Enhancing Neighborly Relations through Participatory Regeneration: A Case Study of Shanghai

Abstract

This study investigates neighborly relations affecting mechanisms in participatory regeneration, based on cases of three typical types of urban neighborhoods in Shanghai: traditional Lilong residence, work-unit compounds, and commodity estates. We find that participatory regeneration affects neighborly relations through the collaboration and the physical improvements of the communal space. Although collaboration and physical improvements positively contribute to the enhancement of neighborly relations in traditional residence and work-unit compounds, neighborly relations are similar between neighborhoods with and without participatory regeneration because they have intense existing neighborly relations. Although the physical improvement of the communal space tends to decrease neighborly relations, the overall neighborly relations in commodity estates with participatory regeneration are stronger than the comparison group due to the contribution of collaboration. This study emphasizes the vital role of collaboration as affecting neighborly relations in commodity housing and generates practical implications for urban regeneration strategies in commodity estates and in urban planning in future.