Abstract:
The thesis topic of ‘Re-assembling the City: Rationality and Spatial Integration Pattern in Macau’ is aimed to create ‘democracy spaces’ in Macau to mediate the issues relate to social inequality and exclusions that conducted by spatial fragmentations, segregations and disconnections – a ‘closed system’ in the city. The thesis focuses on the rapidest developing regions in China – the Pearl River Delta Metropolises, in particular the urban condition of the city of Macau. The civic and functional obliteration of the city during the post-handover (since 1999) to China period has exacerbated the condition of fragmentation and spread over the entire urbanity. Due to the undergoing integration process of Macau with the mainland China, and the conflict between the affirmation of democracy spaces and the overall Pearl River Delta urban condition of ‘Cities of Exacerbated Difference’, the reconciliation among the disconnected urban patches are key in this passage, as it offers the opportunity to transform the foundational and persistent segregating boundaries into an open, transitional and interactive border. The thesis intended to investigate this critical urban issue by understanding the existing urban pattern of spatial segregation in Macau, to identify what are the key elements constitute to it and eventually aimed to present a solution through the proposed design project. The project addresses the reconnection of social spaces, urban and natural ecologies, and physical and cultural landscapes - which is a ‘democratic spaces’ for the city of Macau. Critical Research Question: Within the context of Macau integrating into mainland China and ‘Cities of Exacerbated Differences’, how can the urban condition of ‘Closed System’ to be exploited for future development of Macau.
