The self-governing redevelopment approach of Maquanying: Incremental socio-spatial transformation in one of Beijing's urban villages

Abstract

This article links the redevelopment of urban villages in China to the discourse on incremental housing schemes. Urban villages, due to the less regulated and more informal aspect of China's rapid urbanisation, house a large share of the migrant population. Current urban village redevelopment debates focus on state-initiated redevelopment, which involves large-scale demolitions and has become the norm in Beijing. The aim of this article is to make visible an alternative, village-initiated approach to redevelopment that is managed by the local village committee and that allows for incrementality and flexibility in a long-term transformation. This research traces the redevelopment process and subsequent transformation of Maquanying village over a period of more than 20 years. It focuses on the related decision-making and negotiation processes, and on socio-spatial changes during this time. In the context of the debate on incremental housing, the Maquanying approach can be understood as a locally initiated sites-and-services scheme within the Chinese environment. Both indigenous villagers and migrants are included and compared with other urban villages, higher standards of housing are delivered. The article argues that the redevelopment principles and strategies embedded in this approach can be transferred to other urban villages in China.