First Floor Plan and Roof Plan Over Stair ...................................................................... 72 Figure 25: Diagram of the relationship between residential and commercial space .................... 73 Figure 26: Comic drawing of the school of Jian Ye Li ..................................................................... 74 Figure 27: Jian Ye Li before rehabilitation work. ........................................................................... 76 Figure 28: Standard plan and elevation in west lane ..................................................................... 80 vi Abstract This thesis discusses different conservation approaches for safeguarding the significance of historic properties—rehabilitation and preservation in both China and US and how they are generated within different contexts. Taking the conservation of Lilongs in Shanghai as an example, this thesis interprets the significance of Lilong—a historic residential complex in China—within both earlier and contemporary contexts, explores the evolution of its significance through history and explores how to interpret it with the understanding of both historic and contemporary value systems based on economic, social and cultural environments. With the comparative case study of the Tenement Museum in New York City, this thesis studies how different interpretations of properties’ significance affect conservation approaches, aiming to define the significance in complex contexts and provide suggestions to connect the significance with actual conservation practice for Lilongs in Shanghai for their long term sustainability and cultural integrity. 1 Chapter One: Introduction This thesis aims to explore a better way of interpretation of heritage significance, which is the key basis for better conservation approaches for China, and discusses how to apply this interpretation in practice in order to better understand the significance of the Lilong, a typical Shanghai residential complex. In order to illustrate how to conduct the interpretation of significance in an overlying context in China, this thesis selects the conservation of Lilong in Shanghai as a case study to explore the cultural significance of Lilong within the an urban residential fabric. The value of Lilong in Shanghai has been gradually recognized during recent years, with a trend towards the rehabilitation of decayed historic Lilongs. However, conservation is difficult in the face of increasing new construction and rapid development in the city. This has led to inappropriate treatments such as demolition, reconstruction, and imitation with little concern for the presentation of historic materials, tectonics, spatial layout and the cultural and social well‐ beings of tenants, the public and the city. The thesis starts from a detailed introduction of Lilong Housing in Shanghai and why they need to be conserved. The introduction of the current conservation approaches to Lilong leads to the two primary questions that forms the basis of this thesis: (1) “Preservation” or “Rehabilitation”; (2) How to conduct the interpretation of significance for contemporary conservation work for Lilongs that concerning both past and current, individual and integral context? 2 In Chapter 2, different approaches to conservation are discussed, especially the difference between “Preservation” and “Rehabilitation” and the reason why these different treatments are applied in different contexts and situations. Also, the definition and purpose of interpretation of significance is clarified. It is then connected with Chapter 3, which presents how cultural contexts influence the conservation and the evolution of historic preservation in China and the United States, trying to find out what is still lacking in Chinese conservation practice in an objective way, so as to facilitate a better interpretation of significance. Chapter 4 attempts to conduct a balanced and comprehensive interpretation of Lilong Housing in Shanghai. It begins with their significance for the city and overall society, together with a detailed review of their historic contexts. Not only is the significance of each era studied, the evolution and changing status of Lilong from generation to decay is explored as well. This forms a broader scale of interpretation contexts for a certain conservation projects in the Lilong community, and includes the examination of other issues such as the economic, cultural and political contexts for their development. Building on the foundation in Chapter 4, Chapter 5 takes a specific project (Jian Ye Li), as a case study, in order to explore its individual significance within the broader significance of Shanghai Lilong. The conservation treatments are analyzed critically to show what can be improved according to the interpretation of its significance. Chapter 6 presents a case study of Tenement Museum in New York City as a comparative reference. It illustrates a method to connect conservation practice with the interpretation of significance. 3 Chapter 7, based on the previous discussions in Chapter 1‐6, provides several brief suggestions for the conservation of Lilong in Shanghai, ranging from rehabilitation design and the transition of function to management and planning. Finally, Chapter 8 summarizes the thesis in three aspects: (1) How to improve the interpretation of significance for heritage conservation; (2) How China can achieve a balanced conservation philosophy; (3) and how to form a sustainable conservation for the city of Shanghai as well as China as a whole. 1.1 General Introduction of Lilong 1.1.1 Architecture in Shanghai Shanghai is a metropolis in eastern China and a direct‐controlled municipality of the People's Republic of China. It is located south of the Yangtze River, the major river in China and is a busy harbor which is famous for its foreign trade and transportation business. Due to its unique location, Shanghai boasts a culture that combines the features from both West and East, which can be sensed not only in the tangible architecture, but also in the intangible qualities of people’s lifestyles and ideology. Architecture in Shanghai evolved through several stages: Classicism, Neo classicism, Beaux Art, Art Deco, Modernism, Chinese Classicism, and Post Modernism. This process often involved taking the architectural elements from Western architectural traditions and gradually absorbing them into the local culture and lifestyle of Shanghai. 1 1 Warr, Anne. Shanghai Architecture. Sydney: Watermark Press, 2007 4 1.1.2 Historic Background The Lilong Houses were mostly built in the urban center. The ground floor was used as commercial space open to both the street and the inner alleys, and the upper floor was used for the accommodation of tenants or used as staff dorms. Lilong Housing is a mixture of traditional Chinese lifestyle and western real estate development and management influences, representing the culture of the city of Shanghai. Also the architectural style adapted western influence to traditional Chinese forms, employing the layout of European terraced houses, but evolving these into a new type of residential house. Most Shanghai residents in the settlements lived in housing compounds that were called Li (and sometimes Fang.) Alleys inside such compounds were called Long. In the twentieth century, buildings in the Li and aligned along the Long were called Lilong houses. 2 The Lilong or Shikumen (literally "stone gate house") is a style of residential housing in Shanghai, China, which developed and flourished from around 1850 to 1950. As for the form, Lilongs are mostly 2‐3 storeys tall and fronted by an imposing stone‐gate frame topped with a decorated lintel enclosing two stout wooden doors (frequently black), each decorated with a bronze handle. The front yard of these townhouses is usually protected by a high brick wall and residences are arranged along straight alleys. This whole complex is known as a Lilong. 2 Liang, Samuel Y. Where the Courtyard Meets the Street ‐ Spatial Culture of the Li Neighborhoods, Shanghai, 1870‐ 1900, Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians(JSAH) Vol67 No.4 December 2008 P482 5 As a typical cultural representation of Shanghai Architecture, Lilong Houses blend the features of East and West. The general type of arrangement of these houses that parallel the alley is similar to English/French terraced and American tenement houses. This western influence is mainly due to the issue of Land Regulations in 1845 that allowed foreign merchants in Shanghai to lease land permanently in designated areas north of the walled city. 3 After the Opium War, the British settlement and French concessions were established in 1845 and 1849. From 1949 until now, Lilong housing has been the most extensive and largely used housing type in Shanghai. According to the statistics in Shanghai Urban Planning Archive in 1949, the number of Lilongs in the city reached 9000, while the units numbered more than 200,000, among which, large scale Lilong communities with more than 200 buildings exceeded 150. 4 Lilong has been the basic urban fabric of Shanghai and Lilong housing has become the most widespread architectural style in Shanghai and accommodates the majority of population, it derives from the mixture of Shanghai people’s lifestyles and capitalism in the form of real estate development, as well as a blend of Wu culture in southeast China and western influence. After 1949, the development and decay of Lilong also reflects the evolution of people’s changing lifestyle. 3 Liang, Samuel Y. Where the Courtyard Meets the Street ‐ Spatial Culture of the Li Neighborhoods, Shanghai, 1870‐ 1900, JSAH Vol67 No.4 December 2008 p482, originally from: Lu Wenda and Xu Baorun,eds., Shanghai fangdichan zhi (History of Shanghai real estate development, Shanghai, 1999),543‐50 4 Shanghai Urban Planning Archive in 1949, Shanghai Urban Construction Archive, 1949. 6 The Shanghai Lilong evolved through several periods. Shikumenn Lilongs were originally designed to house one family, but Shanghai’s growth and socialist reorientation after the middle of the twentieth century led them to be sublet to many families, each of which shared a kitchen, and bathroom outside to complement the matong (chamber pot). For Shanghainese, a single family kitchen and separated bedrooms remained a dream until the 1990s. In the past up to 80% of the city's population lived in these types of houses, but today the proportion is much lower. 5 Therefore, the decaying Lilongs are facing a challenge to adapt to the contemporary city. Lilong Houses represented the typical Shanghai neighborhood complex before the twentieth century. However, other types of residential complexes can also be found in many big cities, such as Hutong in Beijing, a very similar neighborhood type in terms of special layout and family structure, but constructed with different materials. Hutong and Lilong also share a similar evolution and social significance and similar problems in the contemporary age. For example, the residents have been changed from elites to a relatively low income class of people. The result has been increased diversity as well as a deterioration of the architecture. The tenants in Hutong also enjoyed similar forms of social communications and activities in the recent ages. As the New York Times 6 : “When two or three generations were packed into a single house, family life spilled out into the courtyards and narrow alleyways. Streets were lined with tiny shops and food stands; elderly people sat on folding chairs playing card games as bicycles streamed by.” 5 Gil, Iker. Shanghai transforming: the changing physical, economic, social, and environmental conditions of a global metropolis , Actar 2008 6 Ouroussoff, Nicolai. “Lost in the New Beijing: The Old Neighborhood”. The New York Times on July 27, 2008. <http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/27/arts/design/27ouro.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1>. 10/8/2011. 7 Therefore, the study of the Shanghai Lilong and approaches to their preservation and rehabilitation can serve as a model that could be applied both in Shanghai, Beijing and other big cities in China. 1.1.3 Type of Lilong House There are three types of Lilongs: Shikumenn (Stone Gate) Lilong Housing; the Garden House Lilong; and the Apartment House. Among which, Shikumenn Lilong Housing is consist of both Old Lilong Houses (mostly Shikumenn,stone gate) and the New Lilong House (with more modern influence). The earliest prototype of Lilong is the Old Shikumenn House, which marked the beginning of propertied residential housing in Shanghai. The old Lilong Houses began to be developed in the 1870s and reached the summit of production at the beginning of 1920s. 7 Lilong refers to a complex of Shikumenn House at that time, and later refers to a complex of residential houses organized in the specific lane system as the Old Shikumenn Lilongs. The earliest Shikumen Houses are derived from the traditional vernacular residential houses in southern China. The plan is symmetrical and is enclosed as a whole. There is a 5m high wall in front with a gate to provide a transition space. Behind the gate, is the reception hall (ketang). There are two Wing Rooms (in Chinese: Xiang Fang) to either side of a central staircase. These are used as study rooms, bedrooms and living rooms. At the top of the staircase on the second 7 Zhang Xichang . About the Lilong, Shan Dong Art Newpaper Press, Jinan 2005.4 pp.5‐6 8 floor, there are Wing Rooms and central aisle. An enclosed courtyard at the rear of the house is called a sky well (Tian Jing), and is used to provide natural lighting and ventilation for the attached room as well as to provide private shared space for the tenants in the whole building. Figure 1: Xing Ren Li‐ example of early Stone Gate Lilong .(Source: Lilong Architecture 8 ) Figure 2: Elevation of Shikumenn (Source: Mapping Drawings in 2004 summer in Tongji University,Shanghai, by Huiqian Chen, Xiaofeng Wang, Rui Cao. Instructor: Mei, Qing) 8 Wang, Shaozhou: Lilong Architecture. Shanghai: Shanghai Scientific and Technical Publishers. 1987. p.12 9 The new Shikumen houses which were introduced in the 1910s were more compact in terms of architectural space, and broke the rule of symmetrical planning. The number of wing rooms is reduced. The width and length of these houses is reduced while the height is increased to three floors, which reflects the increasing density of Shanghai and the demand for more housing. Also, the reduction of Wing Rooms indicated a decrease in family members. Compared to earlier, the typical family no longer consists of several generations. Figure 3: Huai Hai Fang ‐ example of New Type Lilong House (Source: Photo by Huiqian Chen, 1/2010) Figure 4: Plan of Jing An Villa‐ ‐ example of New Lilong House ( Source: Lilong Architecture 9 ) 9 Wang, Shaozhou: Lilong Architecture. Shanghai: Shanghai Scientific and Technical Publishers. 1987. p.12 10 The Garden House was derived from the form of late Lilong Housing. It appeared around 1940s, since it also took the layout of Lilong, it is also considered as a type of Lilong. However, this type of housing provided better living condition and is similar to an individual villa. After 1930s, late Lilong Housing further developed into a type called Apartment Lilong. This type of Lilong flourished during 1931‐1945, and is mostly located in the west area of the public concession in Shanghai. Apartment Lilongs absorbed more influence from apartments in western countries in terms of their the architectural design. The Lilong house was no longer built after the Communist revolution of 1949. 10 1.2 Purpose of Conservation of Lilong Why do we need to conserve Lilong and treat it as architectural heritage? First, appropriate conservation techniques can conserve urban scenery and significant features, as well as the culture of the city, which is one of the responsibilities of government and urban planners. The conservation of Lilong also improves the living condition of the tenants, not only their physical environment but also in respect to a sense of home that accommodates people of different classes. The large‐scale change and decay of Lilongs over time is inevitable. The increasing chaos between original tenants and new immigrants, the new life style and old housing structure has proved that the current conditions of Lilongs are not well suit for contemporary living demands. 10 Fan, Wenbin. The Conservation and Renewal of Lilong Housing in Shanghai. Shanghai: Shanghai Scientific and Technical Publishers, 2004. p.22. 11 The current economic and culture environment does not allow for more old style Lilongs. However, Lilong, as a cultural symbol of late Shanghai is the mark that Shanghai people broke with older traditions in order to explore modern life. Since it is a primary place for Shanghai people to live, and the witness of development of Shanghai, to simply demolish and reconstruct or preserve the place is not appropriate regarding the respect of the abundant significance. Conservation of Lilong should not be limited within the imitation of form and style, but to conserve and enhance its significance as much as possible. Secondly, to slow down the decaying process of Lilong can also enhance the healthy growth of the urban fabric. The new cells of the city organically grow from the old ones, and help to maintain a balance of social, economic and political transition. Moreover, conservation of Lilong could also bring about economic benefits in the long run. The advantage of their location and environment in urban centers has already ensured their appreciation. After the slums are cleared and residential structures are reorganized, and complimentary living conditions are inserted into the houses to match the valuable settings, the overall context that combines both historic architecture and contemporary evaluations and life will from a new cell that regenerates the district and the whole city. The conserved Lilongs, equipped with high quality environments can absorb more tenants and investment, as well as international attention, thus bringing an international appreciation to them. It should be noted that the matching living conditions does not mean only serving elites, but concern for people at different economic levels appropriate to the specific location and settings of the Lilong. There are still some Lilongs in a location that are relatively far from the urban center such as in Yangpu 12 District and Zhabei District. Therefore, the conservation of Lilong in these areas and improvements of the quality of life will help to protect the homes of ordinary people so that the negative impact will be reduced and everyone can benefit economically. Due to the significant role of Lilong within Shanghai history and the whole city as well as their profound significance in social, economic and cultural terms, the conservation of these properties is urgently needed but is facing many challenges in the face of the rush towards new construction in the city. Based on the completed conservation projects of Lilongs, many criticisms have been addressed regarding the large scale of reconstruction and disconnection with the history. Therefore, to accomplish an appropriate conservation project, it is important to think about the question: Is it appropriate to preserve or rehabilitate these structures? If preservation is applied, which era should be the most significant one? Because contemporary conservation work aims for a rehabilitation that accommodates current life, the historic information of the properties is usually not fully studied. This conservation has to sacrifice some physical historic elements. As for rehabilitation, which part could be changed is also a question. Most importantly, the conservation work should not disconnect from its historic context, which requires it take into account contemporary significance as a transition towards sustainability. 11 How to conserve and how to interpret contemporary significance also needs further discussion. In China, significance is no longer limited to the property itself, but has become more related to the public awareness of the significance and the meaning of conservation, as well as various economic practices and experiments of different conservation departments. 11 Lemos, Kate R., and Belle, Beyer Blinder. “Defining Context: Promoting a Greater Level of Innovation in New Design within Historic Districts.” Design & historic preservation: the challenge of compatibility : held at Goucher College, Baltimore, Maryland, March 14‐16, 2002.Ed. Ames, David L. and Wagner, Richard. University of Deleware Press, 2009. pp.29‐34 13 Chapter Two: Definition and Practice Since there are so many different treatments in conservation in today’s age, it is important to clarify what each approach focuses on and how they are understood in different cultural contexts. This chapter mainly clarifies the different understanding of these in the United States, Australia and China (especially conservation, preservation and rehabilitation), which reflects their different interpretations of values and cultural diversity in a variety of contexts, international charter is also discussed to present which standard this thesis is based on. Also, international principles related to how to apply the different treatments examined within the analysis of different tendencies in the United States, Australia, and China that are based on their different value systems. 2.1 Definitions 2.1.1 “Conservation”, “Preservation” and “Rehabilitation” According to the Burra Charter, Article 1.4 indicates that “conservation” is interpreted as all the processes of retaining cultural significance. “It includes maintenance and may, according to circumstances, include preservation, restoration, reconstruction and adaptive reuse. It is commonly a combination of more than one of these.” 12 Article 1.6 defines “preservation” as “maintaining the fabric of a place in its existing state and retarding deterioration.” 13 12 Burra Charter: The Australia ICOMOS for the Conservation of Places of Cultural Significance (the Burra Charter)‐ http://www.icomos.org/burra_charter.html . Access date: 1/17/2011 13 Burra Charter:The Australia ICOMOS for the Conservation of Places of Cultural Significance (the Burra Charter)‐ 14 In UK and Australia, “conservation” is defined differently from what it is in America. It allows changes to adapt to the current situation and it is an overreaching term, while “preservation” means completely maintaining the current or found condition. In US, however, the term “conservation” is more often used in relation to objects, while “preservation” is a popular term that often related to architecture, sites and districts. 14 Aside from “preservation” and “conservation”, there are more specific approaches such as rehabilitation, restoration, reconstruction, etc. According to the United States Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines which were last revised in 1995 15 : • Preservation is defined as the act or process of applying measures necessary to sustain the existing form, integrity, and materials of an historic property. Work, including preliminary measures to protect and stabilize the property, generally focuses upon the ongoing maintenance and repair of historic materials and features rather than extensive replacement and new construction. New exterior additions are not within the scope of this treatment; however, the limited and sensitive upgrading of mechanical, electrical, http://www.icomos.org/burra_charter.html . Access date: 1/17/2011 14 Callies, David L. Historic preservation law in the United States [electronic resource] , Environmental Law Institute, 2002 15 Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines. < http://www.nps.gov/history/local‐law/arch_stnds_10.htm. 1/20/2011> 15 and plumbing systems and other code‐required work to make properties functional is appropriate within a preservation project. • Rehabilitation is defined as the act or process of making possible a compatible use for a property through repair, alterations, and additions while preserving those portions or features which convey its historical, cultural, or architectural values. • Restoration is defined as the act or process of accurately depicting the form, features, and character of a property as it appeared at a particular period of time by means of the removal of features from other periods in its history and reconstruction of missing features from the restoration period. The limited and sensitive upgrading of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems and other code‐required work to make properties functional is appropriate within a restoration project. • Reconstruction is defined as the act or process of depicting, by means of new construction, the form, features, and detailing of a non‐surviving site, landscape, building, structure, or object for the purpose of replicating its appearance at a specific period of time and in its historic location. This indicates distinct differences between preservation and rehabilitation. Rehabilitation in China is specifically different from the United States. In the United States, The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation require that rehabilitation projects must meet all the Standards to qualify as “certified rehabilitations” eligible for the 20% rehabilitation tax credit. The standards emphasize minimal change to the defining characteristics of the building and its site and environment, preserving the historic character, and requiring that changes to its physical record of its time should be retained. It emphasizes repair rather than 16 replacement. 16 However, in China, there are no specific rules for rehabilitation, which offers flexibility for the architects in respect to new additions and alternations. The Chinese architects tend to strengthen the contrast by using contemporary materials such as glass and steel for new additions, which will be illustrated in the examples of Xintiandi and Tianzifang in Shanghai later in the thesis. Therefore, specifically in Chinese, conservation encompasses a wider range of processes, which are applicable to changing situations, but still retain the historic status. Preservation has more focus on completely maintaining the existing state, including deteriorating materials, which may have historic significance. In the Chinese interpretation, conservation is more connected to rehabilitation and adaptation, while reconstruction is accepted as a way of conservation in some cases. It is with this value system that conservation in China becomes challenging because profound significance can hardly be fully presented with inauthentic historic‐looking reconstruction. Restoration could be part of preservation. Also, rehabilitation in China and the United States follows different guidelines. Although there are various definitions and interpretations of conservation, preservation and rehabilitation, this thesis is based on the definitions in the context of international regulations as well as those in China. 16 The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation: http://www.cr.nps.gov/hps/tps/tax/rehabstandards.htm 1/20/2011 17 Figure 5: Definition of terminology and their relationship 2.1.2 Interpretation of Significance In order to fully understand the interpretation of a heritage’s significance, the definition of “interpretation” must be analyzed. According to the ICOMOS Charter for the Interpretation and Presentation of Culture Heritage Sites, “interpretation” refers to the full range of potential activities intended to heighten public awareness and enhance understanding of cultural heritage sites. “These can include printed and electronic publications, public lectures, on‐site and directly related off‐site installations, educational programs, community activities, and ongoing research, training, and evaluation of the interpretation process itself. “ 17 The Burra Charter also defines Cultural significance as “aesthetic, historic, scientific or social value for past, present or future generations. “ 18 17 The ICOMOS Charter for the Interpretation and Presentation of Cultural Heritage Sites: http://www.international.icomos.org/charters/interpretation_e.pdf 4/10/2008 18 The Australia ICOMOS for the Conservation of Places of Cultural Significance (the Burra Charter)‐ Article 1.2 http://www.icomos.org/burra_charter.html Accessed date: 1/12/2011 Conservation Preservation Rehabilitation Restoration Adaptive Reuse Different attitude and treatment of new additions in practice between U.S. and China The question of preservation to which era in the history is different in the United States. and China. The treatment is different but interpretation is Focusonthepast Focusonthecurrentuse 18 In China, the China Principles identify that the fundamental significance of a heritage site resides in its inherent values. Inherent values are a site’s historical, artistic, and technological values. Recognition of a site’s heritage values is a continuous and open‐ended process that deepens as society develops and its scientific and cultural awareness increases. 19 This indicates that in China, the conservation practices of integral environments have been recognized though it is neither mature nor regulated. Before the China Principles was established, Chinese appreciation of historical value was more direct and simple. Such a value system basically relied on the historic significance of an era or an event, and was mostly related to religious architecture such as temples, and significant monuments such as the Summer Palace and the Forbidden City in Beijing, as well as dwellings of well known historic figures. 20 Except for the historic significance, the appreciation of architectural heritage is limited within the significance of place without consideration of material, structural tectonics and cultural identity in the physical fabric of a historical structure. Therefore, during conservation, the repair and preservation of physical architecture is based on imitation and reconstruction of a specific style that may lack authenticity of details and materials. The reconstruction of a historic site largely aims to attract commerce and investment and is not necessarily aimed at historic conservation with historical value at the core of the effort. Although economic profit helps to facilitate the conservation, the neglect of comprehensive historic significance causes the further “destruction”. Thus, the key is to understanding the interpretation of heritage’s significance is to work out and balance the 19 Agnew, Neville, and Martha Demas, eds. Principles for the Conservation of Heritage Site in China (China Principle) . Los Angeles: The Getty ConservationInstitute,2004. http://www.getty.edu/conservation/field_projects/china/china1a_text.html Article 2.3 p.71 Accessed date: 1/26/2010 20 Jifang, Zan. “Preservation Priority”. Beijing review.52.No.30. July 2009.p44 19 incentives that are important to people who finance the conservation effort and also enhance those values without compromising the interpretation of significance. The interpretation of significance before beginning conservation work explores the heritage in several ways. It has already been recognized that the conservation approach needs to fully protect and highlight the cultural significance of the property. The interpretation, which covers not only the tangible but also the intangible values of historic heritage, can facilitate the understanding and appreciation of the property, foster the public awareness of preservation, and respect the authenticity in a larger sense of historic fabric and social settings, thus contributing to the development of sound technical and professional guidelines for conservation for the specific situation and achieve a sustainable conservation in the long run. Since interpretation also takes cultural difference into account, conservation work based on a thorough interpretation of significance should fully communicate social, economic and cultural context. 2.1.3 Choice between Rehabilitation and Preservation These two approaches frequently overlap each other and sometimes they are mixed and simultaneously applied depending on the interpretation of significance. However, to be specific, rehabilitation allows more flexibility if the new work and alteration fully highlights the significance. The occasional demolition of a minor element could be appropriate if it exposes a more significant element and re‐enforces the value of the property to current society. When undertaking any removal, it should be well documented and done in a reversible way so that the removed part can be reinstated when or if circumstances permit. 20 According to Burra Charter, article 15.4: The contributions of all aspects of cultural significance of a place should be respected. If a place includes fabric, uses, associations or meanings of different periods, or different aspects of cultural significance, emphasizing or interpreting one period or aspect at the expense of another can only be justified when what is left out, removed or diminished is of slight cultural significance and that which is emphasized or interpreted is of much greater cultural significance. 21 So when is preservation appropriate? According to the Burra Charter, Article 17: “ Preservation could be applied where the existing fabric or its condition constitutes evidence of cultural significance, or where insufficient evidence is available to allow other conservation processes to be carried out.” 22 Also, Preservation is limited to the protection, maintenance and where necessary, the stabilization of the existing fabric without distorting the cultural significance. There is no specific guideline that indicates when preservation or rehabilitation should be applied. Therefore, no matter which approach is taken, the goal is to maximally retain the cultural significance of the property, which is always a result of cultural differences and social changes. 21 The Australia ICOMOS for the Conservation of Places of Cultural Significance (the Burra Charter)‐ http://www.icomos.org/burra_charter.html Accessed date: 1/12/2011 22 The Australia ICOMOS for the Conservation of Places of Cultural Significance (the Burra Charter)‐ http://www.icomos.org/burra_charter.html Accessed date: 1/12/2011 21 2.2 Preservation and Rehabilitation Practice 2.2.1 Preservation Example A very good example of preservation is the Tenement Museum in lower east side of New York City. The Tenement Museum is located in the center of Manhattan’s historic lower east side. This residential property served from 19 th to 20 th centuries. It is a five‐story the tenement house where some 7,000 people from 20 nations lived between the 1860s and 1935 (when the last residents were evicted and the building was boarded up). It runs with a full‐time staff of eight, with a yearly budget of $3 million raised through grants, corporate sponsorship, donations, membership, and school tours. In terms of conservation work, the physical settings in several apartments were fully restored with the addition of furniture, other materials, related to people’s life. The property was converted into to a museum and presents the original residential life and immigrant stories. Also there were several rooms which have been preserved just as they were found, representing the status of different periods of tenement house in each era. 23 23 Dolkart, Andrew S. Biography of a Tenement House in New York City: An Architectural History of 97 Orchard Street. New York: The Center for American Places‐Santa Fe and Staunton, 2008. 22 Figure 6: The re‐created Levine kitchen at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum (Source: Photo Battman Studios:http://www.thevillager.com/villager_182/tenementmuseum.html) 2.2.2 Rehabilitation Example An example of rehabilitation is the Plenarbereich Reichstagsgebaude in Germany.The Plenarbereich Reichstagsgebaude was damaged in a big fire in 1933, and the cupola was destroyed in 1954 in order to reducing the burden on the damaged structure of the building. 24 Figure 7: Arbereich Reichstagsgebaude in 1872, 1964 and the cupola by Norman Foster (Source: http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh‐cn/File:ReichstagBohnstedt.jpg) The rehabilitation work included the repair of the main building, renovation of the interior building, and the creation of a new cupola. Designed by Norman Foster, the interior was designed to rehabilitate three press conference halls and the north and south wings were 24 Sherban Cantacuzino edited: Architectural conservation in Europe. New York: Whitney Library of Design, 1975 23 preserved in their original condition with repair work. The new cupola was created to be similar to the original form, but with new materials such as glass and steel. The technology was contemporary in that it adapted green energy technology and combined ecological functions such as HVAC and solar energy into the cupola. 25 A contemporary interpretation was inserted into this architecture. 25 Rudy Koshar: Germany's transient pasts: preservation and national memory in the twentieth century. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, c1998 24 Chapter Three: General History of Historic Preservation and Evolution in the United States and China This chapter analyzes why China and the United States have different tendencies in their approaches to cultural context and different value systems. In today’s United States, each level of history is evaluated with the same emphasis, and significance is considered as a continuous process. Therefore, preservation work tries to retain each significant detail. However, in China, the recognition of the value of heritage is relatively recent and only focused on the heritage monument at the beginning. Later on, in the midst of rapid development and massive construction, the conservation work focuses more on the appearance, which is related to Chinese traditional cultural ideology, the economic situation as well as the political environment. 3.1 History of Historic Preservation in US and China within evolving cultural contexts The reason why there are various tendencies of either preservation or rehabilitation does not simply depend on the conservation regulations and management. It is actually related to the interpretation of significance and a more diverse range of the contexts. The evolution of historic preservation reflects the process from awareness of significance, interpretation of significance to preservation and highlighting of significance. This process reflects the evolution of people’s value systems. The awareness of architecture heritage’s significance in China actually started early in 1931 when the pioneer architect Liang,Sicheng led the documentation and research of traditional 25 Chinese architecture. Architects as a profession did not exist in China until 1923. 26 Prior to this, heritage "significance" mostly referred to classical Chinese arts and culture such as literature, poems, paintings, and landscape design, which were considered as historic relics. People were concerned with the form and physical condition of these kinds of relics. The Institute for Research in Chinese Architecture, which existed from 1931 to 1946 discovered a sequence of surviving Chinese monumental structures and studied the evolution of building types and the development of different architectural elements 27 The use of modern concepts and methods of conservation for preserving China’s heritage sites began in the 1930s when, under the guidance of professional architects, a number of heritage buildings underwent restoration. From the 1950s through the 1990s, the number of conservation and restoration projects increased dramatically. 28 However, although the number has increased, in the face of rapid new construction and urbanization, a large sector of historic context in Shanghai was destroyed. The proportion of demolished historic architecture has increased more than conservation projects. For example, until 1989, the first list of registered heritage architecture in Shanghai reached 61 properties, while the demolished communities and individual architecture numbered in the hundreds. 29 Therefore, from the 1949 to 1990s, there was a gap between historic Shanghai and modern Shanghai due to the rapid development and construction. The importance of 26 Liang, Sicheng(Liang Ssu‐Ch’eng). Chinese Architecture, A Pictorial History, edited by Wilma Fairbank, New York: Dover Publications,Inc. 2005 pp. xiv‐xviii 27 Liang, Sicheng(Liang Ssu‐Ch’eng). Chinese Architecture, A Pictorial History, edited by Wilma Fairbank, New York: Dover Publications,Inc. 2005 28 Agnew, Neville, and Martha Demas, eds. Principles for the Conservation of Heritage Site in China (China Principle) . Los Angeles: The Getty Conservation Institute, 2004. http://www.getty.edu/conservation/field_projects/china/china1a_text.html Article 2.3 p.71 Accessed date: 1/26/2010. p.70. Article 1.1.1 29 Xu, Jingqiu. Historic Architectural Culture of Late Shanghai. Beijing:China International Broadcast Press, 2006.4. p.32. 26 conservation has been recognized but not in an extensive scope, and the conservation methods and technologies are still not mature and usually done by the un‐trained construction worker. The history of conservation in China reflects the evolution of its value system. During this process, in late China (1980s‐1990s), architecture started to absorb western advanced technology and sought for different styles and forms to break with the traditional architectural design. This is related to the historic era when all of China evolved into a semi‐colonial and semi‐ feudal country due to western imperialism. Also since the opening of China in 19 th century and the return of the first group of Chinese students returned from western countries in the mid 20 th century, western technology and ideology was gradually introduced. At that time, the mass appreciation of western architectural form and decorations boomed. In the earlier part of this period, architecture was mostly considered as the construction of dwellings, and architectural artistry was focused on the individual building or a complex of buildings rather than relating to the whole urban setting. It could be concluded that the appreciation of value of heritage is derived from the artistry of form and appearance. Since architectural heritage is born in this value system, architecture is treated as a relic. Its conservation used the conservation of art relics as a point of reference regarding its evaluation and technology. The purpose of conservation was to restore or recover the historic look. Even though China has a long history and extensive architectural heritage, conservation history is relatively short, and conservation efforts have been superficial. For example, in the preservation and repair of Forbidden City, painting was considered the priority among all the repair work such as preservation and 27 enhancement of structure, but the study of different layers of painting was ignored. 30 In China, in both ancient and contemporary times, people cared about the appearance and form much more than the constitution of structures, which was due to the desire for displaying hierarchy and social status or for the purpose of getting through the government’s examination and approval in a shoddy and fast way. Since management in urban planning bureau concerns the overview of the city, there are fewer regulations for improving the living environment within the context of heritage conservation. Together with the goal of rapid construction and high efficiency, it is inevitable that the interpretation of significance is sometimes ignored in the rush of construction. As time passed, conservation in China developed a better understanding of the interpretation of significance. In the market economy after the 1990s, the Chinese government strove for a higher GDP, which could be realized by mega projects and mass‐produced construction. As a result, the urban fabric was forced to change swiftly, and the historic context had to face the challenge of the sprawl of new construction. Thanks to conservation work more recently, the destruction of urban fabric has begun to slow down. Although it is hard to achieve large‐scale preservation in the rush of contemporary new construction, recent conservation approaches mixed with the new changes to try to adapt to the current society. At the same time, there were no detailed guidelines for new additions, which caused a controversial situation for rehabilitation projects in China. The conservation and interpretation of significance methods of some western countries could not be directly applied to the current China but it could still be referred to. 30 Historic Preservation,Volume 48, Issues 1‐3. The Council, 1996 pp.92‐94 28 Moreover, with the rise of public awareness of conservation, the key points became: what to preserve and which era was to be recovered. This issue greatly differentiates the Chinese and the United States conservation values regarding the different treatments. Based on the specific situation of China, Principles for the Conservation of Cultural Heritage Sites in China (also known as the China Principles in short) was issued in 2002. This is a national guideline for conservation and management of cultural heritage sites in China. Before it, China had no national charter or set of guidelines for conservation and management of its cultural heritage. The China Principles is based on the Preservation Regulation on Historic Relics in China and took the Venice Charter in 1964 as a reference at the international level. 31 The contributions of the China Principles include extensively clarifying the conservation work from significance interpretation to treatment, the recognition of integrated conservation approach that not only conserves the individual architecture, but also other relevant values such as environmental and historic values. Also, it enhances the importance of preservation work. The development of the China Principles is premised on a holistic approach to the preservation of heritage sites. “Key to the process is the conviction that heritage sites have values that can be identified and stated, and that the aim of conservation and management is to preserve those values 31 Agnew, Neville, and Martha Demas, eds. Principles for the Conservation of Heritage Site in China (China Principle) . Los Angeles: The Getty Conservation Institute, 2004. http://www.getty.edu/conservation/field_projects/china/china1a_text.html Article 2.3 p.71 Accessed date: 1/26/2010. pp. 70‐76 29 unimpaired”. 32 The value system is expanded to include more elements in the interpretation of significance. In the United States, “preservation” is often interpreted as a general word that covers all types of treatments and “conservation” is more often related to materials and objects. Before 1966, preservation was centered on history and architecture as the most valuable cultural resources. Since 1966, the fundamental values of preservation have greatly evolved. People began to realize a broader range of significance, such as the design philosophy of the architecture, style, archaeology, and vernacular landscape, vernacular building, and neighborhood. Besides, outstanding contemporary buildings, racial, tribal and ethnic interests were recognized as complimentary significance in preservation. Also, intangible cultural heritage such as music, dialect and storytelling were recognized as having cultural and social significance. 33 In the United States’ interpretation of significance is both more extensive and specific. Historic details and elements as well as their level of integrity are identified and their preservation based on these interpretations. 34 The Chinese evaluation of significance has evolved dramatically up 32 Agnew, Neville, and Martha Demas, eds. Principles for the Conservation of Heritage Site in China (China Principle). Los Angeles: The Getty Conservation Institute, 2004. http://www.getty.edu/conservation/field_projects/china/china1a_text.html Article 2.3 p.71 Accessed date: 1/26/2010. pp. 1‐3 33 Stipe, Robert E. A Richer Heritage‐ Historic Preservation in 20th century. The University of North Carolina Press: Chapel Hill and London,2003. pp.1‐46 34 Blumenthal, Sara K. Federal Historic Preservation Laws . Darby: DIANE Publishing, 1993.p.91‐93. 30 till now, but there is a long history of emphasizing superficial form and artistic presentation, as well as the isolated property rather than the relationship of the site and multiple contexts. Moreover, in interpretation in the United States, architectural heritage is seen as the physical reflection of the culture evolution. 35 Buildings are the reflection of people’s lives, and are structured related to how people behaved and socialized. They express the value and outlook as well as the growth and structure of the society. The United States’ interpretation reflects the relationship between the cultural contexts and the form of architecture, therefore, the appearance and form are not just a superficial skin, and the depth of the form is viewed as having evolved from the culture, which leads preservation to be seen in terms of culture and history. Moreover, each era in the United States is considered significant to the contemporary age, while Chinese evaluation focuses on the ancient times especially before Qing Dynasty, when China was in a flourishing state in the world. Therefore, in respect to the architectural heritage of in later periods, conservationists do not see them to be as significant as the ancient eras and care less about their destruction and reconstruction, thus causing a gap between ancient China and modern China. Last but not least, the Chinese interpretation of architecture and culture is more focused on what effect it will exert on contemporary society. In another words, people sought for changes that would get rid of the poor and the declining situation of the Lilong in late 20 th century, but still wished to retain the settings as when they were flourishing. This is also related to the political context that each government officer who tries to 35 Gelernter, Mark. A History of American Architecture: Buildings in their cultural and technological context. University Press of New England. Hanover, NH 1999. 31 renovate the city during a limited term of service, so that the conservation of architecture is relatively short sighted and superficial. 3.2 Guidelines and Policies in Historic Preservation Based on the interpretation of the significance of historic properties, in respect to preservation regulation, the United States has set up the Department of the Interior, National Park Service as a national preservation leader, with the complimentary support of local government programs and private non‐profit groups for both the state and city to manage heritage conservation in all levels. Taking Los Angeles as an example, preservation organizations not only include the California Office of Historic Preservation, the Los Angeles Conservancy, the City Planning Department, but also involve private companies and institutes, which facilitate a detailed and comprehensive survey of all historic properties. Each property is listed in a certain preservation category and different areas are categorized with zoning, which provides basis for determining which treatment should be applied in later works. To be simplified, US preservation system structure has three basic aspects. The first one and the most important one is the general structure of the American federal system of government. The second is the universal nature of the preservation‐conservation process itself. The third is the nature of the free market economic system. 36 The United States government set up several incentives to encourage owners and developers to preserve historic properties. However, in order to receive these credits, the rehabilitation work 36 Stipe, Robert E. A Richer Heritage‐ Historic Preservation in Twentieth Century. The University of North Carolina Press: Chapel Hill and London, 2003. p.24 32 needs to fulfill all the requirements in the Secretary of the Interiors Guidelines in respect to design, material and tectonics work should match the original condition and feeling of the resource. Therefore, the United States tends to direct preservation towards the enhancement of the significance of the property thorough a study of history. In China, conservation is the responsibility of urban planning bureaus and cultural heritage and relic management committees. In Shanghai as an example, conservation is the responsibility of the Shanghai Urban Planning Bureau and Shanghai Cultural Relic Management Committee Office. Due to the lack of systematic survey work of the type currently undertaken in Los Angeles, the list of registered heritage was set up group by group and the list was supplemented year by year. The registered heritage includes heritage architecture and cultural heritage. The actual conservation approach that is carried out is determined by the design team in the project, with limited preservation planning guideline. Since the regulations are relatively new and the new construction is massive, the guidelines cannot meet the needs of the changing situation. Therefore, there is more flexibility and freedom for designers in dealing with a historic property. This is also related to the value system of Chinese people. In this current political and social environment, the government allows real estate developers to determine the actual treatment of the project within a broad range of options. Given the circumstance that those who manage the urban planning and the whole city focus on the result of production such as the increase of GDP, the new look of the city, and economic benefit, the conservation is conducted without systematic approaches and careful concern for the overall society in the long run, not considering what will happen to the property as well as its surrounding community in the next 33 20 or 30 years. Given this situation, the Chinese codes of conservation are all negotiable, and the goal is a brand new look for the original slum communities. Conservation in China tends to take up rehabilitation, reconstruction, adaptive reuse and design, aiming for the renovation of the historic properties in the city to achieve rapid development. Due to the large number of properties in need of regeneration, the intangible interpretation of significance is often considered less important than the physical appearance and functional reuse. It is also impossible to conserve all the historic architecture in China in this developing phase. The question of how to define the significance has been a problem. Currently, the list of registered heritage sites continues to be expanded and conservation is conducted on a one by one basis rather than in an overall systematic way. Meanwhile, because of a gap between different versions of heritage lists, many historic properties have been demolished just before being listed. The interpretation regarding the overall environment as well as different types of heritage is urgently needed so that its conservation can be consistent and sustainable in the long run. In conclusion, conservation in China focuses more on the external form, character of a place and conservation and functional efficiency, while the United States focuses on the physical preservation of the object and how to slow down the decay. This approach is specific and detailed, concerning material preservation and each layer of history to enhance the authenticity in a complete way. This also reflects the lack of profound interpretation of a heritage’s 34 significance in China’s conservation work. Within the specific social, cultural as well as economic and political background in conservation field, these interpretations of significance affects these approaches. After the open‐policy of China, the whole country began to develop at high speed. The interpretation changes with these developments frequently, which forces contemporary preservationists and conservationists to rethink the question: Why conserve? Which part should be restored and what is worth preserving? The key issue here is to solve the question of how to conduct the interpretation of significance for contemporary conservation work for Lilong both past and present, and for the individual Lilong as well as for the larger context. 35 Chapter Four: Interpretation of Significance in Conservation of Lilong This chapter tries to explore a comprehensive way to interpret the significance of a property. From the overall context to the individual resource, the interpretation of architecture heritage could be discussed at multiple levels: the first level is national significance; and then the architectural heritage in every city should be considered with the same concern rather than just focusing on major cities. The third level is the significance of different types of architecture within the city. Take Shanghai as an example, the significance of Lilong housing includes the historic, cultural and social significance of this type of heritage in Shanghai, the influence within its district, the significance of each Lilong in its certain time and context as it interacted with people, and lastly the individual Lilong house. It is only through this comprehensive look at significance, together with the study of architectural quality and function in current status and contemporary settings, that we can conclude which treatment should be taken to conserve each layer of significance. The following part of the case study of Jian Ye Li will serve as a detailed example of how to conduct the interpretation of significance from the overall context to individual resource and how the interpretation of significance helps to justify the conservation approach. 4.1 Interpretation of significance It is important that not only the significance of the property itself is interpreted. The evolving changes of the environment that may influence the evolution of heritage should also be of 36 concern. Therefore, the issues that influence Lilongs from its boom era to its period of decay are both analyzed. 4.1.1 Historic Significance in Different Eras The Lilong style of housing originally developed when local developers adapted the idea of the European terrace house to Chinese conditions. Although it originated in the settlement reserved for foreign residents only, this regulation was ignored after the Small Sword rebels occupied the walled city. Foreign landowners then built about 800 simple wooden houses for Chinese refugees for lucrative profits (these were later replaced by brick and timber houses for real estate trade). 37 After the Taiping rebellion, more refugees swarmed into Shanghai. Therefore, these settlements were developed hastily by foreign real estate owners, with Chinese compradors supervising Chinese contractors and managing the construction and rental of the properties. They are also worked with local land officers and translators. All the original architectural design drawings were in English. Meanwhile, the residents were swiftly dominated by the local Shanghainese. This mix of residents of both Chinese and foreign origin formed a mixed culture with diverse communication and economic opportunities. 37 Liang, Samuel Y. Where the Courtyard Meets the Street‐Spatial Culture of the Li Neighborhoods, Shnaghai, 1870‐ 1900, JSAH Vol67 No.4 December 2008 p.482. 37 Figure 8: Map of Shanghai 1901 (Source: Liang, Samuel Y. “Where the Courtyard Meets the Street Spatial Culture of the Li Neighborhoods” 38 ) From the above map, it is obvious that there was a clear boundary between foreign residents and local residents at the beginning of the 20 th century. The activities of local people were mostly limited within the walled city, which fully functioned as a complete city, thus the urban space and social activities were inner‐oriented. On the other side, foreign residents were gathered in various foreign concessions. The two different social and political systems co‐existed but were individually independent. This is the key prerequisite for the evolution of the Lilong Housing as well as the interaction between the foreign and local culture. In addition to the urban fabric, during the evolution of Lilong, various historic events exerted influence on its architectural form, construction methods as well as cultural significance. For 38 Liang, Samuel Y. “Where the Courtyard Meets the Street Spatial Culture of the Li Neighborhoods”. Shanghai, 1870‐ 1900, Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians 67 No.4 (2008.12). p483 38 example, for protection and safety during the Taiping rebellion, and later burglars during the social upheavals of the early twentieth century, the high wall was added. By World War II, more than 80% of the population in the city lived in this kind of dwelling. 39 Many of these were hastily built and were akin to slums, while there were still a large number of better quality constructions and featured all modern amenities such as the flushable toilet. During and after World War II, the population explosion led many Lilong houses to be heavily subdivided. For example, the spacious living room was often divided into three or four rooms, and each was leased to a family. Then, several families shared a kitchen and bathroom. These cramped conditions continued to exist in many of the Shikumenn districts that have survived to this date. Year Historic Event and Social background Architectural Evolution 1853 British Developers begin the real estate of residential houses Built several groups of wooden houses 1860 People from surrounding provinces come into concession during the war, and shanghai local people move into the concession for safety. Foreign developers lease the house to the citizens at a high rate. 1869 Timber structure are replaced by combined brick and wood Brick and timber structure with a stone gate 1869 A trend of building Shikumenn Lilong started Shikumenn Lilong appeared 1890 More community of Shikumenn Lilong a master unit with two minor unit ,with Guan Yin Dou on the roof 1900 Population soaring period New Shikumenn Lilong emerged 1904 More immigrants rush into Shanghai More residential houses are in demand 1930 Chinese population in Concession reached 970,000 Shikumenn Lilong became the major residential style and place for living. Table 1: The Evolution of Shanghai Lilong responses to the historic event 40 39 Zhang Xichang. About the Lilong, Shan Dong Art Newpaper Press, Jinan 2005.4 40 Mei,Qing, and Chen,Huiqian.“Study of Shanghai Shikumenn and Its Sustainable Development”. Architectural Journal 39 From the above table, it can be seen that Lilong developed from a real estate product in foreign concessions into fundamental housing in Shanghai. The prototypes of this kind of dwelling were fully adapted to both the urban fabric as well as people’s lives. Throughout these different periods, the corresponding value system changed. Lilong developed from a high class real estate product in foreign concessions to refugee housing, and then developed into a mass‐produced housing in late Shanghai. The layout and social role changed too, which not only developed into a prototype of ever changing residential fabric of the city, but also formed a mixed social structure for the tenants in the housing. 4.1.2 Social Significance Social significance also changed with the development of the city. It could be summarized into three stages according to the evolution of the tenants.(1)Only foreign residents occupied the Lilong, and the houses were only constructed in foreign concessions as a high class form of accommodation. (2)Local people interfered, and the boundary between foreigners and local people began to blur, which caused the transition of hierarchy and cultural ideology, and (3) when Lilongs were completely occupied by local residents, the social character of the place was changed again. 41 After that, a period of decay began and little conservation work was done on for Lilong. Gradually, the boundary between elite and lower classes was weakened. Each of these stages was integral to the creation of current state of Lilong, but it is hard to identify which stage was the most significant. To determine this, survey work is needed to study the extensive evaluation of the heritage’s significance, the eras that were most appreciated Shanghai, 2008.04. 41 Wang, Shaozhou. Lilong Architecture. Shanghai: Shanghai Scientific and Technical Publishers. 1987.pp.1‐16 40 remembered by the masses and the significant historic eras in which Lilong flourished. This should be the priority in the conservation process. For example, if the residential function is considered for rehabilitation, the era that best served this could be a key reference. At the same time, in order to fully present the primary significance, minor significance should also be recognized in a diverse way so that a significant fragment will not be understood in an isolated way. Conserving a historic property related to its social environment will facilitate better understanding of its value, and the significant evolution needs to be recorded as a documentation of conservation as well as presented in the contemporary state. Social evolution was accompanied by cultural evolution. As for the relationship between western and local culture, there were several stages: (1) separated independently, (2) conflicted, and (3) co‐existing in harmony. At the beginning when local residents moved in, British tenants were strongly opposed to providing housing to Chinese in foreign concessions. They believed that if large numbers of Chinese moved in, the massive and cheap real estate products would destroy the original elite residential environment of their settlements. The British Consul George Balfour and his successor Rutherford Alcock made efforts to keep the ground within the limits of Foreign Concession exclusively for foreigners, an better which served their permanent interests, and the security of the settlement. 42 However the foreign merchants held different opinions. They thought that producing Lilong in large quantities and leasing to Chinese people could make 42 Liang, Samuel Y. Where the Courtyard Meets the Street: Spatial Culture of the Li Neighborhoods, Shanghai, 1870‐ 1900, JSAH Vol67 No.4 December 2008. p485 41 profits efficiently in a short time. Finally, Alock was convinced of this strategy, and Chinese tenants would repay the capital of the land and house with two or three years’ rent. 43 On the other side, Chinese residents also objected to mixed residential structures. For example, local gentry, Mao, Xianglin wrote: Western merchants know only short term profits but not long term harms. As prosperity and recession succeed one another in cycles, I think what is considered prosperity is also a decline…As the foreign settlements expand, local people’s fields shrink. To end this, the Chinese area and the settlements must be separated from one another and the latter are then unable to form a market. Where can they seek profits from that time? 44 After a long debate, Chinese tenements finally completely dominated the Lilongs, and pushed the era of massive production of Lilong in Shanghai real estate. Commercial retail was also taken over by the Chinese merchants, gradually forming the new Chinese community. Until the mid 19 th century, many tenants were wealthy merchants and gentry. With the flow of local people moving in, the architectural quality began to deteriorate. Since the land owner didn’t limit the number of tenants, and anyone who could pay for the rent could move in, the architectural space began to be divided randomly, forming a situation where multiple families lived together in a disorderly way, which has become into a typical Shanghai residential life style in contemporary age. 43 Liang, Samuel Y. Where the Courtyard Meets the Street: Spatial Culture of the Li Neighborhoods, Shanghai, 1870‐ 1900, JSAH Vol67 No.4 December 2008. p485 44 Liang, Samuel Y. Where the Courtyard Meets the Street: Spatial Culture of the Li Neighborhoods, Shanghai, 1870‐ 1900, JSAH Vol67 No.4 December 2008. pp485‐487 42 4.1.3 Characteristics of the Place and the Interaction of Residents In old Shanghai, residential houses developed from San He Yuan (courtyard enclosed by three buildings) and the vernacular architecture in southern part of China 45 , which was designed for the individual family. Lilong follows the traditional spacial layout of the house, and has developed from the inner‐oriented residential space to an expanding form, with the limit and connection of lanes in Lilong, forming the community. First of all, Lilong provides a stage for communication. The public space, shared occupied space as well as public sanitary facilities lead to a blended daily life for each tenant since they are forced to interact with their neighbors. In earlier times, when the space was not filled to full occupancy, there were various sophisticated banquets in western and traditional Chinese mixed style in the public space. Figure 9: Banquet Party with Western‐style dining and a traditional opera performance in a courtesan house. Han Bangqing, Haishang hua liezhuan, Shanghai, 1894 (Source: Liang, Samuel Y. “Where the Courtyard Meets the Street Spatial Culture of the Li Neighborhoods” 46 ) 45 Wang, Shaozhou. Lilong Architecture. Shanghai: architecture and industry press. 1986. P.7 46 Liang, Samuel Y. “Where the Courtyard Meets the Street Spatial Culture of the Li Neighborhoods”. Shanghai, 1870‐ 1900, Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians 67 No.4 (2008.12). p490 43 In contemporary eras, with the density increased in the Lilong house and limited room of every family, most residents try to put their stuff in the stair landing, such as stoves and chairs, thus extending the activities into the public area. When the residents go through the staircase, they greet each other, and invite others to taste the food in the shared kitchen, which is also a way to enjoy the neighbor’s lively life. Besides, due to the limited space, every family tries to occupy the semi public area by means of leaving storage boxes on the stair landing. Therefore, the stair landing is usually full of both chaos and life. Moreover, the residents in the Lilong house feel safe enough to leave the door open rather than locked during daytime. The sense of family is extended and this relationship united to the whole community from branch alleys to the main alleys. Figure 10: Life in Lilong in Huaihai Fang(Photo by author, 2007.10) 44 In the Lilong space, people’s activities also define the place. In the past, there were some clubs and prostitution businesses in Lilong 47 , which were the places with sophisticated and rich people in the city. The minor alleys also developed into semi public/private space. Today, people tend to set up the sinks in the minor alleys. Every weekend, especially Saturday or Sunday morning, many housewives do the washing outside, while they can also chat with each other. In the major alleys, where the space is larger, many old people will take out a small table to play majiang (traditional Chinese table game) or poker during weekends. From time to time, whenever there is a festival, the community committee will host celebrations that involve all the tenants in the Lilong. All these events seem to form a folk tradition of Lilong community. 4.1.4 Architectural and Urban Significance The physical architecture is also an integration of both traditional Chinese architecture and western architecture. The space layout inherits the traditional Feng Shui 48 culture and understanding of hierarchy. Also, Lilong space as a community gradually forms the urban fabric of Shanghai. The evolution of space is also related to the people’s activities and the overall social culture. Before the formation of current Lilong space, the layout inherited the western terrace house form and was fit for westerners’ lifestyle and culture. Later on, the Lilong community of local people formed, leading the Lilong to develop from old Shikumen (Stone Gate) architecture, late 47 Henriot, Christian. Prostitution and sexuality in Shanghai: a social history, 1849‐1949. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,2001. p.220 48 Traditional fortune telling of houses according to the layout of furniture, orientation of windows, and shape of space, etc. 45 Shikumen architecture to the new type of Lilong apartment buildings. This process reflects the process that local people’s lives connected the inner life of Lilong with the outside urban world, forming a contrast between the residential life inside and city life outside. The sense of community was actually strengthened. When entering Lilong, people transition from a social urban space into private residential space. From the minor alleys through the sky well to the room, there is a transition from public space into a completely private space. These different levels of spaces satisfy the needs of security and balanced social communication of the local Chinese people. The new types of Lilongs that started around 1910s represent the start of construction of large in large quantities of Lilong architecture. It gradually took as a developed real estate product that could attract more consumers. The new types were designed with a more compact spatial layout, which corresponded with the new lifestyle. The emergence of the Garden House reflected both the need for better living conditions and the pressure of high density. It satisfied some wealthy residents in terms of a more private and comfortable residential space. From their beginning to the thriving era of Lilong, we can observe the urban sprawl of central Shanghai in 1900s. This sprawl process broke the boundary between walled city and concessions, reflecting a significant change of urban fabric. After the process of beginning, thriving, and decaying, a new type of real estate construction in central Shanghai appeared with a focus on high‐rise buildings. At that point, the urban sprawl switched from the center to the outskirt areas of Shanghai. 46 In the contemporary view, the current Lilong accumulated multiple historic meanings and boasts rich layers of space. The Lilong has created appropriate residential space in the community, which defines the boundary and transition of private life and public life. The order of the space from street to main alley, and to minor alley, through the stone gate, courtyard, then reaching the living room, forms the order from public to private life. It provides a balance of urban density and creates the urban fabric of Shanghai. On the other hand, the space within the Lilong house developed in a rather organic way from the people’s life, which means that the living room is set in the center, and spacious bedrooms are set upstairs, both face to the south and back towards the north. This also follows the Chinese traditional Feng Shui, and it rationally responds to the local climate because this kind of orientation can keep the house warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The spatial layout of the Lilong building is a reaction to the traditional hierarchical culture as well. Ke Tang, the core space of the overall building, where masters meet with guests, and children greet to parents in the morning every day in earlier times, inherits this tradition of social communication. Figure 11: English terrace house and site plan (Source: http://www.greatbuildings.com/cgi‐bin/gbc‐ drawing.cgi/London_Terraced_House.html/London_Terrace_Site.jpg) 47 Figure 12: Huaihai Fang and its Site plan, plan and section of Lilong on Henan Rd. (Source: http://www.aulis.de/newspapers/supplement/66) As for the architectural decorative motif, various details reflect the essence of visual effects as well as mixed culture. Besides the stone gate (stone framed entrance), the typical architectural elements such as roof window, window frame, frontispiece, matouqiang(stepped ga le), and the texture of combined brick with stone, all identify the vernacular character of Lilong Housing and the specific aesthetic value of Shanghai. Lilong used simple local building materials for its ornaments, which is also derived from western classic architecture to some extent, thus evolving into a typical architectural style of Shanghai. Figure 13: Traditional architectural elements of Shikumen (Source: www.xintiandi.com) The Lilong Houses are also good examples in dealing with earthquakes as well as being ecological efficient. The architecture is made of a combination of brick and timber, and the vertical supporting structures are usually composed of brick columns and beams. The roof 48 structures and floors are made of timber. This kind of structure can withstand earthquakes and remain efficiently warm and prevent cold. 49 Figure 14: Structural and force flexibility of Lilong (Source: drawn by author) 4.1.5 Economic and Political Effects The construction of Lilong represents a capitalist way of development within a socialist environment. At the earlier stage, foreign landowners gained the land from local owners, and swiftly constructed the western terraced house for Chinese refugees. The initial space layout of Lilong also provided for easy management. This massive new construction of such houses would have been impossible without the settlement’s modern banks, which readily financed anyone with a land lease in hand. 50 The freedom of market and economy in Shanghai also shaped the rapid development of Lilong housing. To be specific, once the land owner obtained the land, he or she could decide what to build and to whom to lease. After the establishment of new China and especially after the opening‐policy and revolution in China, Shanghai developed from a 49 Zhang Xichang. About the Lilong. Jinan: Shan Dong Art Newspaper Press, 2005.4. pp.18‐32. 50 Liang, Samuel Y. Where the Courtyard Meets the Street: Spatial Culture of the Li Neighborhoods, Shnaghai, 1870‐ 1900, JSAH Vol67 No.4 December 2008. pp480‐485 49 frontier market town to the first modern metropolis in China, with more subleasing phenomenon and larger numbers of immigrant people. 4.2 Problems in Contemporary Development There is a series of problems in respect to Lilong conservation in the view of the contemporary context of urban development. These challenges require a thorough study for a better resolution that balances the conservation work. 4.2.1 Profitable Location vs. Sacrifice of Quality and the Overloaded Residents Since Lilongs were mostly built in the early period of Shanghai urban development era, they were generally located in the urban center and the central area of foreign concessions. With the rapid urban development, more and more immigrants from other provinces began to rush into the city and the original Shanghai local people returned to Shanghai after the Cultural Revolution. Therefore, the city began running out of land very soon and the price of land soared. There are several stages of changes to the Lilong due to the rapid increase of residents: Firstly, the original whole Lilong house was owned by one family 51 . Later on, with more residents moving into Shanghai, the Lilong house began to be owned by several families, and the number of families increased without limitation until the house was full. In some cases, for example, there are 20 households live in one house 52 . The relatively big rooms were divided into several 51 “Owned” means the residents own the right to use the house, usually the right to use the house is70‐80 years. Chen,Huiqian. Personal Interview with residents in Lilong in No.256, Shanxinan Rd in Shanghai. Dec.2009, and Aug.2010 52 Chen, Huiqian. Personal Interview with residents in Lilong in Huaihaifang in Shanghai. Dec.2007 50 small rooms, and a room could both serve as bedroom and living room. An 8m 2 room could even hold a family with 3 members. Then, more and more local people tried to purchase and move into a house far away from the urban center, which was more affordable and provided larger space and better infrastructure facilities. At the same time, these people leased their units and rooms to immigrant residents to compensate the cost of new house. Also, since the late 19 th century, some residents constructed a private kitchen and bathroom in their own space, which added more burdens to the architectural structure. Lilong houses are usually owned in the form of “Right of Use”, which is similar to leasing and renting, and the Right of Use is usually 80 years. Residents neither own the house nor the land, and they pay the rent to the property management, which is part of the government to continue the Right of Use. The rent is relative inexpensive compared to the rent for a new apartment. For example, in 1970s‐1980s, the rent was about 20‐30 RMB/month, and after 2000, it went up to 80‐90 RMB/month 53 ,and these rents go directly to the government rather than any developers or property management companies. However, since the occupancy has increased, local residents became unsatisfied with the living environment. When they leased their room in the Lilong to others, they asked for more rent compared to an apartment in a relative distant area with same floor area. When the local residents discovered this potential business profit for themselves, there was a trend towards a second hand Lilong House lease business in Shanghai. Also, the rent for the second hand Lilong House rose very quickly. For example, in 2008‐2010, the rent for a 42m 2 unit in Huai Hai Fang in the French Concession in the urban center was 53 Chen, Huiqian. Personal Interview with residents in Lilong in Huaihaifang in Shanghai. Dec.2009 51 1800‐2300 RMB/month. If this included a small living room, which is unusual for most Lilong householders, it cost about 3000‐3500rmb/month. 54 Now, even though the rent and real estate price rose swiftly, there are still endless people trying to rent such a kind of house. In 1999, about 32.5% of the population of Shanghai lived in its urban center, which only contains 17.1% of the total residential housing in Shanghai. By 2010, the population in the urban center has almost doubled. 55 Therefore, the large population is a heavy burden to urban center. This trend boosted the economic value of Lilong house tremendously, which, on one hand, raised the public attention of conserving Lilongs and drove investment opportunity and conservation funds from real estate developers, but on the other, the tenants would rather hold their right to the house, lease it out with a high rent, and ask for more compensation for relocation from developers and the government. The Lilong housing during this period became the social consequence of negotiation between developers, the government and tenants. The result was chaotic of living conditions and different classes of people, as well as mixed migrant workers with poor living conditions that deteriorated the architectural quality. 54 Research on house rent website and ads. http://rent.sh.soufun.com/ 55 Fan, Wenbin . The Conservation and Renewal of Lilong Housing in Shanghai . Shanghai: Shnghai: Shanghai Scientific and Technical Publishers. l 2004 p.44 52 4.2.2 The Change of Residents (Original Tenants vs. Immigrants) The change of residents, from original businessmen, mid‐level working people to low income immigrants from other parts of China, led to worse maintenance of the buildings and a worse living environment. The early residents of Lilongs were mostly local people and those who sought for better job opportunities or business development from Guangdong, Ningbo, Zhejiang and Jiangsu province in the 1930s‐1940s. These groups of people were mostly doing business in Shanghai, and they adapted to and contributed to the local culture very quickly, gradually settling down to form families and regarding Shanghai as their hometown. However, the number of immigrants has increased much more than before. The composition of these people is varied, ranging from the students who come to colleges and universities in Shanghai for a better education, to the relatively lower income labor workers who can hardly afford the living cost in Shanghai. Some of the newly arrived residents even turn their units into stores to take advantage of the good location for doing business. Obviously, due to the limited infrastructure and limited area and rooms, the Lilong Housings are mostly taken by those immigrant labor workers and relatively lower income people. Therefore, the leasing and renting of Lilong Housing is less organized and the lack of sound management leads to a heavier burden on the architecture as well as to the chaos of life in the building. Moreover, the later immigrants hold different views of “culture identity” from the earlier residents. They considered Lilong a temporary living place and neither do they care about the bond between neighbors or the maintenance of the property. Shanghai, in their eyes, is not their home but rather a place for better career and a better education for their kids. Also, most of them have a dream and are fighting to obtain a Shanghai Household 53 Certificate. 56 Due to these factors, there is inevitably some conflict in both daily life and culture issues, especially in the circumstance of sharing kitchens and bathrooms and sharing the utility fees. As a result, original residents would rather move out to escape the low quality of housing and to earn profit from the high rents, which leads to a vicious circle. At the same time, the local people that still remain in the Lilong Housing mostly in their late 50s, and little children who are taken care of by their grandparents to provide easy access to urban kindergartens or school. Although some relatively higher standard Lilong Housing still maintains a single family or young people, the social connection and residential composition is tremendously changed and cultural conflicts inevitably exist in every Lilong. 4.2.3 Profit vs. Humanistic Care and Scenery Preservation These days, conservation of Lilong houses is more like reconstruction, especially to meet the need for better housing. It has to sacrifice the residents’ rights, and the historic urban features of Shanghai and has created an environment for conservation that is full of negotiable guidelines. The government has conducted limited improvements for the infrastructure for Lilongs in Shanghai since around the 1990s. These improvements included adding bathrooms, replacing worn wirings, adding fire extinguishing equipment, etc. Due to the lack of funds, there haven’t been any systematic improvements or repair to the surrounding related area of the Lilongs. Ruan Yisan, a professor who is an expert on conservation in China, pointed out that “As for these Shikumenn Lilong houses, they need minor repairs every five years, major repair every ten 56 According to the interview with newly coming residents in 12/2009, and 08/2010 in No.256 Shan Xi Nan Rd. 54 years, restoration every thirty years.” 57 By comparison, historic preservation in Europe and United Sates relies on both government supervision and private investors. Government from national to local will support restoration and preservation frequently. However, in Shanghai or even in China, preservation mostly relies on the developers. Although the government has set up rules to limit their destruction and encourage their preservation, most of the historic Lilongs are torn down and rebuilt with new materials. Developers take advantage of the history and culture of Lilong for marketing purpose, during which the needs of tenants are ignored. The new mega projects based on the historic site have caused irreversible destruction of historic urban context. 58 More parking space is required, so that the surrounding historic settings have to be compromised in order to meet the new demand, which changes the historic character of Shanghai as a whole. It could be a win‐win strategy with developers making a profit from the conservation projects while these profits also support the conservation work. In this case, the government management and instruction could be the mediating force to make this happen. The awareness of profound importance of interpretation of significance needs to be enhanced by government through educational approaches to both tenants and developers to create a balance between profit‐making and conservation. 57 Ruan,Yisan. Conservation of Lilong and direction of enhancing public benefits.Li,Tiangang ed. Wenhui Newspaper.< http://whb.news365.com.cn/whjtzt/jbsl/200909/t20090915_2464917.htm> .Dec17,2010. 58 Geometries of Life and Formlessness: A Chinese urban tradition (Chapter 9). Routledge: New York, 2009. pp.215‐ 230. 55 Figure 15: Bird view of current condition (Source: Photo by author, 9/2007/2011 at Sinan Rd. Shanghai) 4.2.4 Integrated Problem in Politics, Economics, and Social Aspects in Contemporary Age The conservation of Lilong Housing is a complicated subject related to politics, economics, culture and society. In Shanghai and China, land mostly belongs to the government and os leased to the developers for construction. The negotiation between developers and government as well as the surrender to the economic goals stimulation creates more difficulties for the conservation of these properties and it’s hard to prevent them from being destroyed. Since not all the Lilongs are registered heritage properties of Shanghai, some of them have been demolished and replaced by commercial centers and high‐rises with higher FAR. As for the social aspect, the decay of the Lilongs represents the decay of the historic area in urban centers. There are several reasons for this. The conservation of Lilong became one of the subjects in the urban center regeneration. 56 (1) On one hand, although the population in urban center is increasing dramatically, the population in the historic area of urban centers is actually decreasing, which leads to the lack of vitality and energy as well as social activities. (2) On the other hand, young people tend to buy the new residential properties outside the urban center which are more affordable, so the average age in the historic areas of urban center grows, together with an increasing number of lower class labor workers and a population that has lost the ability to work. All these circumstances cause an imbalance of the population composition. (3) As mentioned before, there are frequently conflicts in daily life between the different classes of tenants or tenants from different areas of China. This situation is getting more and more serious especially as increasing numbers of immigrants share public spaces and facilities with old tenants who can hardly change their living habits. Gradually, the tenants in Lilongs are switching from elite people to the lower income class, thus the overall Lilong has become less civilized, the buildings are not taken good care of and some historic elements are destroyed, and the sanitation conditions also get worse. Year after year, all of this has caused a social problem which results in the historic Lilongs being abandoned and thus forms dangerous areas for the whole city. Also, the conflicts between the tenants may very likely grow into major social conflicts in this city. Lilong Housing is a key symbol for Shanghai culture. It integrates the life style of typical Shanghainese in the past as well as the cultural and social evolution of the city. The interaction between tenants and neighbors is also a social reflection of this connection between people in this city. Lilong, is the landmark of “Home” in local people’s eyes. 57 In a word, these problems are not only happening to Shanghai Lilongs, but also appear in the Hutong Houses in Beijing. The value of these heritages has been ignored for decades and large numbers of these resources have been demolished due to the swift development of these cities overflowing with new construction. Before the Olympic Games, the Hutong neighborhoods faced the challenge of demolition. 59 The current wave of demolitions was under way by the early 1990s as free‐market changes gained momentum, and real estate speculators saw potential profit in redevelopment. It accelerated after Beijing’s bid to play host to the Olympics was accepted in 2001 and the city began a substantial slum‐clearance program to prepare for foreign visitors. Now, Chinese preservationists are facing a new threat: gentrification. 60 The few ancient courtyard houses that survived destruction have become coveted status symbols for the country’s growing upper class and for wealthy foreign investors. As more and more money is poured into elaborate renovations, the phenomenon is not only draining these neighborhoods of their character but also threatening to erase an entire way of life. 4.3 The Evolution of Conservation Practice of Lilong 4.3.1 Evaluation and Conservation Approach evolution Before 1980s, the “conservation” of Lilong was actually more reconstruction and renovation if examined with western standards. By the mid 1980s, the cultural values began to be recognized. At the beginning, the appreciation of Lilong was based on architectural style, and conservation 59 Ouroussoff, Nicolai. “Lost in the New Beijing: The Old Neighborhood”. The New York Times on July 27, 2008. <http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/27/arts/design/27ouro.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1>. 10/8/2011. 60 Ouroussoff, Nicolai. “Lost in the New Beijing: The Old Neighborhood”. The New York Times on July 27, 2008. <http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/27/arts/design/27ouro.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1>. 10/8/2011. 58 was based on the principle that keeps the look of the exterior architecture and renovates the interior. Later on, understanding of conservation began to recognize the significance of residential structures and the culture of Lilong rather than merely improving the Lilong condition. This began with the theory of Jizhong Feng and Bowei Wang in the book The value and position of environmental and cultural elements in urban renewal. 61 (1) Xintiandi In the early 2000s, a Lilong renovation project “Xintiandi” pioneered the conservation work of the Lilong architecture and artwork 62 , intergrating the traditional Shanghai artwork into the contemporary commercial areas, with decent restaurants, bars and shopping malls that attracted both tourists and local people. Later on, some designers began to settle their studios into these properties not only because of the good location, but also because of an appreciation of the aesthetic value of architecture and the essence of a real local lifestyle. Figure 16: street view of Xintiandi (Source: Photo by author, 1/14/2008) 61 Feng, Jizhong, and Wang, Bowei: The value of environmental cultural elements in city renovation. Architectural Journal1987(10),p44. 62 Luo Xiao Wei. Shanghai Xintiandi——Study on Architectural and Humane History and Development mode of Historic District Renovation. Shanghai: Shanghai Constructional and Industrial Press, 2001. p.2 59 In Xintiandi, one unit has been conserved and designed for exhibition of a traditional Lilong, as well as a documentation of the original status of residential life. 63 However, this museum failed to be concisely restored. The interior furniture reflects different periods of time in a random order. For example, the old newspaper and posters on the wall indicates the time of 1930s, however, the stove uses straw rather than coal, so the kitchen displays an earlier period of time. Also, the Tingzijian (minor room below the stairs)was restored as it was leased to a low income tenants, which indicates a later period of time from around the 1980s‐1990s. Thus, the integrity of the museum is chaotic. Visitors can not understand which exact period this Lilong museum displays and it fails to present the decent living conditions and authentic culture of old Shanghai. What Xintiandi conserved is primarily the overall significance of the place within the whole city, through the visual reconstruction of a physical historic environment and presents the historic view of the whole area. To simply insert a museum that with a collage of cultural and historic fragments reveals a chaotic phenomenon reflects a value of cultural significance that is still superficial. The developers intended to value the museum to be the cultural core of the whole history of Lilong housing and late Shanghai, however, it was overlooked that in a contemporary commercial area, to invite tourists to pay for visits is a problem. In the rush of reconstruction for marketing and random organization of different objects in the museum, the cultural significance could not be fully presented. It lacks a careful record of real life. The museum in Xintiandi works more as marketing strategy to attract tourists than a good example of conservation of culture of Lilongs. 63 Luo Xiao Wei. Shanghai Xintiandi——Study on Architectural and Humane History and Development mode of Historic District Renovation. Shanghai: Shanghai Constructional and Industrial Press, 2001. p.16 60 (2) Tianzifang Another Lilong renovation project‐ Tianzifang then followed in this same direction, but in a more subtle way. Tianzifang is a Lilong complex in the Xuhui district in Shanghai, which turned out to be a well designed boutique commercial areas combined with studios and exhibition space of artists and designers. The contemporary art and the traditional art complement with each other. Also, in Tianzifang, not only is the architecture preserved but also a residential function remains. The lower level of the buildings are open to the alley as boutique shops or exhibition areas, but the upper levels are preserved for residential use, where some of the original residents still remain living in the house. But unfortunately, there are no strict laws or rules for the preservation of the original decorative elements of the Lilong housing. It was very common that during the reconstruction or repair work, the fragments and the original elements of Lilong architecture were frequently lost due to theft. Since their value is now recognized, these fragments could be sold at a very high price. Figure 17: Tianzifang ‐ example of adaptive reuse as art studio (Source: http://blog.news365.com.cn/sp1/yangshunhong/14021110342.shtml ) 61 As for the rehabilitation design, the new additions and alterations are emphasized to be distinguishable from the old. Some wood doors were replaced by glass to let the inner space flow into the lane. Some strengthening structures were made of steel to reveal the different interventions in different periods. In this project, the relationship between old and new, as contrast or balanced, has been considered in both design and conservation. The significance of culture and people’s lives has been reevaluated. The advantages of these two projects include: (1) raising the recognition of the value of Lilong architecture for government and developers, as well as the public; (2) the display of the historic value and economic value of Lilong architecture, and (3) the enhancement of the significance of the whole area and reinvigoration the surrounding environment. However, there are still some deficiencies. For example, the authenticity was destroyed due to overzealous reconstruction in Xintiandi. As for Tianzifang, the proportion of conserved original historic elements was increased compared to Xintiandi, but the conserved parts mostly serve for commercial purposes that create a special commercial space rather than cultural, educational enhancement or improvement of living conditions. It could also be concluded based on the above two examples that there were two options for rehabilitation: functional transition and cultural transition. However, the functional transition has proved to be less profound in retaining the cultural significance in its conflict with the rush to obtain high profits. The scale, people, and activities are totally changed, which just represents a specific time in the contemporary era rather than a sequence of historic collections or a long term perspective on living heritage. Therefore, as a more sustainable approach, cultural 62 transition should be gradually integrated into the historic Lilong. Although the life style and social structure have been changed, the intimate atmosphere in this cultural container is maintained, which is not only a significant aspect of this historic heritage but also valuable to current life. Per the long history and specific value system of China, preservationists need to conserve the Lilong with selective significance. Conservation should take the period that is mostly appreciated by the majority of the people as the priority of preservation and presentation, while the minor significant elements need to be conserved and enhanced as much as possible while being balanced with economic values and appropriate requirements of living conditions. Which parts to conserve and which are to be changed can be decided according to what function it will be rehabilitated to. 4.3.2 Conservation Management Regulation for Lilong and the problems examined in a sustainable aspect The applicable conservation regulations for Lilong include: The China Principles, and Preservation Guidelines for Historic Cultural Scenery and Heritage Architecture 2002. According to the master plan of urban planning of Shanghai from 1999‐2020: By 2020, Shanghai will conserve 234 integrated historic neighborhoods, 440 historic architecture complexes, in a total area of 13.85 km 2 , which covers 17.3% of the 82km 2 center of the city. The total area of conserved architecture reaches 10,000km 2 . Meanwhile, 50% of the Lilong Housing will be preserved or rehabilitated. 64 There are about 15,000,000m 2 Lilong Housing in Shanghai, among 64 Preservation Guidelines for Historic Cultural Scenery and Heritage Architecture, 2002 63 which, 6,000,000m 2 new type of Lilong house will be rehabilitated, and 9,000,000m 2 Lilong house which are in poor condition will be demolished year by year. 65 During process of conservation of Lilongs, to discover the problems and make refinements for these regulations should be a priority. The most serious problem is the lack of care for tenants. There are limited regulations for relocation and compensation issues. In these two aspects, the treatments of tenants are currently various depending on different situations, which are decided jointly by the real estate developers, and relocation bureau, which is under the justification of local government. Although limited communication with tenants is still carried on, their ideas are usually ignored. Therefore, the decision makers are very likely to work out a win‐win strategy that only benefits them. Besides, the fine for destruction and random change of the historic architecture is not high enough. For example, article 41 of Preservation Guidelines for Historic Cultural Scenery and Heritage Architecture 2002 indicates that if the heritage function and interior design are randomly changed and it is against the preservation rules without authorization, the fine will be around 20% of the restoration cost of this heritage property. Also, article 42 requires that the random changes of the historic architecture will need to be restored according to the preservation requirement OR the developer will have to pay a fine from 1‐3 times the 65 Fan, Wenbin. The Conservation and Renewal of Lilong Housing in Shanghai. Shanghai: Scientific and Technological Publishers, 2004. p46 64 restoration cost. If they demolish the registered historic architecture completely, the project owner should restore it and pay a fine up to reaches 3‐5 times of the restoration fee. 66 It should be noticed that the regulation states that if the historic property could be not restored, then those who break the rules will have to pay the fine, which means, if they pay the fine, they do not need to restore the property to its original condition. The amount of fine is just a tiny portion of the potential profit and the developers and project owners hardly care about it. What’s more, once they damage the heritage architecture, the damage is irreversible. Therefore, the calculation of the restoration fee is not fully clarified—how is completely restored condition identified and who is to conduct the restoration work? It’s highly possible that those who damage the property are not professional enough to accomplish the restoration and in that case, the authority has to take care of the damaged property. Also, who is to execute the investigation and penalty work is not articulated either, which leaves an excuse for the inappropriate change. The authority for conservation work in Shanghai is related to these departments: the Management Department of Municipal Urban Planning, the Land Use Management Department of Municipal Government, the Profession Committee (organized by the municipal government), and the Municipal Marshall. Besides, the documentation filing is done by the Urban Construction Archive. 66 Luo, Xiaowei,ed. Shanghai Xintiandi.Jiu qu gai zao de jian zhu li shi, ren wen li shi yu kai fa mo shi de yan jiu(Shanghai Xintiandi: Research on architectural history, humanity history, and development model of district renovation) Nanjing: Nanjing Press. 2002. p.23 65 The Preservation Guidelines for Historic Cultural Scenery and Heritage Architecture set up a basic legislative framework for the preservation of architectural heritage in Shanghai and protects it by law. Meanwhile, there also remain some grey areas that may lead to conflicts in management. Currently, three departments (Urban Planning Department, Real Estate Department and Cultural Heritage Management Bureau) work together on the conservation work, in which the Urban Planning Bureau is in charge of the overall planning management, the Cultural Heritage Management Bureau is in charge of the conservation management regarding the owner of historic relics, and the Real Estate Bureau is responsible for historic architecture conservation management. However, the architecture conservation management is based on the regulation of cultural legacy conservation, and mostly it is dealing with the properties that are still in use rather than the heritage conserved merely for exhibition. Since conserving cultural heritage and historic architecture preservation are quite different, it frequently leads to conflicts within the same guideline. Then a conservation committee office needs to be set up to coordinate between the three departments. 67 Moreover, since the range of Lilong heritage is relatively extensive, and most of the conservation work is focused on rehabilitation and adaptive reuse, the actual conservation work is still the responsibility of the designing party according to this regulation. The design proposal needs to be approved by the culture management committee of municipal government. However, since there are no specific design guidelines for rehabilitation design, these specific rules could refer to The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards in United States. The guidelines 67 “The Preservation Guidelines of Historic Cultural Scenery and Heritage Architecture”. Selection of International Charters and Chinese Regulation on the Preservation of Cultural Heritage. Zhang,Song ed. Shanghai: Tongji University Press,2007. pp.228‐233 66 listed the “don’ts” but no “do”s. currently, the treatment of how to recover the “incorrect‐ preserved” treatment is often in urgent need, since during these decades most heritages especially Lilongs have been conserved in an inappropriate manner. Moreover, the conservation cost is the responsibility for the owner, which increases the difficulty for spontaneous conservation. In a word, the conservation of Lilong is improving with the rise in public attention of its values. The interpretation between human values and spatial and physical environment helps to rethink the conservation approach profoundly. With the interpretation of above two aspects, together with the critic of existing conservation work of Xintiandi and Tianzifang, it is clear that, especially for China, the interpretation should consider the integral settings and contexts as well as the involving changes it has undergone. If these are recognized, there will be less reconstruction but more restoration and preservation, and the rehabilitation will be more authentic to the historic condition. After the era when everyone is eager for a “change” to catch up to developed countries in living conditions and city form, the reevaluation of the significance of heritage called for a slow‐down of this kind of “ change”. Any modification of a settlement is the result of human action, so the attention needs to be switched from merely physical settings to a broader study of human ideology. Is a tremendous and fast change good for the community as well as the city? Will the brand new look of heritage work for the contemporary tenants as well as in the future development? Will people evaluate these changes as fake imitation of relics thus lead to more destruction? This brings the questions from what to preserve and what to rehabilitate towards 67 how to value the consequence of current conservation practice. The process of experiment‐ rethink‐refining the experiment that enriched with evolving value systems in conservation in China still continues. 68 Chapter Five: Case study: Conservation of Jian Ye Li This chapter discusses how to develop further the interpretation of significance of an individual project to its specific settings and how to use this interpretation to critique the completed conservation work. Jian Ye Li is the very latest conservation project done in Shanghai, and its specific significance and problems will be examined. This will illustrate how to adapt the interpretation to a specific Lilong. The conservation approach is analyzed to generate a position of what is appropriate and what is still lacking with a focus on a critique that is based on the interpretation, and how the actual treatment failed to reflect the interpretation of significance. 5.1 Introduction of Jian Ye Li Jian Ye Li was built in 1930 by a joint French‐China real estate company. There were a total of 254 units, and the houses are mostly 2 stories, constructed in concrete and brick structure. It is located in the Xu Hui commercial district in central Shanghai. It covers 17400m 2 areas and the architectural floor area is about 20000m 2 . There are three parts to this Lilong: East Lane, Central Lane and West Lane. Jian Ye Li combines a western architectural facade form, material and texture, as well as the traditional Chinese community layout. Moreover, Jian Ye Li is the first residential complex that was named after a Chinese architecture firm in the French Concession in China. In 1994, it was listed as the second batch of late Shanghai preserved historic architecture. 69 Figure 18: The historic master plan of Central Lane (Source: Shanghai Urban Construction Archive. p11) Figure 19: Plot of Jian Ye Li in Early and Late 1940s (Source: provided by John Portman&Associates, Shanghai Office) Figure 20: Bird view of Jian Ye Li (Source: Photo by Liu, Gang, 11/10/2005 and 8/11/2006, Shanghai ) 70 5.2 Interpretation of significance Generated in the same context as other Lilong housing in the same overall background in Shanghai, Jian Ye Li is typical of Lilong housing in the city. In addition to the general significance discussed above, it also boasts specific values in regard to its individual context. 5.2.1 Architectural Significance In terms of architectural value, a main alley connects all the minor alleys and provides for public activities. The inner Lilong house is composed of: a sky well, living room, back living room, staircase, and a kitchen on the first floor and a front room, back room, staircase and garret or attic (which is typically in Shanghai house, that is located between the front and back room, and is usually very tiny and dark) on the second floor is an attic with a balcony on the third floor. There were no clear boundaries between living room space and bedroom space. The buildings are connected by the bridge gallery. Jian Ye Li is the typical result of new Shikumenn Lilong development, but it has also inherited features from early Lilong Housing design. For example, the decoration of the gable wall took the combined style of both the Netherlands and Spain with Spanish semicircle‐shaped tile and exposed red brick. Some decorations on the gable wall are simplified geometric forms which boast the aesthetic after the Cultural Revolution with influence of western culture. Some of them still retain the classic traditional architectural elements such as Matouqiang (stepped‐gable) and Guanyindou(arch) 68 . 68 Gable wall and pediment frame of the gate 71 Figure 21: Matouqiang(Source: Photo by Liu, Gang, 11/10/2005,Shanghai) Figure 22: Guanyindou(Source: Photo by Liu, Gang, 11/10/2005, Shanghai) 72 Figure 23: Ground Floor Plan (Source: provided by John Portman&Associates, Shanghai Office) Figure 24: First Floor Plan and Roof Plan Over Stair (Source: provided by John Portman&Associates, Shanghai Office) 5.2.2 Social and Community Values From the historic drawings, the evolution of commercial and residential relationships can be interpreted. Shops appeared as early as the initial emergance of Lilong. The “shop” which is also called “Hong” defines the different function of 3 portions of the Lilong, making these parts of the houses to be serve for the whole residential area and commercial space. The west lane is all for residential use without any interruption of commercial space. The retail stores along the street and the bridge galleries provide the buffer between the private residential life and the public street. The stores take full advantage of the units that face to the street which are not appropriate for living to bring about profit. 73 Figure 25: Diagram of the relationship between residential and commercial space ( Source: Drawn by author) The different layers of privacy, which are graded with the space from the main alley, the minor alley to the private court yard and house provide a transition from bustling street to peaceful family life. There are no high walls for security but tenants still feel safe and secure at home. To serve the tenants, Jian Ye Li itself is equipped with a Lilong community management committee, and an elementary school/kindergarten to supplement the culture and social activities for all residents, and help to take care of elderly people. The school provides easy access for the tenants so that parents or grandparents can drop their children off at the school before work and then pick them up after work. street shop live 74 Figure 26: Comic drawing of the school of Jian Ye Li (Source: Shanghai Zhangming Architectural Design Firm 69 ) 5.3 Conservation of Jian Ye Li The complete preservation of Jian Ye Li could not satisfy contemporary accommodation requirements and is counter to economic development in current Shanghai. Therefore, change and new content were needed in Jian Ye Li. Jian Ye Li also confronts the same problem as other Lilongs, such as overloading density, deteriorating structure, and functional changes. The conservation is based on Preservation Regulations of Historic Culture Scenic District and Heritage Architecture in Shanghai. The local government decided to restore the original function of this – one of the biggest Stone Gate Lilong houses in Shanghai –and regenerate it for contemporary use in August 2003. 70 69 Shanghai Zhangming Architectural Design Firm. Jian Ye Lane‐Shanghai Historic Lane. Shanghai: Far East Press, 2009. p.43 70 “The Preservation Guidelines of Historic Cultural Scenery and Heritage Architecture”. Selection of International Charters and Chinese Regulation on the Preservation of Cultural Heritage. Zhang,Song ed. Shanghai: Tongji University Press, 2007.pp.228‐233. 75 5.3.1 Project Introduction The principle of the Jian Ye Li project is to “restore as it was”. A thorough measured drawing documentation was conducted. Because the Lilong housing in west lane was less damaged and relatively typical, the restoration work was begun here. Only facades in the seriously damaged east lane will be restored according to their original design. Forty percent of the properties were restored as Stone Gate Lilong housing for accommodations, and the rest of them are designed to be high standard apartments and retails establishments with Lilong architectural characters. The conservation level of Jian Ye Li is in the category of Municipal level, Category IV of the conservation regulation. The facade is reconstructed according to the preservation control plan but with new material and current techniques. The scale will be based on planning requirements. According to the design proposal, the overall architectural floor area remains the same as the original design. Also the height will remain the same as the historic condition, which is around 11m. This treatment ensures the overall scenery to be as close as the original design as possible. As for the preservation management of the historic architecture, it is based on the different values and damage assessment. There are four categories of rehabilitation: (1) The façade, structural system, plan and interior decoration should not be changed; (2) The facade, structure and basic plan layout and featured decoration should not be changed, but rest of the building can be changed; (3) The façade and structural system should not be changed, but the interior can be changed; 76 (4) The main façade should not be changed but rest of the structure can be changed. 71 5.3.2 Specific Problems Since Jian Ye Li was constructed 70 years ago, too many tenants have exerted a burden on the architecture. There were about 4 households in each unit, and before the relocation work, there were more than 3000 residents. According to original design, Jian Ye Li was supposed to accommodate only 260 households. A 2002 survey counted 1050 households, 37 companies and 13 individual self‐employed retail stores. Also, there were about 3700m 2 of unauthorized construction. 72 Also, the kitchens and sky wells were all shared by 3‐4 households, and there are no private bathrooms. Before the conservation project, the basic infrastructure was in poor condition and some tenants were still using portable Matong. The ground floor was relative low and is easily flooded when it rains heavily. Figure 27: Jian Ye Li before rehabilitation work. (Source: Photo by Liu, Gang, 12/26/2005) 71 Zhang, Song: Selection of International Charters and Chinese Regulation on the Preservation of Cultural Heritage. Shanghai: Tongji University Press, 2007. pp.228‐240 72 Shanghai Building Quality Examination Bureau. Quality Examination of Jian Ye Li on Jian Guo Rd, (001)2002‐198, 2002. 77 Moreover, the architecture was seriously damaged. The walls of the units along the street were broken open to make room for retail stores, and the door frames, pediment decorations, and sky wells all disappeared to accommodate retail space. Chimneys were changed or destroyed. Due to the humid climate and frequent flooding, the bottom parts of the structures, especially the timber components were fragile and deteriorated. Too much unauthorized construction and lack of maintenance aggravated the damage. 73 5.3.3 Conservation of Tangible Significance As discussed in Chapter 2, the conservation of tangible significance relates to the architectural, structure, ornamental details and layout. The core of this part of the thesis focuses on the restoration of the original architectural façade, including cleaning the facade, replacing the inappropriate elements, and restoring lost character and lost architectural elements. (1) Replacing the inappropriate elements: The recent constructed brick walls, which used different materials and were constructed in a different style were pulled down and replaced by old bricks with details that are similar as the decorations on the other walls. The scale and size of wall and decoration are both the same. In terms of appearance, the Chinese tend to use the approach of preservation and restoration. (2) Restoring the lost character and architectural elements: The chimneys all have been restored according to the original design. The block concrete has been carefully removed and the mortar and brick which are the same as 73 According to the Building Quality Examination Report on May 2002 by Shanghai Building Quality Examing Bureau.No.(001) 2002‐198. It suggests a thorough reconstruction with some preservation of the scenery. 78 the original were used to conduct the restoration work. The attic, roof window and skylight have also been restored. The additions have been removed. Also, broken timber trusses and beams have been replaced by new ones which match the original material and form. 74 As for the timber windows and doors, almost all of them have been replaced by ones with the same type of materials. The wooden louvers have been restored thus regaining the original sense of material and texture of the façade, together with addressing the concern for heat conservation. The rehabilitation construction process took several steps. First, all the structures, decoration, and equipment were thoroughly inspected before the construction work began. Then, the hidden items were inspected, when there was any difference between the structure, construction components, and material quality of the current situation compared with the original design in the historic drawings, the current condition are to be remained and request further inspection before any action. Take advantage of existing structure is an economic way for conservation without any influence on the appearance. The key architectural elements have been taken care of very carefully, the material, craftsmanship and construction methods were supposed to be tested on site and could only be constructed after the test is approved. In this way, the significance of tectonic and architectural value could be conserved. 74 Shanghai Zhangming Architectural Design Firm. Jian Ye Lane‐Shanghai Historic Lane.,Shanghai Far East Press, 2009. 79 In a word, the conservation of physical elements is not only limited to the actual property, but also includes the integral material context and technology as well as its feeling. The original historic materials which were in good condition were still maintained. The sense of history reflected in the materials could be interpreted and the new materials could be distinguished from the old ones. 5.3.4 Conservation of Intangible Significance The conservation of intangible significance of Jian Ye Li includes commercial and residential relationships, strengthening the public space to regenerate the community life, but with little concern for the tenants and the historic cultural significance. After the rehabilitation work, the whole property is intended to serve contemporary life with elite tenants accommodated in it. The rehabilitation project was completed by Shanghai Portman Architectural Design Group, Shanghai Hengfu Real Estate INC and CP Asia JYL Ltd. Aside from the 51 Stone Gate Lilong Housing that were conserved, there are 62 hotel‐style apartments and 4000 square meters of commercial area. 75 The rehabilitation and new work are mostly focused on the interior. Taking the west wing as an example, it is of the most significant historic value for two reasons: On one hand, the scale and the architectural style form maintain integrity, their making it a historic heritage landmark. On the other hand, the architectural details that represent the craftsmanship of the architectural technology as well as the appreciation of that architectural aesthetic in that period of time. 75 Chen,Wei. “New transformation of Jian Ye Li”. Wenhui Newspaper: <http://whb.eastday.com/w/20100312/u1a704977.html>. 3/12/2010 80 There are totally 6 rows of Lilong houses in the west lane and the residential function has been maintained. The overall layout follows the original one and the houses along the street are used as retail in the ground floor mixed with residential space above. The second row is designed to be studios. The rest of the houses are designed to be hotel style apartments. Figure 28: Standard plan and elevation in west lane (Source: provided by John Portman&Associates, Shanghai Office) 81 To fit contemporary family life, the interior layout is designed into several types according to the function. (1) Commercial Retail and Studio The original space layout especially the sky wells had been destroyed by the randomly unauthorized construction. In the design, these additions were moved and the sky well space was restored into a pleasant shared space and also used for natural lighting and ventilation. Together with the layout of retail space below and studio above, all these changes match the facade design regarding the window openings. The standard unit is composed of: the stone gate wall and sky well in the south facade; the front house (second floor); the back house (third floor and the deck), and the staircase that connected the front and back house. (2) Storey and Facade The mezzanine and level difference were supposed be moved and changed in the two story structure. In order not to affect the appearance of the north facade, the floor structure was kept away from the window opening, which again displays the Chinese designer and preservationist’s emphasis on the façade. (3) Retail The retail on the first floor was designed to be divided into 4 shops according to the original fire walls. Each store was equipped with restrooms and other facilities and services. 82 (4) Studio Design The studio level takes up the layout of hotel. Corridors connect each studio units and there are double room units and single room units according to the original fire walls. The east and west ends are designed to be two special suites. This maintains the original structural system both horizontally and vertically, which also provides for efficient construction. The other five rows of serviced apartments take up the original plan and structure for layout. Therefore, the 11 units totally preserve the original space layout of Lilongs. Taking the unit of east wing as an example, the rooms are divided according to the different functions of modern life and are inserted into the traditional Lilong housing space that is coordinated with the old structure. As for the ground floor level layout, when entering the Lilong house, one must go through the sky well, with dinner room on the east and living room on the west. The wing room to the south is close to the garden, and a study room has been added. The second floor is relatively more private. The staircase leads to the study room which is above the bathroom and one more level up is the bedroom area. The master bedroom is equipped with a bathroom in the cross street bridge. Above the study room, there is a bathroom equipped for the two bedrooms, which meets the needs for modern life. The vertical connection is realized by both the staircase and an elevator between the kitchen and dining room, which opens to the living room. This elevator can reaches to the second floor, 83 and opens to the corridor that connects the three bedrooms. This new addition solves the handicapped problem. 5.3.5 Conservation Management Conservation management is a team‐work effort between government, and the developer as well as the tenants themselves. The current management work is primarily based on the developer and design team with limited supervision from the government. (1) Economic impact The economic issue is a key element for Lilong housing conservation since the developer and investors have the major voice in the actual construction work. The economics of conservation management include two issues: New commercial functions to stimulate the economy and economic incentives to encourage conservation. In Jian Ye Li, the economic stimulation was taken into account while the economic incentives were ignored. In addition, the overall real estate market in Shanghai plays an important role in conservation. According to the research, 40%‐60% of the high‐end real estate properties in the urban center are bought by investors rather than actual tenants. The average real estate price doubled within only three years. To be specific, from 10/2004 to 1/2005, the price went up by 20%. At the end of 2004, the highest price reached 17000/m 2 RMB. As for the middle class Shanghai local people, the annual spendable income is about 84 42000 RMB, which could only purchase 2.5 m 2 . 76 The 51 villa type houses in new Jian Ye Li will reach 130000rmb/m 2 , which means the tenants need to have 30,000,000‐ 50,000,000 RMB to afford it, when by comparison the average income is 2000‐ 4000rmb/month. 77 On one hand, the value of renovated Lilongs has been extensively appreciated, and on the other, this creates more difficulties for the relocation of the original tenants as some of them do not wish to sacrifice a potentially high profit house for a unit far away from the urban center. This is why those who insist to stay in their house regardless any threaten by the property demolishing team request a high compensation fee. This has frequently caused social conflicts between low income tenants and elite tenants in these cases. What the rehabilitated Jian Ye Li attracts are the very high‐class tenants with decent incomes, so there is a swift shift from the poor grade of housing of immigrants and old people to high value real estate property. Whether this transition is positive or negative to the society needs to be considered according to its specific settings. Although the rehabilitated Lilong architecture accommodates elite tenants and boasts good architectural quality and aesthetic values, the history of the late 20th should not be ignored so as not to cause a disconnection between ordinary people and the elite class. Thus, the compensation methods could take advantage of the profit for the developers and government and accordingly raise the relocation compensation for the original tenants, to ensure the relocation won’t 76 Zhao, Hesheng. Regeneration of Yipin Village‐ Integral Conservation of Historic District. P79‐80 Nanjing: Southeast University Press.2008 pp.79 77 Zhao, Hesheng. Regeneration of Yipin Village‐ Integral Conservation of Historic District. P79‐80 Nanjing: Southeast University Press.2008 pp.79‐81 85 cause clear boundaries in the city between elite classes in the urban center and ordinary people on the outskirts. (2)Social and cultural enforcement – by tenants In Jian Ye Li, there were few considerations regarding the reorganization of a healthy social structure and enhancement of the local culture and community identity. The shared public infrastructure was replaced by landscape and commercial stores, with the private sanitation and private kitchens in each household. In this case, activities in public space will be much less than before, which creates a Lilong community of inner‐oriented space with clear boundaries between the streets. The community committee is also responsible for enhancing the communication and activities in the Lilong to ensure the identity of Jian Ye Li is still carried on after the shift from previous tenants to the new upper‐class ones. Following rehabilitation, the question of how to establish an intimate community and organize events that will attract the elite people and stimulate communication is a big problem. Contemporary residents are more willing to use the internet via social networks than engage in face to face communication. The designer and preservation architect needs to create a space or function to stimulate activities so that the value of Lilong for the tenants is more than just an accommodation space, but a home, which enhances the social significance of Lilong Housing. (3) Regulations and Management –by Government Jian Ye Li is included in the list of Heritage Architecture of Shanghai and follows the national and local regulations discussed above. To be specific, there are no detailed design guidelines especially for Lilong rehabilitation, and no specific detailed and 86 authorized design guideline customized for Jian Ye Li. In this case, the rehabilitation and reconstruction overrode the preservation considerations which reflect the contemporary need to create of a living space that fits with the modern life. The new designs also aimed to enhance the level of the whole community, refine the place and create a high class accommodation which serves the purpose of the developers to attract wealthy tenants. Therefore, the conservation of Lilongs follows the basic principle of conserving the heritage in a general visual way and the rehabilitation design depends on the developers and design team. This may easily lead to a prototype for developers when they deal with Lilong conservation projects driven by making maximum profit, which is not good for a diverse growth and mixed development of the city. 5.4 Comments In conclusion, the rehabilitation of Jian Ye Li reflects the features and shortcomings of conservation concepts and treatment of conservation in China: • Superficial Restoration In this aspect, the restoration is mainly centered on the appearance of the architecture, and usually the conservationists strive to restore the exterior according to its original design. This reflects the phenomenon that Chinese conservation approaches respect the original design. The professionals in China consider this case study to not be a completely successful one and it cannot be considered as “restoration to what it was”. Prof. Ruan Yisan, the director of Historic Cultural City Research Center and professor in Tongji University criticized the renovation work 87 for having too much reconstruction. Ruan Yisan indicated that restoration should use the original materials, and the original craftsmanship to realize the original look. The details are also important elements of the whole. 78 However, the conservation work paid too much attention to the overall architecture style and demolished too many historic details, which just maintains the overall look rather than the overall character of the property. What’s more, Prof. Ruan does not support a renovation approach that turns a residential community into an overly commercial district. He believes that the life style and unique residential atmosphere should be preserved as the essence of the historic Lilong Housing in Shanghai. The properties that were in poor conditions were usually demolished first and then reconstructed. The integrity of historic and culture significance of Lilongs were ignored. The spatial layout, architectural meanings, design and details did not correspond to the exterior form. • The Striving for a Fast‐food Style Economy and its Political Impact Fast‐food economy means everything is produced and consumed in a swift way and is based on a prototype that could be reproduced in large quantity. In way, conservation in China cannot achieve a complete preservation authenticity, but transforms the properties into the products that adapt to current markets and lifestyles. Conservation in China is more economic and tourism driven, so that most funding comes from the developers. Therefore, conservation work is driven by economically considerations. 78 Zhou,Sili. “51 villas in Jian Ye Li are being sold at 130,000rmb/m 2 ”. Jian Fang Morning Newspaper <http://news.qq.com/a/20100318/001898.htm>. 3/18/2010. 88 The political impacts include: superficial social benefits and short‐term emphasize on political performance, which means the conservation work simply solved the superficial problems. Since conservation work could not realize an economic return in a short time, the politicians in office are not willing to allocate government funds to support conservation work. Therefore, conservation projects also reflect poor design and construction quality, which can only satisfy immediate needs of that period, not long term goals. • Individual over Integral The conservation in Jian Ye Li focused on individual property rather than a broader context. It is very common in China that historic architecture is surrounded by different types of new construction that do not compliment with each other. The conserved project was isolated. For example, in Xintiandi, the museum is in the middle of the hustle and bustle of shops and restaurants that lack culture atmosphere. There were no eye catching signs and emphasis on the museum within the commercial complex and people need to pay to get into it. According to the interview of the ticket office, mostly foreign tourists visited the museum and this reflects a lack of the connection with local people. 79 • Documentation problems Documentation itself is a way of conservation aside from the actual conservation action. Documentation helps to integrate the interpretation of significance into the contemporary context and values. The documentation of Jian Ye Li of both its past and current condition could have facilitated the understanding of the growth of the city, such as the urban sprawl from its 79 Wang, Qihong. Personal Interview in Xintiandi Feb.2011 89 center to its outlying area, the transition from residential to commercial in the urban center, and the development of private space within the urban public space. In the documentation, considering that Lilongs were once used as elite residential complexes, it is more reasonable to turn the deteriorated Lilongs into high‐class service apartments. The conservation of Lilong is becoming more and more related to the overall city, and new additions should correspond to the old properties. • Lack of Care of Tenants Despite the attention to the actual architecture preservation, the rehabilitation in Jian Ye Li failed to care for tenants enough and so the authenticity of the architecture was not well preserved. Though the living condition for the original tenants will definitely be improved, many of them are still reluctant to sacrifice the good location, cheap rent, and the connections with the neighbors and community. Unfortunately, this part is more related to the political situation and is complicated to change in a short time. During the investigation of the original tenants, it was found that the overloaded density has two sides: although it caused the limited of space and conflicts, neighbors tended to care about each other and to form a sense of family and intimacy. During the hot summer, tenants even opened their doors and windows during the whole night for the sake of cooling down the house without worrying about the security, since everyone will keep an eye on their neighbors’ properties. 90 The actual strategy of relocation is to invite the residents to move out, and they have two options for compensation: 1) receive a distant apartment unit, which is free or discounted; 2) or receive a compensation of cash to purchase a house. These two options can also be combined in some cases and different situations with negotiation. Many doubts are raised by the relocation of the original tenants‐‐‐where are they going? This method, which “moves one house and compensates another” or “new blood in the old skin” definitely change the original social network swiftly. Jane Jacobs once criticized this tremendous change of society in her Death and Life of Great American Cities, were she mentioned that this huge cost didn’t really contribute anything, and it didn’t reduce the number of slums but just move one slum to another place, which creates a larger area of slums. 80 If the renovation of Lilong Housing takes “improving the living condition” and “improving the urban landscape” as an excuse for more profit in real estate, the destruction of Lilong is in evitable and is definitely negative to the society. The urban renewal should follow a track that seeks consecutive, continuous, gradual and complicated as well as delicate change. The introduction of commercial elements also changed the original residential character of the place. After the rehabilitation, the tenants have been changed. The low‐income residents moved out and the tenants who can afford the house are wealthy elite. Therefore, the class of residents is also improved but the overall cultural and social atmosphere very possibly lacks intimacy and a sense of family. There are limited harmonious communications between neighbors, and each unit is private and secured well, which separates the intangibly significant relationship between neighbors. Besides, the demolition of historic architecture plus overwhelming new construction 80 Jane Jacobs. The Death and Life of Great American Cities. New York: Random House. February 1993. p.243 91 destroyed the authenticity of the historic heritage site. Although some parts of the historic architecture were preserved, the proportion of new construction to historic structures is not appropriate for a historic heritage site. But in later projects such as Jian Ye Li and Tianzifang, the emphasis on the historic appearance is beginning to become recognized. Although the conservation of Jian Ye Li reflects some problems in the current conservation work in China, it still brought about great values. This case exerts great social and cultural influence on the whole city. Linked with Xintiandi and Tianzifang, the conservation of Jian Ye Li further raised the awareness of historic preservation in China and efficiently turned the slums into high class residential houses. Lilong life and cultural and economic diversity could be realized by more conservation projects in the future, combining commercial, cultural, historic, artistic, and tourism needs. Ultimately, more people will be willing to live in the Lilong. 92 Chapter Six: Case Study of the Tenement House in New York Although it is a museum and has not been rehabilitated for everyday use, Tenement Museum can serve an example to display how to fully interpret the significance of a heritage site in its social and cultural contexts and how preservation and rehabilitation work to enhance the historic value as well as the contemporary use. 6.1 Brief introduction of Tenement House The architecture of the Tenement Museum represents the style of a typical American tenement house. The façade is in the Italianate style but in a simplified form which follows the architectural trends in New York City in the early 1860s. The windows are all double hung two over two wood sashes originally painted creamy white with a finish coat of varnish. 81 The Tenement House shares many similarities with Shanghai Lilongs. For example, each unit was occupied as the home or residence of more than three families living independently of one another, and doing their cooking upon the premises, or by more than two families upon a floor, but having a common right in the halls, stairways, yards, water‐closets or privies. 82 Similarly, the yard was the place where women gathered and socialized while doing their laundry, which is very similar to the sky in a Shanghai Lilong. Also, due to the limits of the space, tenants stored private belongings outside regardless of the prohibition of the laws. The activities in the shared 81 Dolkart, Andrew S. Biography of a Tenement House in New York City: An Architectural History of 97 Orchard Street. New York: The Center for American Places‐Santa Fe and Staunton, 2008. p.26 82 Dolkart, Andrew S. Biography of a Tenement House in New York City: An Architectural History of 97 Orchard Street. New York: The Center for American Places‐Santa Fe and Staunton, 2008. p.13‐14 93 space also provided communication. Some of the rooms were used as home factories‐ regardless of the prohibition of a law established in 1892. 83 The tenants in New York were composed of immigrants, such as eastern European Jews, Italians and Russians in nineteenth and twentieth centuries. 84 The tenants were mostly working at skilled jobs such as housekeeping and sewing and related fields according to the 1870 census record. 85 This is very similar to the immigrant tenants in Shanghai Lilongs. The overload immigrant tenants lead to a degrading of both architectural quality and quality of life, which caused this area full of the poor. 6.2 Preservation and Rehabilitation Approach of Tenement House 6.2.1 Architecture and Infrastructure As for the preservation of architecture, the preservation work was done by Li‐Saltzman Architects in 1988 that specializes in historic preservation issues. The work included: adding more skylight in the hallways to improve the natural lighting and ventilation for the whole building; add windows to the dark rooms that originally have no windows. Also, air shafts are constructed for ventilation. 83 Dolkart, Andrew S. Biography of a Tenement House in New York City: An Architectural History of 97 Orchard Street. New York: The Center for American Places‐Santa Fe and Staunton, 2008. p.50 84 Dolkart, Andrew S. Biography of a Tenement House in New York City: An Architectural History of 97 Orchard Street. New York: The Center for American Places‐Santa Fe and Staunton, 2008. pp.100‐104 85 Dolkart, Andrew S. Biography of a Tenement House in New York City: An Architectural History of 97 Orchard Street. New York: The Center for American Places‐Santa Fe and Staunton, 2008. p.19 94 All these compromised with the contemporary life. There were two rooms remained as what it looked like when founded, some are still sealed off and the rest of the rooms were restored. 86 This approach retained each layer of the history as wondering in the museum, the visitors can fully experience the Tenement House in different period of time. 6.2.2 Rehabilitation The goal of the Tenement Museum’s mission statement is to “promote tolerance and historical perspective through the presentation and interpretation of the variety of immigrant and migrant experiences in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, a gateway to America.” 87 Lawrence Veiller, the leader of New York State Tenement House Commission, believed that “bad the Tenement House conditions were the cause of most of the problems in our modern cities.” 88 Therefore, after a long debate and negotiation, this historic heritage was decided to be transformed from accommodation space to life style museum with the culture integrity. Tourists are exposed in an authentic historic environment of immigrant history with narrative interpretation. This rehabilitation approach actually still preserves all the content of the historic property, while takes these preserved content as a tool for history reinterpretation. Guided tours are used to introduce the artifacts and history of the architecture and residential life here to the visitors through a combination of storytelling and presentation of archival data, 86 Dolkart, Andrew S. Biography of a Tenement House in New York City: An Architectural History of 97 Orchard Street. New York: The Center for American Places‐Santa Fe and Staunton, 2008. p.114 87 Lower East Side The Tenement Museum. “Mission Statement”, approved by the Board of Directors, 10/1988. <http://www.tenement.org/>. 4/16/2010 88 Veiller, Lawrence. “The Tenement House reform in New York City, 1834‐1900”, in Robert E.DeForest and Lawrence Veiller, eds., The Tenement House Problem, vol.1. New York: Macmillan, 1903. p.109. 95 such as immigration and census records. The diverse life and occupations in the Tenement House reflect the immigrant experience in a larger sense and the history of the evolution of the Tenement House. There are two different main public tours in the museums. One is called “Getting By” tour and another one is called ““Piecing it together.” First part is focus on the life of Natalie Gumpertz from 1870s and 1930s. Natalie was a central European Jewish immigrant. She opened a sweatshop in her living room after being deserted by her husband. Her simple furniture and the decoration of her room are exposed to the public to show the difficult life of her family as well as how a woman made a living in this apartment at that time. Her home made business was integrated into her residential life as the visitors can see from the sewing machines and dress patterns. A second part of this tour focuses on the period of Depression, presented by home of the Baldizzi family who immigrated to New York from Sicily. They were one of the last families to occupy 97 Orchard Street before all the residents were evicted in 1935 under Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia’s new housing reforms. The guides introduce Progressive Era housing reforms that led to architectural changes in the tenement structures between the time that the Gumpertz and Baldizzi families resided there. A surviving family member recreates an oral history to introduce their family history during the period of depression and the relative comfortable life. 89 The second of the main tours focuses on the garment industry. Two Jewish families lived in the tenement two decades apart, one is during the 1870s which is the first decade of “Great 89 Veiller, Lawrence. “The Tenement House reform in New York City, 1834‐1900”, in Robert E.DeForest and Lawrence Veiller, eds., The Tenement House Problem, vol.1(New York: Macmillan,1903),p.109. 96 Migration”. The family used the tenement living space to open a home sweatshop, which is another example of integrating commercial functions into the residential functions. It interprets the garment trade in New York and its Jewish involvement. The second family immigrated to America in the 1910s, and a living space is set up in the tradition of Shiva, or Jewish mourning, for the family’s breadwinner. In this apartment, guides discuss the continuity of ethnic traditions after emigration and the importance of community to immigrant families and the immigrant activities. The live interpretation through both oral history by the guides and surviving tenants as well as the display of the historic scene artifacts in the apartments helps the visitors fully feel the tragedy and difficulty in the immigration history. Some minor tours and weekend tours are complementary to invite people of all ages from kids to aged people to come and experience the history. The direct visit and discussion with the guides helps to enhance their understanding about the Tenement House as well as the Lower East Side of New York City. The immigrant situation is fully explained, from the tenants’ expectation to its harsh realities. The Tenement Museum’s commitment to reconstructing the past and making connections between different generations of immigrants makes it an appealing and enriching experience for all visitors interested in the history of New York City and the people who lived there. 6.3 Comments The transition from a residential house to museum is a direct way to preserve the history, culture and architecture of a place. First, this approach completely preserves the life styles of earlier eras – including the furniture, settings, ornaments, instruments as well as home business 97 implements, such as sewing machines and clothes, which display the daily life in the Tenement House. This museum tells a story of the immigrant tenants by creating a true settings rather than fabricating history with exhibited historic artifacts. The architecture including the original architectural materials and structures as well as the site, in a larger sense, is complimentary to the whole Lower East Side of New York City. The rehabilitation of the tenement house into a museum also establishes a landmark for the whole area in terms of cultural and educational meaning. The conservation of The Tenement Museum is one example that reflects a specific treatment by United States preservationists. First of all, the documentation work placed equal value on each era, and the overall preservation of physical architecture ranging from interior to exterior. No changes were made if they are avoidable. Especially in the Tenement Museum, some rooms were maintained as when it was discovered, and each layer of paint on the window and door frames were studied to document the evolution of each historic period. Second, the evolution of The Tenement House was connected with immigrant history in the past. In order to re‐enforce this significance, the transition into a museum should be the most appropriate approach to reuse. Moreover, the conservation also concerns the users and their understanding of the whole Lower East Side Area, into which the educational and social values of the contemporary world extend the historic significance of The Tenement House. This approach is also sustainable since the significance will be overlap with the significance of museum and its affect on the overall area. Last but not least, the rehabilitation is merely the transition of function, taking the preserved physical settings to the new use, while minimizing any artificial intervention into the physical 98 settings. This is also the result of respect for each layer of history and the significance of the social role of the Tenement Museum as a typical example of housing in Lower East Side of New York City. In this case, the broad interpretation successfully led to profound and appropriate conservation approaches that retain and enhance the significance of the heritage. It not only reflects the current understanding of the people and their history but also serves for the future and the larger urban area in a sustainable way. 99 Chapter Seven: Recommendation for Conservation of Shanghai Lilong This chapter lists brief recommendations related to enhancing the practice of rehabilitation to respond to the interpretation of significance discussed above. The purpose of conservation is to maximally maintain and present the significance of a complex. As stated in the China Principles, the purpose of all the principles is to ensure good practice in the conservation of heritage sites, which refers to all measures carried out to preserve the physical remains of sites and their historic settings. The aim of conservation is to preserve the authenticity of all the elements of the entire heritage site and to retain for the future its historic information and all its values. 90 The suggestions below are based on this aim, which is also reflected in the contemporary interpretation of significance of historic property. 7.1 Mixed Use and Function Transition Since change is inevitable in China, especially the transition of function and tenants, rehabilitation could realize diverse approaches to conservation. Mixed use could include several types of uses such as high quality apartments with hotel style service, multi‐type residential communities with several retail cores, as well as residential community with art and cultural centers/research institutes/museums. Moreover, in order to facilitate modern residential life, the homes for the elderly and kindergartens could also be accommodated into Lilong communities. 90 Agnew, Neville, and Martha Demas, eds. Principles for the Conservation of Heritage Sites in China Principles for the Conservation of Heritage Sites in China (China Principle). Los Angeles: The Getty Conservation Institute, 2004. Article 2, Chapter 1 100 Fig 28: Rehabilitation based on the historic structure and space layout (Source: by author, studio work in Tongji University, Shanghai, 2006) Fig 29: diagram of approach of commercial input in residential complex (Source: by author, studio work in Tongji University, Shanghai, 2006) As Kevin Lynch stated in the Theory of Good City Form, dimension of performance and vitality are two of the key issues for a healthy growth of community as well as the whole city. Mixed use and diverse development could satisfy different people’s needs and provide development in a slow and gradual pace starting from small scale phases. 91 91 Lynch, Kevin. Good City Form. Cambridge, Massachusetts and London: The MIT Press, 2001. Commercial core 101 7.2 Architecture Upgrade Aside from functional change, other design elements also need to be considered, such as the street façade, which contributes to the streetscape as a whole. In The Preservation of Historic Architecture ‐ the U.S. Government’s Official Guidelines for Preserving Historic Homes as an example, there is a section on Rehabilitating Historic Storefronts, as these storefronts are regarded as the identifying the place. Decision concerning which historic signs should be preserved and which part repaired should be made before rehabilitation. Shanghai Lilong can take the U.S. guidelines as a reference to set up rules according to its own situation in evaluating physical structure, including style category, character, material, as well as color, construction methods, etc, to enhance the systematic study and preservation of the actual physical historic elements. Architectural upgrades also include the seismic retrofit, establishing specific criteria for new or upgraded mechanical systems, prioritizing the requirement for the new climate control systems, minimizing the impact of the new HVAC on the existing architecture, and balancing quantitative requirements and preservation objectives. 7.3 Management According to the current situation in China, comprehensive conservation management is the key issue to protect historic property and preserve the significance in a systematic way. The overall management could balance the benefit of each party. The government could take advantage of the market forces to stimulate multiple economic supports to put the conservation of Lilong into a broader range of urban renewal, laying more emphasis on the conservation of historic culture 102 for the public. Moreover, further development of the conservation regulation for Lilong based on the practice should not be ignored, for example, to assess the heritage architecture on multiple levels from the single building to the community, and to encourage more organizations to be involved in the conservation work. Lilong Housing in Shanghai is in the category of historic cultural district/community, which is in the scope of the regulations and guidelines of the China Principles. Currently, the China Principles are not widely applied to the conservation of Lilong, but as the newest guideline with international experience and reference, it could be related to the actual conservation practice. To be specific, In China Principles, Chapter II, article 9 states that Conservation of heritage sites involves six steps undertaken in the following order: (1) identification and investigation; (2) assessment; (3) formal proclamation as an officially protected site and determination of its classification;(4) Preparation of a conservation master plan; (5) implementation of the conservation master plan; and (6) periodic review of the master plan. 92 Currently, the conservation work on Lilong housing in Shanghai has preliminarily completed the identification, investigation, and partially completed the assessment work. Also, the preparation of a conservation master plan and implementation is still in process, which is conducted in a joint effort by the government, developers, and the architectural conservation firm/team both home and abroad. This process needs continuous amendment and improvement according to the changing situation. 92 Agnew, Neville, and Martha Demas, eds. Principles for the Conservation of Heritage Sites in China Principles for the Conservation of Heritage Sites in China. 2nd Printing with revision. Los Angeles: The Getty Conservation Institute, 2004. 103 As for the integrity conservation, In Chapter 3 “Conservation Principles”, the article 24 states that: The setting of a heritage site must be conserved. Natural and cultural landscapes that form part of a site’s setting contribute to its significance and should be integrated with its conservation. Elements in the setting that are potentially hazardous or that may adversely affect the landscape must be addressed. Oversight and management of the setting should be improved and appropriate conservation and management measures proposed when needs are identified. 93 The integration of historic culture heritage with the site and settings could be specifically interpreted through several levels. To be specific, when inserting new commercial elements into the site, the overall distribution of the commercial property should be considered as a whole, including the style, the scale, the scope of service. All these need to be appropriate with each other and the original situation. Also, the public space such as the street parking, small scale plazas, facilities, and the series rows of traditional local retail stores, need to be treated as a bond with the whole community as well as a place that contains all of its activities should be conserved as the intangible heritage. The Article 28 of China Principles requires that “treatment includes the following four categories: regular maintenance; physical protection and strengthening; minor restoration; and major restoration.” 94 This article lists the several steps for the complete process of conservation at all levels. In the Lilong Housing in Shanghai, regular maintenance and actual conservation is 93 Agnew, Neville, and Martha Demas, eds. Principles for the Conservation of Heritage Sites in China Principles for the Conservation of Heritage Sites in China (China Principle). Los Angeles: The Getty Conservation Institute, 2004. p64 94 Agnew, Neville, and Martha Demas, eds. Principles for the Conservation of Heritage Sites in China Principles for the Conservation of Heritage Sites in China. 2nd Printing with revision. Los Angeles: The Getty Conservation Institute, 2004. p.130. 104 seriously ignored. For example, only until the roof is leaking or the ceiling is falling will the tenants report this to the property management team for repair. 95 Regular maintenance to the Lilong Housing should include the inspection of the architectural quality as well as the maintenance of the infrastructure. Tenants need to be encouraged to inspect the house themselves frequently and report any damage instantly. Also, in this principle, it states that the intervention should be minimal and reconstruction should be carefully decided upon and approved. As discussed above, there are four categories of treatments for historic architecture according to its historic, scientific and artistic value as well as its level of deterioration status in article 25 of Preservation Guideline of Heritage Architecture in Shanghai. These rules fully define the treatment in historic preservation. However, they fail to reference the practical details. At the same time, it is hard to define which category the historic property should be included in, as the boundaries are blurring. Therefore, each area/district needs to define itself regarding the significance through comprehensive survey and then work out a specific guideline according to their different situations as well as the whole context in the city. What’s more, the statement needs to be easily understandable since the readers will also include ordinary tenants. Take the Golden Lane Estate in London as an example, the guidelines provide clear rules for almost every aspect of the architecture. To be specific, it states that tenants can modify the interior decoration (which means that wall can be repainted and wall paper can be applied); The sink, toilet, faucet in the bathroom can be updated, and the electricity devices (such as refrigerator) and the power switches, as well as carpet can be changed. Especially, when referring to the 95 Chen, Huiqian. Personal Interview with residents in Lilong in Huaihaifang in Shanghai.7/2007 105 change of floors, it states additionally that the new floor needs to be suspended above the old if replaced and may need approval. The change of interior door needs to be reported for approval. The staircase, exterior door and windows are not allowed to be replaced. 96 All the items are very clear and specific to both the tenants and planners. There is not too much terminology. The rules itself read like suggestions for the tenants as a good way to take care of their home, which encourages the tenants to be more willing to help with the preservation work. In the contemporary China, conservation aims to safeguard the place. In Chinese people’s mind, only if the place is maintained and protected, no matter how the function changes, will it be accepted by the whole city such as in the examples of Xintiandi and Tianzifang. In the long run, with the development of the country, the conservation of the place will improve with the more comprehensive and thorough interpretation of significance of the past, which will lay a solid foundation for conservation work. In the future, in order to realize an integral conservation and organic and healthy growth of the city. Conservation should be based on a respect for the existing fabric and should involve the least possible physical intervention, as well as take into consideration all aspects of cultural significance without unwarranted emphasis on any one at the expense of others. Techniques employed for preservation purposes should be traditional but in some circumstances they may be modern ones for which a firm scientific basis exists and which has been supported by a body of experience. Conservation also requires the maintenance of an appropriate visual setting, e.g. 96 City of London. Golden Lane‐Listed Building Management Guidelines.1 st Draft. <http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/DE744783‐F030‐4ABE‐8BBA‐ A67D388E8610/0/DP_PL_DraftGuidelinesPartOne.pdf>. 11/26/2010 106 form, scale, color, texture and materials. Alternations or demolitions that affect the settings should be excluded. The tenants themselves can be involved in the survey work. Especially since most houses are not accessible for the surveyor and the professional surveyors who may not notice some hidden problems, the tenants are one of the best choices for the survey work. The planners can issue some investigation forms to the tenants, request them to fill them out and take some pictures; meanwhile, they can communicate with each other. Thus, these approaches not only accelerate and improve the survey work but also stimulate the tenants to realize the significance of their house for conservation educational purposes. The conservation of Lilong in Shanghai should (1)lay more emphasis on the architectural integrity of form,(both interior and exterior), the material and tectonics that reflect architectural significance; (2) consider the new function in the context of the local, as well as the city, together with the relationship with other Lilong projects so as to enhance the social and economic significance (3) Tenants should be taken care of and the new tenants do not need to be all elite, but form a mixed population of different classes so as to keep a balance in the city as well as enhance the cultural significance of typical local people’s life. (4) Management should make conservation more efficient. 107 Conclusion Through the exploration of interpretation of significance exploration and conservation, it has now become clearer how to refine conservation methods by enhancing our understanding of heritage values, which is especially helpful for contemporary Shanghai as well as the whole of China. The interpretation of significance should be broad and cover a comprehensive range of time and context as well as the changes over time that a property has experienced. Lilong houses comprise the specific identity of Shanghai’s urban context from semi‐colonial to modern globalization. They combine western and local values, vernacular and translocal characteristics, residential and commercial functions as well as the housing of elite and lower‐ class residents. The evolution of Lilong housing records the mobility of people and the growth of the place. No matter which period, the value of good access to an abundance of space and facilities, increased adaptability and strong historical legibility always exists. Tourists seek for these places as cultural scenic destinations while local people prefer to remain. The evaluation of this type of heritage grows with the evolution of ideology evolution in China, which leads to different conservation experiments of Lilongs. These conservation methods could be further developed and applied to other cities. Lilong houses boast plenty of potential flexibility to adapt to various functions for ages, and the conservation of Lilongs encompasses not only the buildings, but also the alleys, the landscape, and its social and cultural significance. 108 In respect to architectural heritage, the essence of conservation of the Lilongs is to conserve their character and intangible significance rather than merely focus on the look of the architecture and economic returns. The architectural heritage should be taken as a living creature and the conservation needs to extend its life and regenerate it in a healthy way, which must be considered prior to their appearance reconstruction and restoration. The key point of conserving residential heritage, on the other hand, is aimed at the tenants. Compensation strategies need to take full consideration of the tenants regarding the relocation cost and family income and type. The authentic life style can be recalled through the sustainable regeneration of the space, economic management, as well as community activities, by expanding the preservation treatment and rehabilitation strategy in a broader scope. Modern elements can be inserted into the facade to show a mixed use and mixed interpretation for the residential property that responds to different eras. Through the comparative study of the conservation of Jian Ye Li and the Tenement House, the different strategies can be seen to result from specific social and urban conditions. Each of the strategies has to face to some compromise. In the United States, the compromises include the slow urban renewal, and limited economic profit, while in China the compromises include the loss of some historic information, the gap between rich and poor as well as unbalanced social structure and conservation management. It’s hard to compare the conservation in these two countries since they are not in the same stage of development. In both cases, however, conservation should be considered as a exploration of a cultural aesthetic process that evolves 109 within the city. Interpretation of the context of preservation and rehabilitation within the urban system is the aim of this thesis. Given the history and situation of Chinese in the twentieth century, political institutions with western sources are likely to be further adopted, with Chinese modifications. Meanwhile, due to the weight of Chinese tradition and long history of centralized government, it would be impractical to merely refer to western conservation methods and the essence of traditions may re‐emerge with or without artificial conservation approaches. As the world globalizeds, people’s interpretation of significance will transition from the appreciation of fine arts, literature and history towards a more comprehensive concern with culture and human relationship and the relationship between past and present. The conservation in China needs to categorize different heritages with different recommendations of treatments ranging from restoration, rehabilitation to reconstruction and strengthen its preservation and restoration methods, so as to expand intangible significance to include care of the tenants and traditional culture stories, as well as keep the balance between new and old. Conservation should not allow large scale of reconstruction, as for China, it needs to lay more emphasis and preservation and restoration. In conclusion, a great amount of intangible significance has been lost during the current conservation work in China. It is necessary for Shanghai and the whole China to lay more emphasis on preservation while working out the balance between preservation and rehabilitation within their own economic and social contexts. Not only the Shanghai government but also the Chinese government needs to ponder what it is sacrificing in exchange for rapid development and massive new construction. The interpretation and judgment of 110 conservation practice itself is a cultural aesthetic process evolution within the larger urban system, which needs to be revised and adjusted all the time. Balanced rehabilitation can also instruct people to communicate with their heritage subconsciously. The active interaction between modern life and the past, as well as users and architecture should be the goal for conservation practice in China. 111 Bibliography [Documentation] Agnew, Neville, and Martha Demas, eds. 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Abstract (if available)

Abstract This thesis discusses different conservation approaches for safeguarding the significance of historic properties—rehabilitation and preservation in both China and US and how they are generated within different contexts. Taking the conservation of Lilongs in Shanghai as an example, this thesis interprets the significance of Lilong—a historic residential complex in China—within both earlier and contemporary contexts, explores the evolution of its significance through history and explores how to interpret it with the understanding of both historic and contemporary value systems based on economic, social and cultural environments. With the comparative case study of the Tenement Museum in New York City, this thesis studies how different interpretations of properties’ significance affect conservation approaches, aiming to define the significance in complex contexts and provide suggestions to connect the significance with actual conservation practice for Lilongs in Shanghai for their long term sustainability and cultural integrity.

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