This is a movement in the name of environmental justice and restoration of an ancient city’s glory. Architecture is witness for a city’s history – over the evolution of architecture and in any random corner of the city, there are children’s secret hideouts or places where the elderly enjoy cracking melon seeds. Fireworks sparkle here and there within the city.
But the reality is that residents’ public powers are violated by the smelly gutters, manhole covered roads, illegal parking and buildings, and more. We are treating the relationship between heritage clustered housing and a city’s public space as our study subject. The historic Fangqiao Town, which had once stood in Banqiao and includes The Lin Family Mansion and Garden, has been the focus of our study for its significance to the local people and its importance in regard to the future of city development. We are reevaluating how city space could reconnect with past history and enhance environmental quality and tourism benefits.