Abstract
Based on historical study and social analysis, this article reveals the inner logic of spatial transformation over the past several hundred years of the Hanzhengjie district in the city of Wuhan. It also focuses on the concept of informality and everyday life, using some interesting case studies to discuss the relationship between the evolution and revolution of its urban morphology and everyday life. As a result, the author proposes that the perspectives of urban informality and everyday life are necessary compensations for modern rational planning, and objectively argues that the life here is a value that we should preserve to some extent. Keywords: everyday life; urban morphology; self-build; Informality; Hanzhengjie characteristic 1. Introduction H a n z h e n g j i e — t h e m a i n s t r e e t i n o l d H a n k o w, Wuhan—is located at the point where the Yangtze R i v e r a n d H a n R i v e r s m e rg e , a s s h o w n i n F i g . 1 . More than 500 years ago, because of the convenient transportation by ship, the street boomed and flourished with commercial activity. It has been an important commercial center of Wuhan and the largest wholesale market of small commodities in Central China since then. At a result, it has gained the honor of "No. 1 Street in the World" (Liu Fudao, 2001). Today, the size of Hanzhengjie has expanded from the original development of a street to an area of about Fig.1. The Location of Hanzhengjie in Wuhan 1.69 square kilometers, which includes more than 460 streets and alleys (Fig.2.). It has 26 communities in the region, and hosts a population of nearly 300,000, with the immigrant population accounting for 60% (Zhu Wenrao, 1997). For urban space research, the authors incline to a holistic point of view, including the spatial, historical and social (Edward Soja, 1996). Thereby, adopting the following two principles: 1) Historical study: As is well known, the past is the basis of the present and future. As space is always in a state of change, including evolution and revolution, we should pay much attention to the entire process: the emergence, development and evolution of urban space. Fig.2. A Bird's-eye View of Hanzhengjie *Contact Author: Ma Zhenhua, Doctorate Candidate, Research 2) Everyday life study: To some extent, space is a Center of Urban Environment, School of Architecture and Urban product of society (Henry Lefebvre, 1991). The innate Planning, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, character of a space has a close connection with human Address: Room 404, South-4 building, LuoYu Road 1037#, Hongshan District, 430074 Wuhan, Hubei, P.R.China beings and their everyday life. The authors have Tel: +86-13297995767 Fax: +86-27-87556714 argued for some time that talking to the residents of E-mail: amark1981@126.com Hanzhengjie and collecting their stories is the best way ( Received April 1, 2008 ; accepted June 24, 2008 ) Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering/November 2008/191 187 to understand the heart of the space. 2.4 Recovery Period (1979 — 1990) A s a m a t t e r o f f a c t , t h e s e t w o p r i n c i p l e s a r e I n 1 9 7 9 , t h e p e o p l e o f H a n z h e n g j i e b e g a n consistent, because history itself is literally composed t h e r e s u m p t i o n o f w h o l e s a l e m a r k e t s f o r s m a l l of stories: History = His-Story. commodities. Since then, the economic planning system was dismantled and Hanzhengjie entered a 2. Historical Study phase of rapid development. Large factories were Over a period of about 150 years, Hanzhengjie has gradually removed or functionally transformed in the been transformed tremendously in several ways, as urban areas. Thus, the "fishbone-pattern" fabric of the has the spatial structure as shown in the following 4 general city space concept was strengthened to a large illustrations. The whole process could be divided into extent (Fig.5.). 5 parts according to different times and social policies. 2.1 Molding Period (1850's—1911) I n t h e 1 8 5 0 ' s , t h e l a n d i n H a n z h e n g j i e w a s a s expensive as gold, and because there were a lot of ponds around Hanzhengjie, the city could only grow in high density three-dimensionally. This resulted in the primary feature of the urban morphology of Hanzhengjie: the "fishbone-pattern" space system. There has been a convention regarding the naming of streets from historical times. Streets run parallel to the Han River from east to west and lanes perpendicular from south to north (Xu Zhi, 2003). The major streets all connect to the Han River and there Fig.3. Original Streets (Lanes), Hanzhengjie 1868 are always temples at the beginning of the streets for religious blessings. The lanes are 30 to 250 meters long and about 15 to 20 meters wide, which developed through the functioning of everyday life (Fig.3.). 2.2 Expansion Period (1911 — 1949) F r o m 1 9 11 , H a n z h e n g j i e b e g a n t o e x t e n d i n t o the hinterland cities as the Concession of Hankow and the railways came into being. From then on, the Hanzhengjie area turned itself into small commodities markets. The major transformations in the form of the city o c c u r r e d i n t h e l o w e r r e a c h e s o f t h e H a n R i v e r. Spontaneous settlements emerged, forming a self- built community like a labyrinth. Linear growth of the city along the river led to more frequent movement of people in an east-west direction. This produced four Fig.4. Four Parallel Streets, Hanzhengjie 1930 streets running parallel to the Han River - River Street, Main Street, Jia Street, Dam Street — or Back Street, as a whole. The emergence of River Street in 1930 separated the inland alleys of Hanzhengjie from the Han River system for the first time. (Fig.4.). 2.3 Stagnation Period (1949 — 1970's) During this period, the population increased beyond imagination very quickly and as a result the courtyards a n d s o m e o f t h e r e m a i n i n g s p a c e s b e t w e e n t h e buildings were occupied. The "fishbone-pattern" spatial structure of Hanzhengjie was preserved to some extent. This was the time of Economic Planning in China, and the modern industries needed larger spaces, which was rather contradictory to the "fishbone-pattern" fabric of Fig.5. Spatial Fabric of Old Buildings, Hanzhengjie 1990 space and incompatible with the scale of the traditional alleys. In terms of the concept regarding both physical 2.5 Reform Period (1990 — 2007) space and social space, the traditional meaning of I n t h e 1 9 9 0 s , H a n z h e n g j i e l a u n c h e d t h e Hanzhengjie was alienated. transformation of the old city. The standard pattern 188 JAABE vol.7 no.2 November 2008 Ma Zhenhua that evolved was the network of roads and skyscrapers, Hanzhengjie, and are also essential. They create all which were absurdly superimposed on a large scale kinds of relationships with the space, while relying on the traditional buildings of the "fishbone-pattern" on their props (cart, carrying pole). Biandans give a structure. This was an enormous contradiction and unique interpretation to the city on account of different represented a kind of collision in terms of the entire wandering traces. concept of the city. Life and business became "vertical" 3.2 From doorplates to street i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e n e w f u n c t i o n s , w i t h t h e T h e r e a r e m a n y k i n d s o f d o o r p l a t e i n t h e alleys and lanes being transformed into indoor malls. Hanzhengjie area, and one can easily identify the Hanzhengjie was thus gradually deleted from memory streets according to the same names on the doorplates. (Fig.6.). Interestingly, the streets here are quite different from the traditional ones, they are no longer in single direct lines and their borders are very blurred. Obviously, some streets form blocks (Fig.8.). 3.3 Interstice space The interstice space in Hanzhengjie is the remaining space between buildings and roads. It is the typical pattern of the outer spaces or spontaneous settlement areas. There are many types of interstice space in Hanzhengjie, which can be combined according to different logics in different regions. Various types of interstice space provide multi-level activities for the public (Fig.9.). Fig.6. The Destroyed Structure, Hanzhengjie 2003 Fig.7. A Biandan and His Prop 3. Everyday Life Study The authors did not have a pre-set topic in their study of Hanzhengjie, but emphasized the need to penetrate deep into the community, while trying to assume the identity of a citizen of Hanzhengjie. With this in mind, walking in Hanzhengjie became a basic 7 Fig.8. Various Shaped Streets in Hanzhengjie research method. The authors were able to easily eliminate their identity and re-map the cognitive map of Hanzhengjie through physical interaction with the environment during their walks, thereby finding possibilities of re-integrating the urban spaces. T h e f o l l o w i n g r e s e a r c h i s i n t e r e s t i n g — e a c h t o p i c h a s p r o d u c e d a m e a n i n g f u l a n d i m p o r t a n t paper representing a unique path to "anatomizing" Hanzhengjie through details obtained after observation and experience. 3.1 Biandan (porter) Biandan in Hanzhengjie means porter (Fig.7.). The Fig.9. Interstice Spaces in Hanzhengjie Biandan are the most common and informal sector in JAABE vol.7 no.2 November 2008 Ma Zhenhua 189 3.4 Business liquidity The mobile market is an informal commercial space where merchandise is displayed and transactions are carried out. Making the best use of the street space it constitutes the flow of Hanzhengjie, and enriches the street life (Fig.10.). Fig.12. Jinchang Terrace and its Activities 3.7 The empty space Fig.10. The Mobile Market in Hanzhengjie 3.5 Clothing workshop space P r o d u c t i o n s p a c e i s a n i m p o r t a n t f e a t u r e o f Hanzhengjie, and differs from the other commercial streets. It is also an indispensable element of the economic system of Hanzhengjie. Nowadays, the clothing production workshops are the leading industry Fig.13. Children Playing in the Empty Space in Hanzhegjie, and are concentrated in the spontaneous settlement area at the lower reaches of Han River. The space of the clothing workshops is to a large extent informal (Fig.11.). Fig.11. A kind of Informal Workshop in Hanzhengjie 3.6 Jinchang terrace Fig.12. above shows the large transition terrace of Jinchang Building, which is no more than 600 square meters. It is a compact city, accommodating 4 clinics, 3 kindergartens, 10 grocery stores, 3 barber shops, 5 beauty salons, 3 DVD rental shops, 2 internet bars, 13 restaurants, some small workshops, a business management office, and fitness facilities. Therefore, Fig.14. A Public Toilet And Everyday Life Around it when you are on the transition terrace, you will find yourself in a typical microscopic city and will be D u r i n g t h e c o u r s e o f t h e t r a n s f o r m a t i o n i n shocked by the various activities of everyday life. (Jane Hanzhengjie, some empty spaces were left, which Jacobs, 1961). became a paradise for the children. The building rubble 190 JAABE vol.7 no.2 November 2008 Ma Zhenhua following demolition was creatively changed into has, to a large extent, survived through the protection children's entertainment props (Fig.13.). of its traditional fabric. In conclusion it can be said that 3.8 Public toilets the interconnectivity which exists between everyday The public toilets in Hanzhengjie have become a life and the settlement in the case of Hanzhengjie place for people to communicate with each other. Toilet is underlined as a major quality in its concept of an attendants usually live in the management house of the informal living environment (Ananya and Nezar, toilets, and use the street space in front of the toilet as a 2003). In a word, Hanzhengjie, which originated from kitchen and living room. As a result, the toilets become everyday life, is an informal city. very multi-functional (Fig.14.). 3.9 Self-built staircases Acknowledgement The self-built staircase could be seen as a kind of S p e c i a l r e c o g n i t i o n a n d a p p r e c i a t i o n i s d u e t o miracle in the Hanzhengjie setting, while their forms support by the National Natural Science Support Fund and materials reflect the self-building capacity of local (Contract No. 50778076). residents and are related to the problems of urban density (Fig.15.). References 1) Liu, Fudao. (2001). The No. 1 Street in the World — Hanzhengjie. Beijing: PLA Literature and Art Publishing House. 2) Lefebvre, Henry. (1991). The Production of Space. Blackwell. 3) Jacobs, Jane. (1961). The Death and Life of Great American Cities. New York: Random House. 4) Roy, Ananya and Alsayyad, Nezar. (2003). Urban Informality. Lexington Books. 5) Rowe, William. (2001) Hankow – Conflict Community in a Chinese City1796 – 1895. Stanford: Stanford University Press. 6) Soja, Edward W. (1996). Third space — Journeys to Los Angeles and Other Real-Imagined Places. Cambridge, Mass.: Blackwell. 7) Xu, Zhi (2003). Qiaokou History. Wuhan: Wuhan Press. 8) Zhu, Wenrao. (1997). The History of Hanzhengjie Market. Wuhan: Wuhan Press. Endnotes The Codification Committee of the historical atlas of Wuhan. (1998). The historical atlas of Wuhan. Beijing: Sino Maps Press From Google earth The Codification Committee of the historical atlas of Wuhan. (1998). The historical atlas of Wuhan. Beijing: Sino Maps Press. The Codification Committee of the historical atlas of Wuhan. (1998). The historical atlas of Wuhan. Beijing: Sino Maps Press From Wuhan Archives Museum From Wuhan Archives Museum From Wuhan Archives Museum From Wuhan Archives Museum Fig.15. A Self-built Staircase 4. Conclusion The main focus of this paper has been a thorough research of Hanzhengjie. Through historical study, t h e p a p e r h a s s h o w n t h e t e r r i b l e c h a n g e o f t h e spatial structure over the years, with the "fishbone- p a t t e r n " s t r u c t u r e b e i n g d e s t r o y e d . F o l l o w i n g a study of everyday life, it has shown the significant characteristics of Hanzhengjie: conflict and mystery (William Rowe, 2001). Furthermore, the authors d i s c o v e r e d t h e c l o s e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n s p a c e and everyday life of residents here. Happily, this relationship has not been greatly influenced or affected by the modern concepts of development, but rather JAABE vol.7 no.2 November 2008 Ma Zhenhua 191
Journal
Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering
– Taylor & Francis
Published: Nov 1, 2008
Keywords: everyday life; urban morphology; self-build; Informality; Hanzhengjie characteristic
