Walking a Tightrope: Rethinking Cultural Urban Landscape in China - Prof Ho Puay-Peng

EAI Seminar on Zoom Organised by East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore Topic: Walking a Tightrope: Rethinking cultural urban landscape in China Speaker: Professor Ho Puay-Peng UNESCO Chair on Architectural Heritage Conservation and Management in Asia and Head of Department of Architecture, National University of Singapore Date & Time: Friday, 29 April 2022 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm Moderated by Dr Qian Jiwei Senior Research Fellow, East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore Abstract: In the last two decades, many historic city centres in China had undergone major rebuilding process as a form of urban renewal, rejuvenation and redevelopment. These major projects were planned with two main purposes: the revival of history and memory, and economic development. These two objectives might be seen as causal in relationship, or entirely not consequential. Economic performance of these projects might depend on the recreation of the authentic ambience of the historic urban landscape; however, they are more likely based on common economic fundamentals. This seminar aims to examine three cases: the reconstruction of Da Bao’ensi pagoda outside of Zhonghua Men in Nanjing; Qianmen district in Beijing; and the historic city of Datong. Common among these three cases is the destruction and historic conditions of the urban districts and the desire to resurrect the memory of the past. Protagonists of these projects, and many more around the country, were walking a tightrope between authentic heritage reproduction and real estate successes. After more than 10 years of the completion of these projects, this seminar attempts to survey how they fare and what lessons might be learned. The infrastructure and massive urban development projects in the guise of heritage construction are a new norm in China. Heritage districts and streets mushroomed in countless cities as a new form of shopping precinct. Their impact and contribution to the memory landscape can be said to be minimal, despite the good intention of professionals and city officials. This talk will propose a framework for understanding memory construction in historic urban landscape in China through three case studies. It will draw on factors such as history, social and economic considerations in such construction. The conclusion is that these case studies have exposed the core concerns in Chinese conception of memory and history. About the Speaker: Prof Ho Puay-Peng received architecture education from the University of Edinburgh, and PhD degree in art and architecture history from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. Prior to joining NUS, Ho was Professor of Architecture at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. During the 25 years at the University, he served as University Dean of Students between 2005 and 2008, Chair and Founding Director of School of Architecture between 2008 and 2013. The main research and publication focus of Professor Ho is in the areas of architectural history, vernacular architecture and history of modern architecture in China and Hong Kong, located at the intersection of art, architecture and the wider societal context. Prof Ho has been a conservation consultant, architect and adviser to some 100 conservation projects in Hong Kong and Singapore since 2003. About the Moderator: Dr Qian Jiwei is Senior Research Fellow at the East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore. He is also a co-editor of the book series Social Policy and Development Studies in East Asia (Palgrave Macmillan). His research has been published in publications such as China Quarterly, Health Economics, Policy and Law, Health Policy and Planning, International Social Security Review, Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and Practice, Journal of European Social Policy, Journal of Social Policy, Land Use Policy, Policy & Society, Public Administration and Development, Public Choice, Social Policy & Administration and Social Science & Medicine. He is on the editorial board of China: An International Journal and East Asian Policy. He is also the co-editor of Innovation and China’s Global Emergence (with Erik Baark and Bert Hofman, NUS press, 2021). His most recent book is The Political Economy of Making and Implementing Social Policy in China (Palgrave Macmillan, 2021). His current research interests include social policy, digital economy, political economy and development economics. --------------------- Please feel free to visit us at http://www.eai.nus.edu.sg. If you wish to subscribe to the emailing lists of EAI, please visit https://tiny.cc/eai-emailing. Thank you.