Comments on: Demolition of Tianjin’s old city http://www.bricoleurbanism.org/whimsicality/demolition-of-tianjins-old-city/ urbanism - landscape - ideas - theory - whimsy Wed, 01 Feb 2012 03:15:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: YD http://www.bricoleurbanism.org/whimsicality/demolition-of-tianjins-old-city/comment-page-1/#comment-54107 YD Wed, 01 Feb 2012 03:15:27 +0000 http://www.bricoleurbanism.org/?p=1903#comment-54107 Looking at those photos bring me back to the 1980s when I was riding my bicycle to visit my grandma. It took me 30 minutes or so to cross the old city via its main road. I can still remember the old hutong, small shops, and it's people. One interesting thing I want to share with you is the so called "main road" is not wide enough for cars! But it is a way of life for its people, close my eyes, I can still remeber the sound of Peking opera and the smell of Jasmine teas. I have to say the past 30 years probably saw the biggest change in China history, everytime I came back to visit my hometown I saw people moving into new aprtments, more cars on the road, and they getting better education and health care. But all these really coming with huge price tags, the image tells everything. Luckily for me, my childhood memories will stay with me forever. Looking at those photos bring me back to the 1980s when I was riding my bicycle to visit my grandma. It took me 30 minutes or so to cross the old city via its main road. I can still remember the old hutong, small shops, and it’s people. One interesting thing I want to share with you is the so called “main road” is not wide enough for cars! But it is a way of life for its people, close my eyes, I can still remeber the sound of Peking opera and the smell of Jasmine teas. I have to say the past 30 years probably saw the biggest change in China history, everytime I came back to visit my hometown I saw people moving into new aprtments, more cars on the road, and they getting better education and health care. But all these really coming with huge price tags, the image tells everything. Luckily for me, my childhood memories will stay with me forever.

]]> By: Qi http://www.bricoleurbanism.org/whimsicality/demolition-of-tianjins-old-city/comment-page-1/#comment-48132 Qi Mon, 24 Oct 2011 16:13:33 +0000 http://www.bricoleurbanism.org/?p=1903#comment-48132 thanks for your wonderful post. the more powerful it is, the more heartbreaking. I am from Tianjin. thanks for your wonderful post. the more powerful it is, the more heartbreaking. I am from Tianjin.

]]> By: Open Mobile Map » Check out Bricoleurbanism http://www.bricoleurbanism.org/whimsicality/demolition-of-tianjins-old-city/comment-page-1/#comment-40109 Open Mobile Map » Check out Bricoleurbanism Thu, 17 Mar 2011 10:15:53 +0000 http://www.bricoleurbanism.org/?p=1903#comment-40109 [...] do not know why I have not come across it sooner. It’s got some fabulous posts, for example on the razing of old Tianjin, or the disappearance of Shanghai’s Wujiang Lu food street (whose last days I also saw), or [...] [...] do not know why I have not come across it sooner. It’s got some fabulous posts, for example on the razing of old Tianjin, or the disappearance of Shanghai’s Wujiang Lu food street (whose last days I also saw), or [...]

]]> By: Magnus http://www.bricoleurbanism.org/whimsicality/demolition-of-tianjins-old-city/comment-page-1/#comment-39028 Magnus Wed, 16 Feb 2011 00:08:18 +0000 http://www.bricoleurbanism.org/?p=1903#comment-39028 amazing post, great blog, incredibly depressing content amazing post, great blog, incredibly depressing content

]]> By: Mikecheck http://www.bricoleurbanism.org/whimsicality/demolition-of-tianjins-old-city/comment-page-1/#comment-38906 Mikecheck Sat, 12 Feb 2011 02:55:32 +0000 http://www.bricoleurbanism.org/?p=1903#comment-38906 I lived in Tianjin from 1996-2000. I wandered those now vanished neighborhoods and really appreciated how complete they were. Few people know how beautiful Tianjin was architectually, the old city and the concessions areas were second only to Shanghai. I didn't take so many piictures because it felt like that stuff would be there forever. Then around the time I left the destruction started, slowly, but when you see the oldest best buildings being knocked down, you just know the old hutongs don't stand a chance. Luckily large parts of the British and French concessions have been saved, but they are mostly banks, a hotel or two and some villas. These photos really ruined my day! I lived in Tianjin from 1996-2000. I wandered those now vanished neighborhoods and really appreciated how complete they were. Few people know how beautiful Tianjin was architectually, the old city and the concessions areas were second only to Shanghai. I didn’t take so many piictures because it felt like that stuff would be there forever. Then around the time I left the destruction started, slowly, but when you see the oldest best buildings being knocked down, you just know the old hutongs don’t stand a chance. Luckily large parts of the British and French concessions have been saved, but they are mostly banks, a hotel or two and some villas. These photos really ruined my day!

]]> By: Adrian http://www.bricoleurbanism.org/whimsicality/demolition-of-tianjins-old-city/comment-page-1/#comment-37740 Adrian Sun, 09 Jan 2011 09:34:48 +0000 http://www.bricoleurbanism.org/?p=1903#comment-37740 I visited ancient culture street for several years on my visits to Tianjin, and was stunned to arrive the one autumn and find half of it had been bulldozed. The rest soon followed, and the ancient mixture of shops and businesses was eventually replaced by a bad copy done all in a single style. My (Chinese) spouse explained that a new mayor of Tianjin (who despised the old mayor) had been assigned by Beijing. Ancient culture street had been a favorite district of the old mayor, and he had protected it. In an act of spite, the new mayor had it demolished. Later, when it was discovered that it had been named a heritage site, he had it rebuilt with his "own money", but the whispers and knowing nods around the city indicated that he made a handsome profit from the destruction and subsequent restoration. It is a fun place to visit, but a pale shadow of what it once was. I visited ancient culture street for several years on my visits to Tianjin, and was stunned to arrive the one autumn and find half of it had been bulldozed. The rest soon followed, and the ancient mixture of shops and businesses was eventually replaced by a bad copy done all in a single style.
My (Chinese) spouse explained that a new mayor of Tianjin (who despised the old mayor) had been assigned by Beijing. Ancient culture street had been a favorite district of the old mayor, and he had protected it. In an act of spite, the new mayor had it demolished. Later, when it was discovered that it had been named a heritage site, he had it rebuilt with his “own money”, but the whispers and knowing nods around the city indicated that he made a handsome profit from the destruction and subsequent restoration.
It is a fun place to visit, but a pale shadow of what it once was.

]]> By: sachie http://www.bricoleurbanism.org/whimsicality/demolition-of-tianjins-old-city/comment-page-1/#comment-37576 sachie Tue, 04 Jan 2011 05:42:50 +0000 http://www.bricoleurbanism.org/?p=1903#comment-37576 its like a dead city without any greenery, I think it should be developed while keeping its characteristics of old china its like a dead city without any greenery, I think it should be developed while keeping its characteristics of old china

]]> By: Check out Bricoleurbanism | Digital Mobile Map http://www.bricoleurbanism.org/whimsicality/demolition-of-tianjins-old-city/comment-page-1/#comment-36807 Check out Bricoleurbanism | Digital Mobile Map Fri, 10 Dec 2010 14:50:21 +0000 http://www.bricoleurbanism.org/?p=1903#comment-36807 [...] do not know why I have not come across it sooner. It’s got some fabulous posts, for example on the razing of old Tianjin, or the disappearance of Shanghai’s Wujiang Lu food street (whose last days I also saw), or [...] [...] do not know why I have not come across it sooner. It’s got some fabulous posts, for example on the razing of old Tianjin, or the disappearance of Shanghai’s Wujiang Lu food street (whose last days I also saw), or [...]

]]> By: Ola http://www.bricoleurbanism.org/whimsicality/demolition-of-tianjins-old-city/comment-page-1/#comment-36459 Ola Mon, 15 Nov 2010 15:41:12 +0000 http://www.bricoleurbanism.org/?p=1903#comment-36459 This is like what was done in many parts of Sweden in the 60s and 70s, whole cityblocks were demolished for, basically no other reason than in with the new, out with the old. In effect, we've lost many historic neighbourhoods and individual buildings in the name of modernization, something that many people deeply regret today. Shame that history should repeat itself, especially in a country such as China, where the effects have the potential to be so much more devastating. This is like what was done in many parts of Sweden in the 60s and 70s, whole cityblocks were demolished for, basically no other reason than in with the new, out with the old. In effect, we’ve lost many historic neighbourhoods and individual buildings in the name of modernization, something that many people deeply regret today.

Shame that history should repeat itself, especially in a country such as China, where the effects have the potential to be so much more devastating.

]]> By: Ogle Earth http://www.bricoleurbanism.org/whimsicality/demolition-of-tianjins-old-city/comment-page-1/#comment-36411 Ogle Earth Fri, 12 Nov 2010 11:29:30 +0000 http://www.bricoleurbanism.org/?p=1903#comment-36411 [...] do not know why I have not come across it sooner. It’s got some fabulous posts, for example on the razing of old Tianjin, or the disappearance of Shanghai’s Wujiang Lu food street (whose last days I also saw), or [...] [...] do not know why I have not come across it sooner. It’s got some fabulous posts, for example on the razing of old Tianjin, or the disappearance of Shanghai’s Wujiang Lu food street (whose last days I also saw), or [...]

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