Unlike widespread demolitions in Chinese cities in the last 40 years amid rapid economic growth, urban renewal projects today focus more on social fairness and cultural protection. Learning from well-developed urban layouts like London’s King’s Cross Railway Station and Tokyo’s Shibuya District, cities in China including Chengdu, Sichuan Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, Shanghai and Beijing are repurposing moribund facilities and buildings with cafes, bars, galleries and community activity centers. Funding comes from governments, businesses and even local residents. In Hangzhou, residents raised 470 million yuan (US$65m) to renovate their apartment building, which gives them a say in the project. Experts say the complicated nature of big projects requires more oversight and means of funding them.
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