1Spatial Transformation Mechanism in Rapid Rural Urbanization Process

Spatial Transformation Mechanism in Rapid Rural Urbanization Process• The Urban Landscape of Pearl River Delta as a Case

Study

PhD candidate: Xiong Liang

Promoter: Prof.dr.ir. Han MeyerDaily supervisor: Steffen Nijhuis

Delft University of Technology Faculty of Architecture Department of Urbanism U-LAB

L.Xiong@tudelft.nl

2Spatial Transformation Mechanism in Rapid Rural Urbanization Process

Pearl River Delta Southeast China China

• What if you built the whole mass of western Europe in 20 years?• What if 400 million farmers then moved in?• What if it happened between now and 2020? ——Neville Mars 何新城

3Spatial Transformation Mechanism in Rapid Rural Urbanization Process

Pearl River:Basin 425,700 km2 , Length 2055 kmDischarge 302 km3. /y, Sedimentation 83 mt/ y,

4Spatial Transformation Mechanism in Rapid Rural Urbanization Process

River dominated

Wave dominated Tide dominated

Pearl River Delta:Area 42,831.5 km2 1 NLInhabitant 47.9 Million 3 NL

11 municipalities: 69% urbanized

5Spatial Transformation Mechanism in Rapid Rural Urbanization Process

Pearl River Delta

The population of PRD in 1990, 2000 and 2010

Inhabitants 1.5 millions /yr

Buildup area 82.1 km2 /yr

30 years

6Spatial Transformation Mechanism in Rapid Rural Urbanization Process

Urbanization phenomenaRural Urbanization: Industrialization and urbanization

focused in rural areas.(Lin, 1997).

Land use and cover change between 1989 and 1997 in PRD Source: Weng (2002)

7Spatial Transformation Mechanism in Rapid Rural Urbanization Process

Sub Question:• Which spatial elements involved?• How the involved elements interact?• What is the historical spatial transformation mechanism?• What are the difference between the past and current mechanism?• How the mechanisms change?• What are the difference with other urbanized deltas?• What are the casual factors make them different?

Research Question

How the urban landscape developed in the rapid rural urbanization process of PRD?

Key Words: Rural Urbanization, Urban Landscape, Pearl River Delta, Design Research, Typological Research, Spatial Transformation Mechanism,

8Spatial Transformation Mechanism in Rapid Rural Urbanization Process

Layer Approach

•Occupation•Infrastructure•Landscape

(Meyer, Nijhuis,2010)

9Spatial Transformation Mechanism in Rapid Rural Urbanization Process

0 • Strategic river cross.• No settlements in islands.• Delta not affected by settlements.

10Spatial Transformation Mechanism in Rapid Rural Urbanization Process

1300

• Strategic region position.

• Settled on islands.

• Settlement affect the delta.

11Spatial Transformation Mechanism in Rapid Rural Urbanization Process

2000 • Spread without

landscape. • large reclamation lands.• Settlement dominated the formation of the delta.

12Spatial Transformation Mechanism in Rapid Rural Urbanization Process

Occupation spread through landscape

13Spatial Transformation Mechanism in Rapid Rural Urbanization Process

Dike system 1279- 1945

Water infrastructure spread through landscape

14Spatial Transformation Mechanism in Rapid Rural Urbanization Process

Road Infrastructure spread through Water Infrastructure

15Spatial Transformation Mechanism in Rapid Rural Urbanization Process

Sustainable development

Understand nature,Manage nature & ourselves

Fight Overcome1300 1990 2006

Consume0

16Spatial Transformation Mechanism in Rapid Rural Urbanization Process

(Meyer, Nijhuis,2010)

urban deltas