The Research On Urban Spatial Restructure Of Shenyang Based On Urban Economic Transformation

Since 1949, Shenyang gradually transformed from an important national industrial city, so called ’the eldest son of the People’s Republic of China’, into the regional center of Northeast China, and had its own characteristics of urban economic transition. The increase of city size and upgrade of urban functions continuously drives the change of urban spatial structure, and in the mean time urban space provides support to economic development via expansion and restructure. With the guidance of a new round of revitalization of the northeast policy, Shenyang proposes an objective of becoming a national center city in the new stage featured by ’the New Normal’, which means starting a new round of transition and upgrade of urban economy. Under this background what requirements would urban economic development ask for urban space and how would urban space adjust itself are the two questions to be answered in this paper.This paper gave an in-depth interpretation of urban economic transition from the aspects of institutional reform, industrial structure upgrade, and change of economic growth pattern. Based upon the three aspects, the paper analyzed the effects of urban economic transition on urban space along the development of Shenyang urban space. In particular, it analyzed the characteristics of urban spatial restructure during the transitions from planned economy to market economy and from an industrial city up to regional center. Focusing on current problems, this paper combined the latest policy and the demand of urban development, summarized the requirements of Shenyang economic transition on urban spatial structure, and finally gave some ideas and suggestions on the development of urban spatial structure and realization of spatial restructure for Shenyang.This paper is organized in seven chapters.Chapter 1 covers the introduction, including research background, significance, method, framework, innovations, and inadequacies.Chapter 2 is the literature review, which summarized domestic and foreign researches on urban economic transition and urban spatial restructure, and indicated future research directions and research questions to be answered in this field.Chapter 3 analyzed the relevant theories of urban economic transition and urban spatial restructure. In this chapter, the author gave the definitions and theories of urban economic transition and urban spatial restructure, analyzed urban economic transition from the aspects of institutional reform, industrial structure upgrade and change of economic growth pattern, and summarized the main characteristics of urban spatial structure transformation in China as well as the mechanisms of urban economic transition acting on urban spatial restructure.Chapter 4 described the co-evolution between Shenyang urban economic development and spatial structure. According to the history of Shenyang political and economic development, Shenyang city development can be divided into six stages, that is, early feudal period before 1840, semi-colonial and semi-feudal period between 1840 and 1948, industrial development period before the Reform and Opening between 1949 and 1978, early stage of the Reform and Opening between 1978 and 1995, rapid development period between 1995 and 2010, and the New Stage of economic development since the 12th Five-Year Plan. This chapter focused on the three periods before 1995. Shenyang was a fortress in ancient times, and in the early 20th century it was a mosaic of several blocks under different forces. After 1949, Shenyang became an important industrial base in China under the planned economy, which gradually established its current urban spatial structure. At the beginning of the reforming and opening period, economic development was resumed, market economy began to develop, and the urban space experienced a rapid outward expansion.Chapter 5 analyzed the characteristics of economic transition and spatial restructure in Shenyang between 1995 and 2010. Since the early 1990s, Shenyang entered its transition stage. The land market reform provided institutional basis for the increase and restructure of urban space. Foreign investment boosted the formation of new economic zone and industrial aggregation zone in the urban fringe. The service function of the city was strengthened and Shenyang was transited from an industrial city to a regional center, which forced the functional upgrade of city center and the adjustment of land use.Chapter 6 discussed the main problems emerged in the New Stage of Shenyang urban economic and spatial development. The author established the evaluation system of urban economic transition and space restructure, compared the changes in Shenyang spatial structure and economic development since 1995. and also compared Shenyang with other sub-provincial cities. At last, the author analyzed the specific problems existent in current Shenyang economy and spatial lay-out.Chapter 7 gave some ideas and suggestions on Shenyang spatial restructure under urban economic transition. The author summarized the development directions of Shenyang economic transition, proposed some ideas on the future urban spatial restructure, and made some policy suggestions to facilitate a rational urban spatial restructure.