Research on the Development of Urban Mixed-Use Neighborhoods

Under the TOD Model: The Case of Shanghai Chuangzhitiandi

Neighborhood

Jiaxing Huang

College of Architecture And Urban Planning, Tongji University, Shanghai, China

Keywords: TOD, Urban Design, Mixed-use Neighborhood, Chuangzhitiandi.

Abstract: As China's industrialization and urbanization levels increase, cities will accommodate more and more people.

To avoid the disordered expansion caused by the rapid development of cities, future urban construction needs

reasonable theoretical guidance, and the transit-oriented development (TOD) development model has become

an important reference for China's urban construction at this stage. This paper analyzes the advantages and

shortcomings of the case study of Shanghai's Genesis World Neighborhood through the lens of urban design

and puts forward suggestions for improvement. The Chuangzhitiandi Neighborhood attracts a large number

of people through the public transportation hub, creating a vibrant business district. A convenient underground

pedestrian system connects each building and directs the pedestrian flow brought by public transportation to

the interior of the community. The reasonable pedestrian scale of the internal streets and the verticalization

of building functions on both sides of the streets make the neighbourhood more dynamic. However, the single

business format and lack of vitality of the sunken plaza are the shortcomings of the case. It is necessary to

increase the number of restaurants and entertainment functions, as well as to add a more recognizable visual

guide design for the underground pedestrian system. The urban design analysis of the Chuangzhitiandi

neighbourhood can provide a reference for similar projects in the future.

1 INTRODUCTION

As China's level of industrialization and urbanization

continues to rise, mega-cities are gradually becoming

centers of population and economic concentration. It

is expected that in the future, 70% of China's

population will live in cities, many of whom will be

concentrated in these mega-cities. With the massive

influx of population, urban development is facing

many challenges, such as over-sized cities, disorderly

expansion of built-up areas, traffic congestion, and

underutilization of urban space, etc. At this stage, new

city construction and urban renewal need to be guided

by a unified concept to avoid chaotic and unorganized

urban construction. In this context, the transit-

oriented development (TOD) model can guide new

town construction and urban renewal (Shuai, 2024).

The TOD development model can impro ve the

efficiency of transportation travel and enhance the

connection of urban areas. Comprehensive nodes

https://orcid.org/0009-0007-5011-6182

formed around transportation hubs contribute to the

construction of urban living circles, which is in line

with the development needs of Chinese cities

nowadays.

Most of the TOD development mode takes high-

speed rail stations, bus stations, subway stations and

other public transportation nodes as the center of the

area, and builds relevant facility clusters within 10-15

minutes of walking distance (Perry, 2015). The

internal functions of the clusters can satisfy the needs

of the urban residents in terms of work, business,

culture, education and residence, thus reducing the

use of private cars and building a green city where

public transportation is the main mode of travel.

According to the study by Anna Ibraeva et al,

According to Anna Ibraeva et al, although most of the

research on the topic of TOD comes from the United

States, there is also a growing interest in TOD in the

Asia-Pacific region, and TOD-related research is

spreading widely internationally (Ibraeva, 2020).

Huang, J.

Research on the Development of Urban Mixed-Use Neighborhoods Under the TOD Model: The Case of Shanghai Chuangzhitiandi Neighborhood.

DOI: 10.5220/0013329400004558

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Modern Logistics and Supply Chain Management (MLSCM 2024), pages 289-293

ISBN: 978-989-758-738-2

289

So far, Chinese scholars' research in the field of

TOD mainly focuses on the integration of station

cities and the perspective of land space policy. Yang

Jiawen, Duan Yang et al. studied the land preparation

mode in the process of TOD development in

Shanghai, Dongguan and Shenzhen (Yu, 2020). Li Xi

analyzed the architectural and traffic flow design of

the station-city integration of Guangzhou Baiyun

Station from the perspectives of traffic connection,

functional layout and cultural design (Xi, 2024). Dai

Peng et al. evaluated the renewal potential of rail

transit stations from the perspective of TOD by

establishing an index system (Peng, 2024). Liao

Yuqing analyzed the practical process of promoting

TOD station-city integration in Nanning City and

made an outlook on the development prospect of TOD

station-city integration in Chinese cities (Lu, 2023).

These studies not only provide a theoretical basis for

the development of the TOD model in China but also

lay the foundation for its practical application in

different cities. However, the existing studies focus

more on analyzing and interpreting policy theories,

development models and other macro perspectives,

and less on the urban design perspectives of specific

projects.

This paper aims to analyze the realization of

station-city integration under the TOD mode from the

perspective of urban design in terms of traffic flow

organization and functional zoning layout by taking

Shanghai Chuangzhidiandi Neighborhood as an

example. By analyzing the overall planning and

specific design techniques of the project, this paper

can provide a reference for the future design of TOD

urban integrated neighborhoods and the construction

of urban living areas.

2 DEVELOPMENT AND

ADVANTAGES OF THE TOD

CONCEPT

2.1 Development of the TOD Concept

In the early 20th century, the Englishman Ebenezer

Howard put forward the concept of garden cities, he

pointed out that several garden cities should be built

around a central city to form urban clusters. Each

garden city covers an area of about 6,000 acres and

contains industrial land, agricultural land, stores,

schools and other services. The cities are linked to

each other by railroads (Howard, 2013). The idea of

clustering garden cities and linking them with

railroads is already a prototype of the TOD model. In

the 1920s, Clarence Perry, an American planner,

comprehensively described the planning concept of

Neighborhood Unit. He believed that the

Neighborhood Unit is a “plan for a community that

organizes family life” (Sharifi, 2016), and that in each

unit there is not only housing, but also retail stores,

schools, recreational facilities, and other public

services, as well as requirements for specific planning

details for each unit.

Since the 1980s, the concept of TOD has been

gradually developed. Calthorpe, an American

architect and urban planner, specifically defined TOD

as “mixed-use neighborhoods within an average

walking distance of 2,000 feet from transit stations

and core business districts (Calthorpe, 1993). These

neighborhoods include residential, retail, office,

public service and open space components. Since

then, the TOD concept has gained popularity and

research has been abundant in this area.

2.2 Advantages of the TOD Development

Model

The TOD model provides a fast and efficient green

travel mode. Residents living in mixed-function urban

areas within a certain range of public transportation

nodes can enjoy a wide range of urban functions and

public services within a 10-15 minute walk, which

meets their daily needs. For long-distance travel

needs, public transportation stations in the centre of

urban clusters can be used to take public

transportation, which enhances the use of public

transportation, reduces the use of private cars, and is

conducive to green and sustainable urban

development. At the same time, public transportation

stations in the TOD model can attract a large number

of people. And because of its superior transportation

and logistics conditions, it can form a business district

with a strong consumer atmosphere, bringing

economic vitality to the surrounding urban areas. In

addition, the TOD model helps to change the

development structure of the original urban sprawl

and form new transportation hubs. It also relieves the

pressure of traffic and pedestrian flow brought by a

single city center, forming a multi-center urban

development pattern.

3 THE CASE OF SHANGHAI

CHUANGZHITIANDI

NEIGHBORHOOD

With the gradual improvement of the TOD theory,

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there is a growing interest in the construction of TOD

projects worldwide. As a completed TOD urban

mixed-use neighborhood project in China,

Chuangzhitiandi Neighborhood has maintained

sufficient vitality since its completion. Analyzing the

urban design of the Chuangzhitiandi Neighborhood,

can provide a reference for the construction of other

TOD projects.

3.1 Overview of the Chuangzhitiandi

Neighborhood

Located in the Wujiaochang sub-center area of

Yangpu District, Shanghai, China, approximately

9km from the city center, the Chuangzhitiandi

Neighborhood was developed by Shui On Land and

master planned and designed by SOM Associates.

Fudan University, Shanghai University of Finance

and Economics, Tongji University and other

institutions of higher learning are concentrated in the

surrounding area. A large young population provides

the area with plenty of vitality, and the resources of

the universities have attracted many technology-

based companies and entrepreneurs to move in.

Therefore, the Chuangzhitiandi Neighborhood needs

to be planned to meet the consumption needs of the

relevant population. At the same time, the project

should provide a suitable environment for business

members and innovative entrepreneurs in the

knowledge-based community, such as a collection of

office spaces for R&D, education, training,

investment and incubation organizations, and a

vibrant public sports space and living community

within the site.

3.2 Traffic Organization

The case block is located in the Wujiaochang urban

sub-center of Shanghai, with Songhu Road, the city's

main artery, running through the site. Wujiaochang is

named after the intersection of Handan Road, Siping

Road, Huangxing Road, Xiangyin Road and Songhu

Road in the northeastern corner of Shanghai, and is an

important transportation hub in the northeast of the

city. The transportation network in the area is

complete, with Metro Line 10 passing through and

including Wujiaochang Station and Jiangwan

Stadium Station. More than 10 bus routes run through

the area.

In addition, the Middle Ring Road and Railway

Line 10 build a three-dimensional transportation

network through elevated roads, vehicular tunnels and

underground pedestrian systems. The sunken plaza at

the center intersection is directly connected to the

basement level of the Pentagon Center subway station

and surrounding buildings. When passengers exit

from the Wujiaochang subway station, they can pass

through the sunken plaza and directly enter the

interior of the surrounding buildings. The commercial

street constructed underneath Songhu Road becomes

a corridor linking the Wujiaochang Metro Station and

the Jiangwan Stadium Metro Station. Through the

commercial street, the pedestrian flow will be

directed to the Metro Station, Daxue Road, Zhengmin

Road, Zhengtong Road, Jiangwan Stadium,

Chuangzhitiandi Plaza and other places along the

route. Pedestrians no longer have to cross the street

from the ground level and jostle with the traffic. The

overall business atmosphere is perpetuated, while the

pedestrian flow from the two metro stations ensures

the commercial vitality of the neighborhood. The use

of convenient public transportation to drive

development is in line with the development ideas of

the TOD model. Figure 1 shows the underground

pedestrian system in the area.

Figure 1: Underground pedestrian system(Huang,

2021).

The public space on the ground level is organized

on the axis of Songhu Road and Daxue Road (Figure

2). The sunken public square along Songhu Road has

a total area of about 13,000 square meters. It can be

divided into two sunken plazas in the north and south,

with a sinking depth of about 5 meters. The north

sunken plaza consists of 7 modern-style intelligent

office buildings and is connected to the south sunken

space, with an area of more than 5,100 square meters;

the south sunken space is directly opposite the

Jiangwan Stadium and is also the main entrance to the

entire sunken space, which is roughly a rectangular

space with a width of 6 meters and a length of 120

meters. The area is about 7,800 square meters. On the

south side of the area are two separate office

buildings. The sunken plaza is directly connected to

the pedestrian system on the ground floor, forming a

continuation of the pedestrian network. Company

employees can come to the industrial park directly

through the pedestrian system. On both sides of the

Research on the Development of Urban Mixed-Use Neighborhoods Under the TOD Model: The Case of Shanghai Chuangzhitiandi

Neighborhood

291

axis where Daxue Road is located, residential and

recreational functions are dominant and the overall

atmosphere is more relaxed. Four public squares are

connected through Daxue Road, forming a public

space system for the street. It enhances the walking

experience and creates a more casual street

atmosphere.

Figure 2: Songhu

Road

and Daxue Road axes (Huang,

2021).

3.3 Functional Layout

According to the overall plan, the Chuangzhitiandi

Neighborhood needs to be multi-functional for work,

life and leisure. The whole area is divided into four

parts: Chuangzhitiandi Technology Park, Chuangzhi

SOHO, Chuangzhifang Residential Area and

Jiangwan Stadium. The northernmost part of the area,

the Chuangzhitiandi Technology Park, takes full

advantage of the resources of the surrounding

universities and gathers a large number of

technological enterprises. INNOSPACE+ on the

north side of Chuangzhi SOHO assumes the function

of business incubation for small and medium-sized

enterprises, and serves as a spatial carrier for maker

spaces, co-working and incubation platforms.

Chuangzhifang Residential Area is a knowledge

community with a focus on living and residential

functions, mainly including a purely residential high-

end neighborhood in the northwest corner of the

community and a mixed commercial and residential

area on both sides of Daxue Road. The Jiangwan

Stadium is a historical building conservation and

utilization area. Based on preserving the original

building structure, more public sports space has been

added. It is also revitalized by modestly implanting

commercial functions in the surrounding area.

Inside the neighborhood, the Chuangzhitiandi

Neighborhood adopts a vertical commercial model.

Ground-floor stores along the street are provided with

out-swinging commercial areas along the street,

enhancing the commercial atmosphere of the street.

Sidewalks are also maintained at a width of 4 meters

or more for high passability, creating a pedestrian-

friendly neighborhood scale. The stores along the

street are commercial functions such as restaurants,

stores and bookstores. The upper floors of the stores

have a mixed residential and office space pattern with

localized voids and relatively flexible functions. The

verticalized mix of functions spreading upwards from

the ground floor commercials also makes the space

richer.

3.4 Recommendations for the case

Most of the commercial stores in the sunken plaza of

Creative World along Songhu Road tend to be

educational and office functions, with only a small

portion of catering and recreational functions

supplementing them. Combined with the

characteristics of the sunken outdoor leisure activity

space, this is not conducive to people staying in the

sunken space for a long time. Although the sunken

plaza, the subway station and the underground

commercial street are whole from the perspective of

the pedestrian system, the commercial atmosphere is

not carried over to the sunken plaza at present, which

seems relatively cold. It is possible to increase the

proportion of food and beverage and entertainment

functions in the sunken space, make better use of the

human resources brought by the transportation nodes,

and enhance the commercial vitality of the sunken

space. Because of this, the connection between the

transportation node of the subway station and the

sunken plaza is particularly important.

The main way to reach the transportation nodes of

the subway stations and the surrounding

neighborhoods is through the underground pedestrian

system. However, the underground pedestrian system

has many exits, and it is easy to get lost when passing

through the underground passageways due to the lack

of ground level references. The lack of a clear signage

system for the contact passages does not guide the

flow of people to the exits of the sunken space. For

youthful neighborhoods like Chuangzhitiandi,

personalized expressive devices can be added to the

underground pedestrian system, so that visitors

arriving by public transportation can experience the

unique neighborhood culture. The related venues can

also be made more unique to the area to attract more

people. For example, it is possible to add hints to the

ground-level content in the visual design of the

underground pedestrian street and set up markers to

indicate the intersection of the underground space and

the two axes of Daxue Road and Songhu Road.

To summarize, the current sunken plaza of

Chuangzhitiandi is single-functional and lacks

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vitality. There is a need to increase the number of food

and beverage and entertainment functions, as well as

to add a more recognizable visual guide design for the

underground pedestrian system.

4 CONCLUSIONS

This paper selects Shanghai Chuangzhitiandi

Neighborhood as a case study. It analyzes the

realization of station-city integration under TOD

mode from the perspective of urban design in terms

of project overview, traffic organization and

functional layout, and gives the author's evaluation

and suggestions.

Located in the Wujiaochang sub-centre of the city,

the Chuangzhitiandi Neighborhood is easily

accessible by one subway line and more than ten bus

routes. A convenient underground pedestrian system

connects the two subway stations to the surrounding

buildings as a whole. Convenient public

transportation is used to bring in sufficient pedestrian

flow, which in turn drives development. The above

ground space is distributed along the axis of the two

main roads in the area. According to the overall

planning layout, the Chuangzhitiandi Neighborhood

combines multiple functions such as work, life and

leisure. Inside the neighborhood, the verticalization of

functions through the upward spread of ground-floor

retail makes the space richer. The shortcomings of the

case are that the sunken plaza of Chuangzhitiandi is

relatively single-functional and lacks vitality, which

needs to be increased in terms of food and beverage

and entertainment; the design of the underground

pedestrian system lacks recognizability and needs to

be improved.

Overall, as an excellent case of TOD urban mixed-

use neighbourhood, Chuangzhitiandi Neighborhood

shows us the feasibility of using public transportation

to drive development. It also provides a reference for

future urban renewal and new town construction

programs in China.

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