Developing place attachment in high-density residential neighbourhoods in China: comparing the role of shared outdoor environments in two residential models in Qingdao

This item is part of: Boarin, P., Haarhoff, E., Manfredini, M., Mohammadzadeh, M., Premier, A., (2021). Rethinking Sustainable Pacific Rim Territories. Proceedings of the 2020 APRU Sustainable Cities and Landscapes Hub PhD Symposium, Future Cities Research Hub, School of Architecture and Planning of the University of Auckland. ISBN: 978-0-473-53616-9

ABSTRACT

Residential neighbourhoods in urban China have witnessed great change over the last forty years due to rapid urbanisation. This has placed great pressure on landscape urban design to provide quality outdoor environments that support community interaction, recreation, wellbeing and place attachment for residents. Currently, there are two typical residential models: one, mid-rise apartment blocks with unrestricted street patterns built in the 1980s and 1990s; the other, high-rise towers in gated superblocks built in the past 20 years. Using a comparative case study of these two residential models, this study investigates the attributes shared outdoor environments to identify those that may contribute to place attachment. Theories of place attachment, urban spatial design and environment-behaviour studies provide the conceptual framework for this study. Three methods were used: (a) semi-structured interviews with adult residents; (b) a questionnaire with adult residents; (c) and participant observation of the outdoor areas. Data analysis will be used to identify the convergence and divergence of residents’ experiences of shared outdoor environments in each of the two residential models. This study is timely in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic and its implications for evidence-based design practice in landscape architecture in relation to the design of outdoor settings in residential neighbourhoods in China.