Information Harbor: The Transformation of a Historic Chinese Village
Zhao Chen, MARCH
Thesis committee chair: Peter Noonan AIA, Professor of the Practice
Thesis committee member: Brian Kelly AIA, Associate Professor and Director, ARCH
Thesis committee member: Madlen Simon AIA, Associate Professor
Full text available at: http://drumstage.lib.umd.edu/handle/1903/14242
In modern-day China, policies have been enacted to foster stronger bonds between urban and rural areas in an attempt to bridge the gap in economic and informational inequality. Until now Chinese officials have made very little attempt to salvage decaying rural villages that still have value to society. As a response, how might one apply Critical Regionalist theory to an historic Chinese village and transform it from a bleak village into an energetic and educational tourist destination? Based on the research of traditional Chinese building culture and modern technology integration, a series of interventions are designed to address local dwellers' needs for contemporary information amenities in rural areas while also providing educational and recreational resources for city visitors and maximizing sustainability of the site. Baoshi Village has been chosen as a case study whose principles and strategies could also apply to the villages of similar size and situation throughout China.