Publicness as Renewal Strategy for Guangzhou Waterfront Industrial Heritage: in the Case of Taikoo Warehouse & Wharf Area

Since the 1990s, urbanization process in China has accelerated, and the industries in the urban waterfront area have gradually moved out. The urban waterfront area has been included in urban renewal plans and has gradually gained its popularity. Guangzhou has abundant reusable waterfront industrial heritage resources. Due to the scarcity of relevant theoretical research, the dominant position of commercial factors and the low awareness of the value of industrial heritage by all parties in society, some problems occurred, such as the demolition in the process, the weak relationship between new functions and industrial history, the privatization of industrial heritage and waterfront space, and the cover-up of the industrial history of the site. Therefore, this essay clarifies the guiding significance of the concept of publicness for the renewal of Guangzhou's waterfront industrial heritage by sorting out relevant theories and practices. The main content of this paper is divided into six parts. The first part is the introduction to the overall structure of the essay. The second part is the literature review. Firstly, the domestic and foreign research on urban waterfront renewal, waterfront industrial heritage renewal and the concept of publicity is sorted out, and the research direction of applying the concept of publicity to the renewal strategy of Guangzhou's waterfront industrial heritage is proposed. The third part is case study. Considering the application methods of publicness concept in different regions, three typical renewal projects with strong publicity are selected. Publicity is analyzed from five basic dimensions of accessibility, openness, inclusiveness, identifiability and cultural continuity. In the end, the guiding significance and referential method of the publicness concept for the renewal of Guangzhou's waterfront industrial heritage are summarized. The fourth part is the research on the characteristics and protection and utilization status of Guangzhou waterfront industrial heritage. Firstly, the evolution of the relationship between Guangzhou’s urban development and the waterfront, as well as the historical formation, renewal status, and surrounding urban environment of the six waterfront industrial heritage areas are sorted out, followed by extracting the main features and status quo of protection and utilization of the Guangzhou Waterfront Industrial Heritage Parks, industrial heritages, and waterfront open space. Lastly, the Guangzhou Taikoo Warehouse & Wharf Area is identified as the typical case, to which detailed research and update design will be carried out in the follow-up work. The fifth part is the research on the status quo of Guangzhou Taikoo Warehouse & Wharf Area and its surrounding area. Through literature research and on-the-spot research, its historical value, current environmental conditions and utilization situation is analyzed and an in-depth understanding of the site and its surrounding areas is gained. The sixth part is the renewal design scheme of Guangzhou Taikoo Warehouse & Wharf Area. A new positioning of the industrial heritage cultural block is proposed for the renewal project, and corresponding renewal strategies are proposed from four aspects of industrial heritage regeneration, transportation, function and spatial form.