Research on functional renewal of Shanghai historic streets. A case study of Xinle Street

In the past 700 years, Shanghai has raised from an ordinary village in the east of China to one of the biggest and the most attractive cities in the world. Many heritages are left from different times, and shape a unique city image of Shanghai. Since the rapid development has taken over most urban areas, the historic parts are facing the challenge of aging and demolished. For conserve the historic urban heritages as many as possible, Shanghai has built an integrated system of heritage conservation--from the city level to the historic urban areas, the historic streets and historic buildings. Historic streets are at the mid-scale level of the system, which is easily perceived, as the best carrier of the city's styles and features. At September 2007, Shanghai’s government approved the document of Advice on Shanghai Historic Streets’ conservation and management, claiming that historic streets need detailed conservation planning. Since then, many practice of historic streets conservation planning and management come to earth, such as Yandang Street, Duolun Street, Wukang Street and so on. Through these trials, we find that function that cannot meet the demand of new age is the most critical aspect in the conservation work, which may result in population flows, transforming building and losing historic features. For further study, this text picks a typical historic street---Xinle Street of Xuhui District as a case study. First, compare the functions of Xinle Street in the past 80 years and other streets in the same area at the same time, to know the rules of functional renewal and influencing factors; Second, investigate the contradiction and challenges which Xinle Street confronts now and the needs and acceptability from relatives behind, to know the balancing patterns; Last, propose the main control aspects in the future function renewal of Xinle Street, and summarize the planning and managing strategies of Shanghai Historic Streets functional renewal, providing a extensions of historic streets conservation.