Application of "Plug-in Design" in public space of old city in Guangzhou: Taking Xudi-Gaodijie area as an example

In the context of the urban regeneration in Guangzhou, the old city has become an important area to improve the urban environment and the appearance. The existing urban regeneration design methods, such as the rapid regeneration of large-scale demolition and construction, the small-scale regeneration without unified planning, and the acupuncture regeneration that needs to be analyzed in combination with the actual situation, are not applicable to the old city of Guangzhou today; Therefore, Guangzhou's old city regeneration needs to be supplemented with a new approach, which can not only ensure the applicability to a series of spacial problems, but also maintain the previous regeneration strategy to adopt precise methods in the face of specific projects, while have a certain degree of sustainability. In order to propose a new updating methodology, This design research integrates and considers the theories and cases learned in recent years. By exploring the theories of "Plug-in City" and summing up the design methods of relevant urban regeneration cases at home and abroad, this thesis puts forward the values of "Plug-in Organic regeneration", and then summarizes the old city regeneration methodology of "Plug-in Design". The "Plug-in Design" which pursues organic regeneration without destroying the overall urban texture has little impact on the spatial changes of the old city of Guangzhou. Its ultimate goal is to energize and revitalize Guangzhou’s old city and inherits the historical context through the insertion of various plug-ins. This design research applies the methodology to the Xudi-Gaodijie area in the core area of the old city of Guangzhou. The geographical location here is unique and the surrounding commercial atmosphere is strong. Its internal urban texture is compact, preserving a great number of historical sites. With diverse architectural types and complex street forms, it is a very typical spatial pattern of the old city in Guangzhou. However, the decline of public space has affected the life and production of local people. Business formats based on commerce and wholesale are in decline. The internal functions of the block are mixed with prominent population and environmental problems, and the urban landscape has been greatly damaged. By combing the internal public spatial structure of Xudi-Gaodijie area, this study discusses rigid plug-ins that enhance structural space and flexible plug-ins to improve business functions. Three dimensions of urban acupuncture, including macro, meso and micro are analyzed through the case study. The "Plug-In Design" not only improves the public spatial environment of the old city, but also injects new urban forms and inherit the historical context of the city. This study not only aims at provide a specific solution to the current problem of urban regeneration of the old city if Guangzhou, but also attempts to supplement the current methodology, conceive the development of urban regeneration theory by providing a thinking pattern of "Plug-In Design". It is expected that in the future urban regeneration of Guangzhou, designers can make use of the advanced science and technology to combine new theories with practice, pay more attention to the preservation of historical context, and achieve people-oriented urban regeneration.