Nach der zentralen Städtebaubegegnung: Wie kann die Fusion von Kultur und Technologie die Stadtentwicklung vorantreiben?
This article explores the path of promoting urban renewal through the integration of culture and technology. Currently, urban development has entered the stage of improving the quality of the existing stock, and culture and technology have become the "twin engines" of urban renewal. In terms of space, technology revitalizes industrial heritage, renews historical blocks, and innovates public spaces; in the industrial aspect, it cultivates new business forms such as digital content, creative design, and the integration of culture and tourism; in governance, empowering smart cities with digital technology, upgrading public services, and optimizing social participation are the main paths.
The Central Urban Work Conference was held in Beijing from July 14th to 15th. This is the Central Urban Work Conference held again after a decade.
Currently, China's urbanization rate has exceeded 65%, and urban development has entered a new stage of stable development and optimization of the existing stock from the period of high - speed expansion. This Central Urban Work Conference clearly pointed out that "China's urban development is shifting from large - scale incremental construction to the stage mainly focusing on improving the quality and efficiency of the existing stock. Improve the inheritance system for the protection of historical culture, improve the management system for urban landscapes, and protect the unique historical context, human geography, and natural landscapes of cities; strengthen the construction of urban cultural soft power and improve the civilized quality of citizens." This means that the focus of urban development is no longer simply demolishing old buildings and building new ones, but upgrading and improving the functions of existing urban areas, protecting and inheriting the historical context, and transforming the living environment to improve its quality.
Throughout the long history of urban development, culture and technology have always been the "twin engines" driving urban renewal. Historically, each technological revolution has profoundly changed the appearance and functions of cities, while culture endows cities with a unique soul and charm. Integrating culture and technology in urban renewal can not only improve the quality of urban space and the living experience of residents, but also stimulate the innovation vitality of cities and new economic drivers, achieving the harmonious coexistence of tradition and modernity.
From an international perspective, the "integration of culture and technology" has become a new focus of global urban competition. Many cities in developed countries have successfully achieved the rejuvenation of old urban areas and the cultivation of new drivers through the combination of culture and technology. For example, the South Bank Arts District in London has transformed the abandoned industrial area into a world - famous cultural landmark by introducing digital art and creative technology; Singapore has incorporated intelligent technology into urban renewal to create a model of a "Smart Nation", improving the efficiency of urban operation and the quality of residents' lives. These cases show that the integration of culture and technology is both an inevitable trend of urban development and a strategic choice for cities to stand out in the new round of competition.
This article conducts an in - depth exploration around the theme of how the integration of culture and technology promotes urban renewal. The integration of culture and technology is not a simple addition, but rather finding a practical path in the practice of urban renewal to enable the two to empower each other and produce a chemical reaction. The following explores the specific paths of promoting urban renewal through the integration of culture and technology from three aspects: spatial carriers, industrial forms, and governance models.
I. Spatial Carriers: Creating New Urban Spaces with the Integration of Culture and Technology
Revitalization of Industrial Heritage
The old industrial areas and factories in many cities carry unique memories of industrial culture. By introducing technological means for transformation and renewal, new functions and vitality can be given to these industrial heritages. For example, technologies such as three - dimensional laser scanning, virtual reality, and holographic imaging can be used to restore historical scenes and stories, transforming old factories into immersive cultural experience spaces.
For instance, Beijing Shougang Park has deeply integrated abandoned industrial relics such as blast furnaces and silos with innovative technologies such as digital twins and mixed reality, developing new business forms such as science - fiction theme parks, digital art exhibitions, and immersive performing art venues. This has made the cold industrial ruins regain the atmosphere of culture and life. Shougang Park has thus become a popular "check - in place" for science - popularization and research, integrating industrial design and humanities and art, achieving a win - win situation for the protection of industrial heritage and the experience of modern technology.
Renewal of Historical Blocks
In the historical and cultural blocks in the city center, renewal often faces the dilemma of protection and development. The integration of culture and technology provides a new idea: on the premise of preserving the historical style, digital technology can be introduced to enhance the functions and experiences of the blocks.
For example, in the micro - transformation of Yongqingfang in Guangzhou, the Internet of Things and big data technologies were used to build a smart block management platform, which can monitor real - time data such as the flow of people and energy consumption, achieving refined governance. At the same time, Lingnan traditional cultural elements and modern creative business forms are integrated into the block, enabling the historical block to retain its "liveliness" and regain new vitality. Practice has proved that through the "meticulous" micro - transformation and technological empowerment, historical and cultural blocks can achieve a positive interaction between protection and utilization and become a new window to display urban culture.
Innovation of Public Spaces
Public areas such as urban parks, squares, and waterfront spaces are important carriers of citizens' cultural lives. With the help of technological means, these spaces can be upgraded to innovative stages integrating culture and technology. For example, interactive projections and intelligent lighting devices can be installed in urban parks, allowing citizens to experience the integration of technology and art during leisure and entertainment; digital art exhibitions and light shows can be held in urban squares to create new cultural landmarks in the city.
During the renewal process of Xuhui Riverside in Shanghai, not only were industrial relics and ecological landscapes restored, but digital industrial projects such as the West Bund Media Port were also introduced, transforming the former industrial rust belt into a "life - showing belt" integrating culture, commerce, and technology. Practical explorations show that if cultural creativity and technological elements are integrated into the renewal and upgrading of public spaces, citizens' sense of participation and satisfaction will be greatly improved.
II. Industrial Forms: Cultivating Emerging Industries with the Integration of Culture and Technology
Digital Content Industry
The integration of culture and technology has given rise to a large number of new cultural business forms, especially the digital content industry. Industries such as film and television, games, animation, and digital publishing have achieved leap - forward development with the help of technology. For example, in the film and television field, technologies such as virtual production, motion capture, and AI special effects are widely used, reducing production costs and improving audio - visual effects; in the game and animation field, cloud computing and AI empower new business forms such as cloud games and metaverse games, attracting users from around the world.
These digital content enterprises often play the role of an "engine" in urban renewal: they prefer to cluster in creative parks or digital industrial bases in the city center, driving the upgrading of commerce and consumption in the surrounding areas. For example, the 798 Art District in Beijing was originally transformed from old factories. Now it has gathered a large number of digital art, design, and film and television enterprises, becoming an incubator for culture - technology enterprises and a cultural business card of the city.
Creative Design Industry
Design is a bridge connecting culture and technology. On the one hand, excellent design can integrate local cultural elements into modern products and spaces, enhancing the cultural taste of the city; on the other hand, the development of technology (such as computer - aided design and 3D printing) has expanded the possibilities of design, giving rise to new fields such as digital design and intelligent product design. In urban renewal, the role of the creative design industry is becoming increasingly prominent. Many cities have introduced the design industry into old urban areas by building design industrial parks and holding design weeks, promoting industrial upgrading and the improvement of the living environment.
For example, OCT - Loft in Shenzhen has transformed old industrial factories into a gathering place for design companies and art institutions. It holds the Shenzhen Design Week every year, attracting creative talents from around the world and turning an old industrial area into a vibrant creative block. Another example is that Hongkou District in Shanghai promotes urban renewal with the concept of "design +", builds design industrial clusters in areas such as the North Bund, and introduces international design competitions and exhibitions, driving regional economic transformation. The booming development of the creative design industry not only creates economic value for the city but also makes urban spaces more aesthetically valuable and culturally connotative.
Industry of Cultural and Tourism Integration
The in - depth integration of culture and tourism cannot be achieved without the support of technology. New business forms such as smart tourism, digital scenic spots, and immersive performances are emerging in an endless stream, injecting new consumer vitality into urban renewal. For example, museums and art galleries across the country use VR/AR technology to launch online virtual exhibitions, making cultural heritage "come alive"; theme parks and scenic spots introduce technological means such as holographic projection and interactive devices to create immersive tour experiences. In urban renewal projects, the "culture - tourism + technology" model is emerging: by exploring the historical and cultural resources of the city and combining modern technological means, characteristic cultural and tourism blocks or parks are created, which not only protects cultural heritage but also develops the tourism economy.
For example, Yongqingfang in Guangzhou has retained the historical style of arcade buildings and cobblestone roads, and at the same time introduced creative shops and digital art installations, becoming a well - known cultural and tourism integration block. Another example is the "Night Tour of the Jinjiang River" project in Chengdu, Sichuan, which combines light shows, AR guides with traditional Shu culture, reproducing the grand scenery of "Flowers Heavy in the Brocade Official City" and becoming a new highlight of the city's night - time economy. The prosperity of the tourism market shows that the new experiences created by the integration of culture and technology are welcomed by the public and bring real economic benefits to urban renewal.
III. Governance Model: Empowering Urban Governance and Public Services with Digital Technology
Smart City Governance
Urban renewal is not only the transformation of physical space but also requires innovation in governance models. The wide application of digital technology makes "smart city" governance possible. By building urban big data platforms and City Information Model (CIM) platforms, the government can grasp the real - time operation status of the city and improve the scientific nature and accuracy of decision - making.
For example, Gusu District in Suzhou has built a "CIM + Digital Twin Ancient City" platform, constructing a full - scale oblique three - dimensional model and overlaying historical images, geographical information, and Internet of Things monitoring data to form a twin system of "real ancient city + virtual mirror image". Every building and every ancient tree in the 14.2 - square - kilometer ancient city is included in digital management, which not only protects the millennium - old cultural context but also realizes intelligent governance.
Upgrading of Public Services
The integration of culture and technology is also reflected in the innovation of urban public services. On the one hand, public cultural services have become more accessible with the help of digital means. For example, many cities have built unified public cultural digital platforms, allowing citizens to make appointments for activities in museums and libraries through mobile apps and watch online exhibitions and live performances. Shenzhen has launched a unified service platform for the "City of Libraries", realizing the sharing of library resources across the city. Readers can easily search for and borrow books, promoting the popularity of reading among the whole people.
On the other hand, the application of technology in people's livelihood fields such as smart communities, smart healthcare, and smart education is also improving the quality of residents' lives and creating a more human - oriented urban environment. For example, in the transformation of some old communities, face - recognition access control systems and intelligent garbage sorting and recycling equipment have been installed, ensuring safety and improving the level of environmental protection; community service centers have introduced AI customer service and remote medical terminals, allowing residents to enjoy convenient services at their doorsteps. These seemingly minor changes have actually enhanced residents' sense of gain and happiness, reflecting the value orientation of "technology for the people".
Social Participation Mechanism
Urban renewal involves multiple stakeholders. How to enable the public to participate in decision - making and supervision more effectively is an important issue in the modernization of governance. Digital technology provides new channels and tools for this. For example, many cities have built online public participation platforms in renewal projects, using virtual reality to display planning schemes, allowing citizens to "experience"