Street ballet in the context of population contraction: A case study of Dongda Street in Rugao City

Abstract

Most existing studies on shrinking cities focus on identifying and characterizing population contraction at the city scale and lack an in-depth exploration of the mechanisms of population contraction and daily life scenarios at the street scale. To fill this gap, this study employed semi-structured interviews and participant observation to analyze the street vitality and mechanisms of operation of Dongda Street in Rugao County of Jiangsu Province in China. The study found the following. First, the interspersed urban renewal has allowed residents to retain their original lifestyles and time-space routines, and they continue to enact an endogenous street ballet. Second, new residents gradually develop new lifestyles and time-space routines in the streets, showcasing an exogenous street ballet. Third, both groups jointly perform hybrid street ballets in their daily lives through close public interactions. These findings suggest that while Dongda Street is an aging neighborhood, the survival of the original street pattern and old buildings has allowed the neighborhood to retain its historical flavor. Additionally, the moving in of creative industries and merchants injects new vitality into the neighborhood. These findings examine daily street life in the context of population contraction and help break the stereotypes of population contraction.