PhD Project

This research investigates Beijing’s current state-led urban metamorphosis evoked by its Urban Master Plan (2016-2035), which aims to re-position Beijing as an exclusive national capital. Grounded in Henri Lefebvre’s theory of the production of space, the planetary urbanization concept, and the patterns and pathways framework, the project critically examines the evolving urbanization processes in the extended Beijing region beyond the traditional city boundary by synthesizing ethnographic data, expert interviews, and archival records amassed during extensive fieldwork from 2017 to 2023. 

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This study conceptualizes Beijing's current disciplining urban densities initiative as a 'limit on growth' approach, which emerges from a synthesis and reflection on the long interconnected and conflicting themes within the 'city as a growth machine' paradigm and 'the limits to growth' perspective. Informed by the concept of extended urbanization, the study adopts a decentered perspective to analyze Beijing's urban transformation and the far-reaching impacts on a broader regional landscape, influencing green spaces, remote 'rural' areas, mountainous regions, and diverse ecosystems. 

The research identifies seven intertwined urbanization processes by conceptualizing urban territory as a dynamic force field and utilizing exploratory cartographic techniques, elucidating the motivations, objectives, and mechanisms driving Beijing's contemporary urban metamorphosis.