Introduction
The thematic group, China’s urban transformation, focuses the knowledge exchange between Chinese and European urban expertise on urban transformation processes, especially comparing urban regeneration practice in Europe and China. It was established in April 2019 with the initiative of Xin Yi (Associate Professor, Southeast University, China), Uwe Altrock (Professor, University of Kassel, Germany) and Klaus R. Kunzmann (Professor emeritus, TU Dortmund, Germany)
The aim of the thematic group is to learn from European and Chinese experience, both successes. It will confront European participants with the challenges of urban regeneration in Chinese cities, and it will give Chinese practitioners and academic planners an insight into regeneration practices in the different European countries, such as UK, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Sweden and Austria, etc. Since the beginning of the 21st century China and Europe are getting closer and closer. European enterprises are making more and more business in China, and more and more Chinese enterprises are investing in Europe. Tourists from Europe and China like to explore the respective other region. The one-road-one belt Initiative, driven by the Chinese government is reducing geographic distance and transport time.
Since the foundation in 2019, the Group started to organize different events in relations to urban transformation in Europe and China with cooperation of practitioners, academics, governmental and non-governmental professionals, and further interest groups into the TG’s activities.
Internal organization of the group
A collective made up of group members organizes the activities of the Thematic Group. Some of the tasks of the core group are: to establish the Group’s agenda (working topics, meetings); to prepare meetings and annual reports; to disseminate scientific results; to promote a strong involvement into research and publication affairs; as well as towards a broader audience and the AESOP Secretary General.
The list of members who managed the Group’s activities in 2019 (in alphabetic order):
Jin Duan (China), Yang Wang (China), Xin Yi (China), Uwe Altrock (Germany) and Klaus R. Kunzmann (Germany), Wenyue Li (China) ,Yige Li (China) , Xiaohong Tan (China), Zhiqing Zhao (China), Zhiming Li (China)
The list of members who (co-)organized meetings in 2019:
Yang Wang (China), Xin Yi (China), Klaus R. Kunzmann (Germany), Hanqing Zhang (China), Davide Ponzini (Italy), Liu Cao (China), Yiqing Zhao (China) – First meeting of Thematic group UTEC, Università Iuav di Venezia, 11th July, Venice, Italy.
Jin Duan (China), Xin Yi (China), Uwe Altrock (Germany), Carles Crosas Armengol (Spain), Cord Soehlke (Germany), Corinne Jaquand (France), Juliane Heinrich (Germany) – First International conference on people-oriented urban design. 29th - 30th October, Nanjing, China.
Xin Yi (China), Zhitao Sun (China), Wei Dong(China), Juanjuan Zhao (China) – Annual conference of digital technology research center for historical cities of Chinese Society for Urban Studies (CSUS). 16th - 17th Novermber, Nanjing, China.
Anrong Dang (China), Xin Yi (China), Wei Dong(China), Zhiqing Zhao (China) – 4th Annual meeting of remote sensing archeology. 20th December, Beijing, China.
Future Action Plan in 2020
Second International conference on people-oriented urban design. November 2020, Nanjing, China.
Annual conference of digital technology research center for historical cities of Chinese Society for Urban Studies (CSUS). November 2020, Nanjing, China.
Meeting of Thematic group UTEC, University of West England, Bristol, UK.
International Exhibition of the Architect's Life Richard Paulick 1903-1979. November 2020, Nanjing, China.
