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Urban Revitalization “People-Oriented”

Sun Ruipo, Xie Borui, and Chen Zhiyu, students from the Master’s program in Urban Planning and Design at the City University of Macau, won the urban planning competition organized by CURB – Center for Architecture and Urbanism. This team from Mainland China believes that revitalizing old neighborhoods must “benefit people, adapt to local conditions, and be implemented gradually.”

Carol Law

– What is the concept of the proposal with which you won the competition?
Sun – Our proposal, titled Rhythm and Style of Cantonese Opera, Theatrical Pieces on Cheng Peng Theater,aims to renovate the area of Travessa do Bazar Novo and Travessa do Auto Novo around Cheng Peng Theater, which has a rich historical and cultural past. Through an in-depth analysis of the current situation, we established planning goals, inspired by the four main performance techniques of Cantonese opera—singing, acting, recitation, and martial arts—to derive four major spatial design strategies. These strategies optimize the neighborhood starting from the details and aim to transform the area around the theater into a vibrant district combining culture, leisure, and tourism, allowing the culture of Cantonese opera to flourish with vitality.

– Why did you decide to participate?
Chen – Through the universitys urban planning and design courses, we gained a deeper understanding of urban renewal. Therefore, we hoped to use this competition as an opportunity to put our knowledge into practice. It not only allowed us to train our professional skills but also gave us a better understanding of Macau.

– Why did you choose this neighborhood? What are your impressions of the area?
Xie – The area around Cheng Peng Theater is rich in historical heritage, but its unfortunate that tourists often struggle to appreciate its golden days based on its current appearance. Through various online and offline research, we could feel the unique charm of the area surrounding Cheng Peng Theater. The spatial characteristics of this neighborhood are marked by narrow streets, where the small-scale layout promotes human interaction. In terms of historical and cultural features, the history and culture of Cantonese opera are present throughout the street, giving the area a rich cultural heritage and a unique artistic atmosphere. The surrounding businesses are mostly small, long-standing shops, primarily selling regional products or noodles. However, regarding spatial characteristics, the facades throughout the block have a gray tone and lack the bustling atmosphere of the past. This feeling became even more pronounced after studying the neighborhoods history.

– What are the most important principles in revitalizing old neighborhoods?
Sun – I think we can start with our concept. Due to historical factors and planning policies, Macaus historical and cultural neighborhoods are relatively small and compact, and many locations cannot be altered. Specifically, in our four main design concepts, the idea of recitationoriginally refers to actors delivering dialogue or monologues, which extends to an interaction space. Our idea is to provide residents with street corner spaces and parks for rest and communication as much as possible within the available land. Additionally, we conducted in-depth design around the actingstrategy, incorporating modern elements, such as virtual reality technology and projection, which we frequently discussed, aiming to offer interaction between visitors and scenes from the neighborhoods history and Cantonese opera culture. We believe there are three essential concepts for revitalization: first, it must be people-oriented; second, it must be tailored to local conditions; and third, it must be implemented gradually.

– Is there a chance this winning proposal will be implemented?
Chen – We are very honored to have been recognized by CURB organizers and judges. We believe this competition is a platform that brings together many different ideas, and it would be a great honor if our proposal attracted the Governments attention and was implemented.

– What are the advantages and challenges of involving the public in urban planning and space formation?
Sun – The benefits of public involvement are very simple: it brings urban planners closer to the needs of residents. At the same time, residents can also increase their sense of belonging and responsibility toward the community through active participation. This allows everyone to better understand and connect with the area they live in. Communication and cooperation during the planning and design process gather opinions and suggestions from people with different disciplinary backgrounds and different interest groups. Ultimately, it provides more diverse perspectives and solutions for urban planning, old area revitalization, and neighborhood construction. Regarding challenges, we believe there are two. The first is integrating opinions and demands from different disciplines and interest groups, which in itself is a challenge for planners. How can we ensure smooth and happy communication and coordination, and what role can planners play? This truly tests the wisdom of urban planners. The second point is that, when gathering these opinions and suggestions, we must also maintain objectivity and rationality. Opinions and suggestions from each group are inherently complex and diverse, even full of contradictions. When organizing and summarizing data, we must always remain professional and avoid showing any clear emotional bias; otherwise, it will affect our planning thinking and subsequent planning decisions. This process itself is also a difficult point, requiring a lot of time and energy. However, as long as we can present a more valuable and meaningful plan, we will be happy.

– What is your opinion on Macaus spatial construction or urban design and public participation in that planning?
Xie – Macau should continue to promote the implementation of urban planning laws in terms of design and urban planning. Through detailed planning, it should encourage extensive discussions among all sectors of society to achieve continuous improvements and progress. In the urban design process, it is recommended to focus on ecological sustainability, optimize traffic organization, and improve the rationality and efficiency of urban functions. Regarding participatory planning, residents and tourists should be actively encouraged to participate in urban planning decision-making processes so that urban planning can better meet social needs and promote sustainable urban development.

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