Spatial diversity of urban village development in Shenzhen

Dynamic urbanization in China during the reform period has led to the emergence and proliferation of so-called urban villages in many cities. The development of urban villages, based on a self-help approach of indigenous villagers, has been satisfying great demand for migrant housing and space for other activities. Consequently, urban villages are characterized by rapid growth of housing units and the mix of various land uses including residential, industrial, commercial, and public amenities. This paper uses GIS applications and Municipal building surveys as instruments to analyze the physical development of urban villages in the period 1999-2009 and their land use diversity in 2009 in Shenzhen, one of the most dynamic cities in China. Using measurements drawn from different disciplines, analyses reveal significant variation of urban village development across the city. The development of housing units and other functions in an urban village is found to be linked to its location in the urban fabric. This suggests that the development of urban villages is likely to be driven by the overall planning and urban development, which can provide informative guidance for local policy making associated with urban village (re)development.