Rethinking urban resettlement housing: A production of space perspective on Shanghai’s community edible landscapes

Abstract

As many rural areas in China have recently been urbanized, the establishment of new urban communities has given rise to conflicts over spatial use related to community governance. Using Henri Lefebvre’s theory of the Production of Space as a lens, this study examines the development of edible landscapes and the rationality of spatial change in the Jin-Shui-He-Jing-Yuan Community in Shanghai, China. The findings reveal that: First, the spatial transformation of new urban neighborhoods is a result of shifts in productivity and the interaction between government-led power and capital. Second, these new, rapid and extensive urban community spaces are disconnected from the real needs of residents, resulting in changes in spatial characteristics and conflicts over spatial domination. Third, the cultivation of edible landscapes herbs offers a community governance approach to resolving spatial usage conflicts, providing practical community-based experience for the preservation and development of traditional Chinese medicine culture. Fourth, this study finds that edible landscapes empower users with greater participation, allowing them to become active agents in space and fostering interaction among different community groups, whereas users of traditional urban community green space can only passively accept spatial arrangements. The study demonstrates that introducing edible landscapes helps alleviate spatial usage conflicts in new urban communities and enhances community governance, offering important insights for government policies and the development of urban communities.