With the accelerated urbanisation in China, the renewal and transformation of public spaces in old communities have become a hot topic. Unlike the previous large-scale demolition and reconstruction, the current renovation now pays more attention to its historical characteristics and renovation cost. Therefore, the concept of “micro-renewal” is used to transform the public space of the old community, improve social and living conditions after the epidemic, promote relationships between neighbours and heal mental health problems caused by the epidemic.

The project will collect questionnaires from different groups of people, which aims to understand the views of people who have lived in the old community and the impact of people who have experienced the epidemic. In addition, the project will also explore and expand the space through literature analysis, case studies, sensory experiments and model making.

Instead of large-scale reconstruction, the project will insert small-scale elements to renew the living conditions of the old community like cells, activate the relationships between neighbours and heal the psychological effects of the epidemic. Furthermore, the project will further expand the space through the theoretical research of perceptual phenomenology, thus activating people’s experience of the space, increasing their sense of presence and stimulating the community’s vitality. In addition, It is also hoped that the project will have the effect of improving human interaction and healing mental health.