In China, the interest, especially on the part of scholars and intellectuals, for questions concerning conservation, restoration, preservation, rehabilitation, regeneration of cultural and historical heritage, is more than ever a constant and growing theme of attention and debate. In fact, in recent decades, the rapid development of many Chinese cities has caused the demolition of entire historic buildings and neighborhoods.
The process of `modernization¿, due to political, social and economic pressures, has altered in many ways the protection and valorization of a significant part of the architectural heritage of many cities. Since the new consciousness for the protection of historical architecture has supported a unique series of interventions in-between Western theories and Chinese philosophical thoughts this research aims to study and identify a selected series of projects that will exemplify the different current design approaches to the problem. The idea is to identify what could be the appropriate tools and methods for the development of a design process that could reflect in the future the Chinese cultural heritage in an innovative and contemporary way.
The intentions are to understand to what extent the restoration and requalification of an existing building or an entire urban area can be positioned not only in harmony with the place but also in continuity with traditions without abandoning innovation. Preexistence and history are in this way essential components of an architectural and urban project that, even if in search for modernity recognizes the value of the place.
We believe, in fact, that from the recent restoration projects in China it is possible to deduce the appropriate tools to provide an adequate architectural and urban design approach that maintains and gives value to the continuity of its history.
From what has been explained so far, it can be deduced that the research has innovative features because the various phases of study focus on questions and methodologies only in the last decades present in the "Middle Kingdom." And even today, it can be said, that it is present only within a small circle of scholars and intellectuals who, as far as my experience in China, are carrying out a praiseworthy work of awareness that has achieved the goal of bringing to the attention of politics the problems, not only the recovery and regeneration of the past, but also of the need to continue to make innovation compatible with the memory of the preexistence. All the above, trying to bring to an end the destruction of entire historic neighborhoods and monuments. In this sense, we can remember the famous axiom "Better City, Better Life" coined for the Shanghai Expo of 2010, which used to justify the many and often violent urban transformations of the city.
In a country where heritage is often forfeited in the name of progress, the process of conservation, preservation, and restoration of important historic buildings, as well as the construction of new additions to existing structures, becomes necessary to guarantee the use of buildings without neglecting the past to future generations.
Although sometimes the preservation of some buildings may cost more than to destroy and build new ones, the ability to foresee the importance of the legacies, instead of merely responding to economic and development forces, is an important change in attitudes towards heritage. In fact, historic buildings and urban areas may provide a distinctive quality to the city and can be used to add special cultural value to the specific context. For this reason, it is important to emphasize the revival of the history and culture of the places as a way to strengthen the organic integration of the various historical and cultural sites with the modern functions of the city.
In fact, to obtain good results in the restoration and regeneration of historical architectures and sites can be considered `progress' in a country having for a long time a terrible reputation for demolishing the past. In Beijing, for instance, vast areas of the old city were devastated as part of Mao Zedong campaign to destroy what he called the "Four Olds" (old customs, old culture, old habits and old ideas) during the Cultural Revolution.
Since only in the last two decades the government and the administration have made real efforts to establish national, local laws and regulations to protect and valorize the country's heritage, this research looks with optimism the opportunity to study a topic still in its embryonic and experimental state. A theme that oscillates between Western theories and Chinese philosophical concepts and still uncertain and varied on the different design approaches. History, traditions and cultural legacies, long ignored and banned by political forces, has acquired only recently the real due importance and relevance to society.
If historical areas narrate the past and are part of an "archeology" of the contemporary city, they still belong to an important historical heritage to be bequeathed to future generations.