The Transition of Urban Growth in China

The Chinese government announced new economic reform policies in December of 1978. The announcement included an urban distribution policy that emphasized small cities and towns for rural urbanization as a means to achieve modernization in China. This distribution policy called for limited development in large metropolitan areas, selective development of only a few medium-sized cities, and more development in small cities and towns. Until now, the urbanization and development of small cities and towns have been the most dramatic changes; however, the issue is how a small city can grow in a proper way, fitting to its geographical, social and economical development requirements. Studying the urbanization and development of the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Shenzhen, one of the largest SEZ in China, provides a valuable model. The transformation of Shenzhen from a small town to a large commercial city involves much rural and urban development and construction. Good urban structure and urban growth pattern is essential in providing the necessary, orderly and functional physical environment. This thesis focuses on the evolution of a new kind of urban growth pattern for small cities and towns in China. It seeks to demonstrate that transition of urban growth pattern in Shenzhen is ideologically based in favor of socialistic setting in China. The specific goals of this study are to identify and describe the pattern of systematic urban growth in recent decades in Shenzhen SEZ, to explain the main factors and features in urban growth pattern for small cities and towns, and to evaluate recent policies of urban growth. Thesis Supervisor: Michael Dennis Title: Professor of Architecture