The Impact of Urban Renewal on Human Cognition and Behaviour: A Case Study in Tianzifang, Shanghai, China

Abstract

In the background of the fast development of cities in China, urban renewal is becoming a more hotly discussed topic than ever. Lane Neighbourhood is a special presentation of old Shanghai features. But in the past decades, the Lane Neighbourhoods have experienced a decline in quantity and characteristics. Renewal of such urban districts is important for sustainable urban development and the continuation of cultural context. Most existing studies research this issue by focusing on an objective perspective. This article begins from a subjective perspective and chooses Tianzifang as a research target which goes through special renewal mode yet faces problems now. The article adopts questionnaires, interviews, cognitive mapping, space syntax, and GIS to analyse the impacts of urban renewal on peoples cognition, behaviour, and relationship and to find out important environmental factors for peoples life. Results show that community space is messy and unsustainable, with cultural characteristics fading. Relations between people are distant, and the development of industries affects a lot on cognition and life. The cognition of roads and districts is unbalanced, with the connection between factors weakened and special areas marginalized. Different aspects of features in Tianzifang are not fully recognized, utilized, and presented. This article provides suggestions for the future. The industrial pattern should be changed to address most cognitive issues. The space and life should be made more sustainable, cultural characteristics should be respected, and reasonable management should ensure all of these.