Interactions of urban regeneration processes, sustainability, and residential planning and design procedures in the city of Kunming China

My study aims to investigate how the urban regeneration process influenced the sustainability of residential districts, which embodied in the procedures of residential planning and design in the city of Kunming, China. I adopt an integrated investigation and research methods as an overall conceptual research methodology. I focus specifically on the impacts of the urban renewal process on the planning and design of the different residential projects implemented in Kunming. I investigate two residential districts in Kunming as the primary case study object to highlight aspects that sustainability of residential area during the process of urban renewal. I also visited some other residential areas in and around the urban areas in Kunming, such as a typical residential district and ordinary urban villages within the urban areas. Impacts of the urban regeneration process on the sustainability of residential neighborhoods were compared and analyzed after the field study and investigation. I collected data from two residential projects in Kunming: Shibo Eco-town and Taihe urban village renovation. I collected data from Taihe urban village renovation, and witnessed the establishment and development of the project and the final construction process. Moreover, site visiting was made after the residents moved in. More empirical data and information have been collected and analyzed to provide contributions to the overall conclusions.

With the second case study, a combination of participatory methods and conventional survey methods were used. I first investigated and recorded the conceptual development of Shibo Eco-town and the final construction results, and after that, investigated daily situations in the subsequent use of the residential area. Furthermore, the questionnaire was delivered and analyzed the awareness of sustainability within the planning and design of the residential district. It aimed to examine connections between design intentions and results.

Finally, the overall research could bridge the links among different roles. It could supplement the contents and information of the closed- design loop from planning and design to the final-use. Also, it could provide an excellent empirical theory for similar projects in the future, especially under the promotion of urban renewal policy. This, in turn, would contribute towards the overall success and long-term sustainability of planning and design of residential districts in the city of Kunming.