The UK and Chinese Governments have agreed to collaborate through the China-UK Sustainable Development Dialogue on research to help ensure that the way we develop our cities will become sustainable.
This network is evidence of their commitment to this collaboration.
The network is one of a group of related networks funded by the UK's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and inspired by the Dongtan Eco-city development north of Shanghai. It addresses two related topics: the historical development of Chinese and European cities, and spatial masterplanning at scales ranging from the local place to the whole metropolitan area.
We believe there is much to be gained by bringing these fields together since the lessons of history have much to bring to current design, planning and policy formation so far as urbanisation is concerned. Equally, there is benefit in bridging between European and Asian history and experience of industrialisation and urban expansion.
A central focus for this network will be to investigate the way that urban spatial structure relates to social cultures. At times of rapid change it is often the heritage of social culture that is lost.
This aspect of planning is currently seen to be central to the creation of sustainable communities and is one where the benefit of cross cultural comparison in research is clear. Here we will investigate the use of spatial analysis and modelling methodologies to allow a common basis for cross cultural and historical comparison. In this way we will investigate the application of the latest analytic technologies in urban design, planning and policy formation as well as in heritage and conservation.
We have brought together an international research network comprising all the leading UK research universities in this field with their leading counterparts in China, including the main Chinese professional and coordinating organisations, to discuss common interests and formulate proposals for Anglo-Chinese collaborative research and academic exchange.
The network will complement and build upon other related initiatives rather than duplicate these, and is open to new entrants. We will include international researchers from Australia and the USA to ensure that we draw on relevant expertise wherever in the world that lies, and that our impact is global.
The network will operate through a programme of workshops and exchange visits over the next two years and will deliver an exciting range of collaborative projects. Ultimately it will lead to a powerful international learning network in this important field.
EPSRC Grant Reference: EP/F00222X/1
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UCL
Prof Alan Penn
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Dr Ruth Conroy DaltonEPSRC
Dr Peter Hedges
Dr Claire TansleyArup
Prof Jeremy Watson
Eclipse Research Consultants
Prof Ian Cooper
Urban Planning Society of China
Dr Nan Shi
University of Cambridge
Prof Marcial Echenique
Dr Tony HargreavesArchitectural Society of China/Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology
Prof Kecheng Liu
University of Tongji
Prof Shiling Zheng
Prof Yi ChenUniversity of New South Wales
Prof Bill Randolph
China Academy of Urban Planning & Design
Dr Baojun Yang
Mr Luxin Huang
Mr Degao ZhengLondon School of Economics
Dr Philipp Rode
University of Tsinghua
Prof Anrong Dang
University of Birmingham
Prof Jeremy Whitehand
University of Tianjin
Prof Tongtong Liu
Dr Yue ZhuangUniversity of Cardiff
Professor Chris Webster
Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Professor Bin Jiang
University of Chongqing
Professor Xingguo Zhang
Arup Hong Kong
Mr Stanley Yip
Arup Shanghai
Ms Yuan-Yuan (Stephanie) Zhang
Southeast University
Professor Jianguo Wang
University of Nottingham
Prof Brian Ford
Katharina Borsi - contact via Brian Ford
Benson Lau - contact via Brian FordUniversity of Peking
Prof Bin Lu
University of Melbourne
Dr Jianfei Zhu
University of Hong Kong
Prof Arlen Ye
Beijing Municipal Commission of Urban Planning
Mr Yajun Wang
Hangzhou Urban Planning Bureau
Dr Zuojun Yang
Space Syntax Ltd
Mr Tim Stonor
Mr Alain Chiaradia
Ms Ji Zhang