Retain the common ground: implications of research on fringe belt and urban green infrastructure for urban landscape revitalisation, a case of Quanzhou

Abstract

Recent studies present a confluence, although rarely discussed, of urban morphology and urban green infrastructure (UGI), considering their growing concern for green space planning and management during landscape revitalisation. This research thus explores their under-investigated associations: the significance of the fringe belt (FB) as both a morphological concept and physical entity for UGI planning. Following the direction of this intersection, it explores the implications for urban landscape revitalisation, taking a UNESCO cultural-historical city Quanzhou (China) as a case study.

The case study follows a historico-geographical approach to landscape analysis. The collected information is synthesised into the ArcGIS platform to create diachronic models to support the analysis. It presents interconnections of the uncoordinated redevelopment of inner FB, disintegration of the green-space system, and socio-spatial and environmental problems in Quanzhou. An integrated spatial strategy is recommended to retain the connectivity, accessibility, and multifunctionality of its inner FB as UGI for landscape revitalisation.

Keywords:

• Fringe belt (FB)
• urban green infrastructure (UGI)
• green space
• urban morphology
• urban landscape revitalisation

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their helpful and valuable remarks.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 A FB can be classified as the inner fringe belt (IFB), middle fringe belt (MFB), or outer fringe belt (OFB) according to its formation time and location. See from M. R. G. Conzen (1960).

2 Compared to the middle fringe belt (MFB) and outer fringe belt (OFB), the inner fringe belt (IFB) forms in the earliest stage during urban expansions and thus possesses the most historical significance. Its location is often closely associated with a ‘fixation line’ which is usually the city wall. See from Whitehand (1988).

3 The long-standing high rate of private property is rare in Chinese historical cities, Quanzhou historic city is one of the exceptional cases. This condition contributes to preserving the historic urban fabric and brings opportunities and challenges for urban landscape revitalisation as well. More information from (Abramson, 2011).

4 These collected materials include open-source maps and documents from exhibitions, websites, and published books:

(1) Historical map of Quanzhou historic city in 1922, by Quanzhou Engineering Bureau (Zhou, 2007, p. 171)

(2) Adapted Quanzhou map in 1922, by Quanzhou Engineering Bureau, from the exhibition at Wenmiao, Quanzhou, 2021

(3) Quanzhou historical map of Tang dynasty, drawn by Society for the Study of Chinese Architecture in 1997 (Zhou, 2007, p. 196)

(4) Reconstruction plan of the water and road system of Quanzhou historic city in 1946, by the Republic of China (Zhou, 2007, p. 303)

(5) documents of Investigation of water system of Quanzhou historic city by Qingjiang Yang (Zhou, 2007, pp. 292–301) and Baguagou water system by Chuicheng Chen (Zhou, 2007, pp. 302–309)

(6) archaeological documents, aerial maps and photos of Quanzhou historic city from the 1960s to the 2010s (J. Chen, 2014; Y. Chen & Research Group of Quanzhou Historic City, 2006; Quanzhou Historical Literature Research Office, 2019; Zhou, 2007).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the China Scholarship Council under Grant [CSC number 201706090253] and Polytechnic University of Milan.

Notes on contributors

Wenying Song

Wenying Song is a qualified architect and PhD candidate in the Department of Architecture and Urban Studies at Polytechnic University of Milan. Her current research interests include urban morphology, urban landscape revitalisation from an infrastructure perspective, and the investigation of the feasibility of combining urban morphology and urban political ecology approaches for urban studies.