Bartlett Research Conversations: Zhenhang Hu

Space-Driven Urban Theatre: Exploring Heritage-with-Community in China’s ‘Multi-Period Overlapping Cities’

Speaker: Zhenhang Hu
Supervisors: Prof. Yeoryia Manolopoulou, Prof. Edward Denison and Ms. Guang Yu Ren
Guest panellist: Dr. Nina Vollenbroker from The Bartlett School of Architecture

Abstract

This research uses space-driven urban theatre as a design research method to better understand and potentially enhance the public spaces of living communities in sites of historical importance in China’s ‘multi-period overlapping cities’. The concept of space-driven theatre is inspired by Hans-Thies Lehmann's post-dramatic theatre theory which suggests that all elements of contemporary theatre, including space, should share equal rights. In this research, space-driven urban theatre is associated with environmental theatre, non-theatre venues, spatial experimentation, and new actor-audience relationships. It is also a vehicle for identifying and responding to social and architectural concerns that are usually overlooked in mainstream conservation approaches to heritage. ‘Multi-period overlapping cities’ is a Chinese archaeological definition referring to contemporary cities with multiple and important tangible and intangible heritage layers in China. Phoenix Hill in Hangzhou is one of these areas with overlapping histories and archeological layers and, as such, selected as the laboratory site.

About The Bartlett Research Conversations

The Bartlett School of Architecture’s Research Conversations seminars comprise work-in-progress and upgrade presentations by students undertaking the Architectural Design MPhil/PhD and Architectural and Urban History and Theory MPhil/PhD. All current UCL staff and students are welcome to attend.

Held regularly throughout the academic year, the seminars are attended by the Programme Directors, Professor Sophia Psarra, Dr Nina Vollenbröker and Professor Nat Chard; PhD Coordinators, Dr Stamatis Zografos and Dr Stelios Giamarelos; and other PhD supervisors.

Image: Performative Cailou (by Zhenhang Hu & Xue Han)