Wash Ivanovic, G., 2016.

Silk Prosperity Reminiscences: A case study in Suzhou's urban fabric

Cities are not made of a homogenous and continuous urban fabric. On the contrary, they are composed of a vast variety of buildings and spatial configurations; old and new buildings, different densities, continuous facades, etc. By looking at these spatial configurations we can read all kinds of interactions; historical periods, functions, technological changes, cultural changes, wealth, architectural trends and urban ideologies. Some of these interactions often seem to have fundamental conflicts with each other, suggesting that they cannot possibly be part of the same system or environment. Yet, they are remarkably held together, firstly by what we call public space, and secondly by the citizens. The city of Suzhou in Jiangsu Province, like other cities in China, has undertaken urban and construction changes of unprecedented speed and magnitude, creating a city in which these urban differences have reached unforeseen scenarios and contrasts. Is the speed at which these changes are occurring actually too fast, to the point in that citizen and public spaces cannot 'hold together' a city anymore? Or can a city's main urban characteristic be dissolved, changed or replaced? In this case study we explore these questions by inviting a group of architecture students to investigate specific areas of Suzhou's old town to see if they could still identify and recognize some of the city's main features and landmarks.