Green Infrastructure Model in Old Chinese Industrial Cities in the Context of Shrinking City

Abstract

Although the speed of urbanization has been increasing during this century, not all cities have been affected by this (Rieniets, 2009). Over the last fifty years, 370 cities in the world with a population of over 100,000 have shrunk by at least 10%, with urban shrinking having already become a global topic of discussion. In considering the negative impact on urban sanitation, public security and social stability caused by vacancies and abandonment, a handful of scholars suggested transforming vacant properties into green assets though green infrastructure (GI) for urban sustainable development. Chinese old industrial cities are the main type of cities suffering from the depopulation in China and they are desperately in need of green reclamation because of the citywide ecological, social and economic blight and physical space decay. However, few studies in China offer systemic and instructional methods to guide green infrastructure implementation. In this current study, the author firstly introduces the conditions in the Chinese old industrial shrinking cities, as well as the resulting ecological, economic and social problems. Secondly, the concept of green infrastructure, and whether GI would solve the current problems of urban shrinkage, is discussed. Thirdly, the current problems in GI planning and practices aimed at addressing the increasing urban vacancies in China are investigated. Then, it is suggested that a green infrastructure model, according to right-sizing strategies, would address the existing problems and guide the greening practices for the shrinking cities in China. This right-sizing model will include a green infrastructure plan, a collaborative plan and a land bank. As the contribution of greening infrastructure at a parcel level has always been ignored, with only a few studies in the world focusing on greening infrastructure design and landscape strategies at the parcel level, the author in this current study will aim to address this gap, by focusing on the right-sizing model at a parcel level. After applying this model in the Huinong District, the author suggested that in China, the land bank is the most important and support the GI implementation in China.