View of Hutongs near the river
Today marked the first trip to the site. By subway, the group traveled through Tianjin and arrived three to four blocks away from our destination. After a short walk through an old neighborhood of four to five story decaying apartments as well as an earthy market that consumed an entire street. In this market you could find anything from fruits, vegetables, fresh meats, and other items like clothing and trinkets. Although this market was in poor condition it is still vibrant and felt like the backbone of the nearby community.
At the end of the market stood our site stretching northward. We broke into several groups, knowing the site covered a large area, and mapped out walking plans for each. One group would follow the river that binds our site to the east, another would travel along the west boundary, the third would take a zigzag route through the center of the site.
The site as a whole was in poor condition. The hutongs were made of brick and concrete. They were linked together by a network of small paths that are not large enough to accommodate an automobile. Larger apartment buildings that are 7 to 8 stories lined the southern part of the site and were also in major disrepair. An automobile accessible road stretched along the river, unpaved and rough, it was the only major access into the site.
One aspect that brings some color and warmth into the site was the growing of vegetables, trees, and vines along the roofs and walls of the hutongs. These gardens and green spaces could be found all throughout the hutongs, but were not evident in the taller apartments due to lack of outdoor space. Although the homes are aged the residents are very pleasant and openly welcome. The people were very clever in their space management and fully utilized their private space. Our visit brought smiles, waves and laughter. The site was not a scary place but one that is in disrepair after 60 years of intense use.
As the site visit came to a close one more area was investigated. A large park that borders our site to the North had an enormous amount of green space. It was quite similar to everything else in the area, showing signs of neglect and age. A carnival at the center of the park for children drew quite a crowd but for the most part the park was desolate compared to its size. After the park, the group boarded the subway back to the hotel no doubt all wondering how to bring modern life to the neighborhood while keeping its values intact.
At the end of the market stood our site stretching northward. We broke into several groups, knowing the site covered a large area, and mapped out walking plans for each. One group would follow the river that binds our site to the east, another would travel along the west boundary, the third would take a zigzag route through the center of the site.
The site as a whole was in poor condition. The hutongs were made of brick and concrete. They were linked together by a network of small paths that are not large enough to accommodate an automobile. Larger apartment buildings that are 7 to 8 stories lined the southern part of the site and were also in major disrepair. An automobile accessible road stretched along the river, unpaved and rough, it was the only major access into the site.
One aspect that brings some color and warmth into the site was the growing of vegetables, trees, and vines along the roofs and walls of the hutongs. These gardens and green spaces could be found all throughout the hutongs, but were not evident in the taller apartments due to lack of outdoor space. Although the homes are aged the residents are very pleasant and openly welcome. The people were very clever in their space management and fully utilized their private space. Our visit brought smiles, waves and laughter. The site was not a scary place but one that is in disrepair after 60 years of intense use.
As the site visit came to a close one more area was investigated. A large park that borders our site to the North had an enormous amount of green space. It was quite similar to everything else in the area, showing signs of neglect and age. A carnival at the center of the park for children drew quite a crowd but for the most part the park was desolate compared to its size. After the park, the group boarded the subway back to the hotel no doubt all wondering how to bring modern life to the neighborhood while keeping its values intact.
No comments:
Post a Comment