Source: Phoenix Weekly

Editor's note:

Shuimo town in Wenchuan new town, designed by Professor Chen Keshi, has attracted extensive attention at home and abroad as the best case of post disaster reconstruction in Wenchuan. The project has won the first prize of post disaster reconstruction planning and design of the Ministry of construction and the recognition of UN Habitat. As the director of China Urban Design Research Center of Peking University, Professor Chen Keshi has been committed to injecting humanistic thought into China's urbanization in recent years, taking green city as a new concept of urban design, and advocating regionality, originality and artistry as the core principles of architectural design. The architectural design scheme of "Zhuhai Opera House - Sun Moon shell" designed by him won the first prize in the international bidding and was determined as the implementation scheme. In the recently completed "Foshan famous town" planning and design scheme - "Foshan Qingming River map" design, it is proposed to promote urban economic growth with culture and create greater value for the city. As the leader of the urban design discipline of Peking University, Professor Chen Keshi brought his theory and practice to the podium to guide doctoral and master students and cultivate cutting-edge talents for urban construction, urban renewal and ancient town rejuvenation under the wave of rapid urbanization in China.

Phoenix figure: what do you think is the key to the great success of the post disaster reconstruction planning and design of Shuimo Town, Wenchuan new city?

Chen Keshi: This is because the planning and design of Shuimo town adopts a new model. Starting with the overall shape and landscape, the planning of the town is like returning to the traditional Chinese feng shui theory. The planning and design of the town first takes into account the factors of natural geography: wind, water, sunshine and mountain landform. Firstly, the "overall urban design scheme of Shuimo town" is completed. In this design scheme, the overall form of the town centered on "Shouxi Lake" and the mountain architectural form with sloping roof are proposed. With the approval of the overall urban design scheme, the overall planning has been adjusted and improved, and the architectural and landscape design has been started at the same time.

The planning and design of Shuimo town adopts a new concept. Post disaster reconstruction is not only to resettle the victims and rebuild their homes, but also to create a better living space for the people in the disaster areas. At the same time, there are innovations in architectural style and architectural language. We attach great importance to the regionality, originality and artistry of architectural design. Only regional, original and artistic architecture is the most valuable.

Phoenix figure: you have repeatedly mentioned that the "chief designer responsibility system" is of great significance to the complete and high-level planning and design of a town. Would you please introduce the advantages of this system?

Chen Keshi: the planning of Shuimo town adopts the chief designer responsibility system commonly used in European countries. The chief designer must have the power and sense of responsibility to control the overall situation. On this basis, the concept, beauty and experience of the chief designer ensure the integrity and artistry of the overall style of the town, which may be the most distinctive place in the planning and design of Shuimo town. The "chief designer" is fully responsible for the overall urban design, overall planning, architectural style and landscape design of Shuimo town. "One chef makes one table of dishes instead of ten chefs", which makes Shuimo town realize the unity of landscape, form and style.

Phoenix figure: Zhuhai opera house will be the first opera house built on the sea in China. What do you think is the impact of this architectural design on urban development?

Chen Keshi: Zhuhai opera house is located on the sea surface to the north of "Yeli island" in Xiangzhou Bay, Zhuhai. The design scheme of the opera house with the theme of "Sun Moon shell", her pure "double shell" shape, complements the lush Yeli island on the endless blue sea surface, creating an incomparably noble artistic charm of opera house architecture.

The design scheme of "Sun Moon shell" highlights the originality and artistic value of the opera house. Using the design technique of symbolic art, taking the rich Sun Moon shell in Zhuhai as the architectural design theme, skillfully using the part above the stage of the opera house to shape the intention of a pair of giant shells rising from the sea, and combining modern sound, light and electricity, led and other new technologies to make the building beautiful and become the visual center of Xiangzhou Bay and Lovers Road.

Phoenix figure: you are currently hosting the Foshan famous town project. Can you talk about the basic ideas and development prospects of this project design?

Chen Keshi: Foshan is one of the four famous towns in China in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. With vertical and horizontal water network, business and tourism, developed iron industry and prosperous economy, Foshan is an important town in Guangdong Province. The preserved ancient city area includes ancestral temple, Liangyuan, Fenning Road, Renwei, chopsticks road and tapo, and completely retains a large number of buildings in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China. From today's vision, this is a great cultural wealth.

After completion, the famous town of Foshan is a paradise for pedestrians. We must first plan and build a complete pedestrian system, starting from Fenhe and Zhongshan Park in the north, Liangyuan in the west, Renwei in the East and zumiao and tapo in the south. The 2.2 square kilometer pedestrian system will be the largest pedestrian street in Guangdong Province. Martial arts, Cantonese opera, Cantonese cuisine and traditional Chinese medicine are the most important intangible culture in Foshan and the representative of Lingnan culture. Foshan famous town will be the carrier of Lingnan traditional culture. Foshan famous town has found a space for Lingnan culture to survive and display. Coming to the famous town of Foshan is to return to the hometown of Lingnan traditional art and culture. Foshan famous town is a nostalgic historical urban space - people return to the history of Foshan 100 years ago, 300 years ago or more.

Having grasped the above points, we can expect that in the near future, when the famous town of Foshan is fully built, it will be a unique picture scroll and an urban tourist attraction that people forget to return.