- To Alleviate Spatial and Social Divisions by Modifying Grids: City Planning and Social Orders in Ancient Multi-ethnical Chinese Cities   705 kb by    Yibo, Xu | xybvsxyb@hotmail.com    Short Outline This paper is part of research into the relationship between grid and social orders. It aims to argue that the modification of grids may alleviate social divisions between migrants and locals by increasing accessibility and centrality. Cases are based on ancient migratory cities in China. Abstract This paper is part of research into the relationship between grid and social orders. It aims to argue that the modification of grids may alleviate social divisions between migrants and locals by spatial models that increase the accessibility and centrality. The economical and political ends push families and clans move from their hometown to other territories. The grid, as a spatial for governors to sustain social orders, played a vital role in remedy the ethic conflicts: the first migratory settlements usually arise physical/social boundaries to calm down possible conflicts among ethic communities, as official or spontaneous regulations. In case new migrants[simplequote] grids are planned with new focuses containing high accessibility and fluidity with the old, diverse communities may benefit mutually and coexist in harmony under proper social regulations. These spatial intervention included macro and micro actions based on the revisions on physical boundaries, say focus, orientation, internal borders and external borders. The study is based on cases from ancient migratory cities in Chinese history. The motive is not as antiquarians or amateur historians but as a planner to borrow the past spatial experiences upon contemporary frontier problems. As well, conflicts between migrants and locals have essential problems that do not vary upon time and cultures. The historical studies from sino-background are not pointless in helping present problems. The theoretical framework borrows Henri Lefebvre[simplequote]s idea of Centrality. The physical accessibility to the centre provided by good spatial design is a key to improve citizenship as well the conflicts between diverse ethic communities. The notion to emphasize grid as the spatial tool is from Prof Luigi Mazza[simplequote]s lectures on spatial planning and citizenship. This paper gives the suggestions that the spatial models that increase accessibility and centrality among ethic communities may remedy the shocks in contemporary global migrant era. Of course, this tool does not work without proper social, economical and political regulations. This study concludes with a contemporary case about Chinatown in Milan. The spatial intervention in favour of accessibility and centrality has made Via Paolo Sarpi one of tourist pedestrian areas. The social mixture of Italian and Chinese communities happens not only in business but also on cultures such as language, fashions, arts and of course food. In Lefebvre[simplequote]s word, as an for both ethics. Keywords Case Study presented on the ISOCARP Congress 2013: Frontiers of Planning - Evolving and declining models of city planning practice   Click to open the full paper as pdf document   Click to send an email to the author(s) of this paper