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俞孔堅(jiān)·論美麗城市的“三重奏”——《景觀設(shè)計(jì)學(xué)》2020年第5期“主編寄語”
On The “Trio” Of Beautiful Cities, By Yu Kongjian
在新冠肺炎疫情(COVID-19)初步穩(wěn)定后,中國多個(gè)部委和全國各大城市政府將城市品質(zhì)提升行動(dòng)視為頭等大事,逐步推進(jìn)起來。在剛剛過去的7月和8月,我受邀參與了十多場部級(jí)、市級(jí)專家咨詢會(huì)和授課活動(dòng),可見,如何建設(shè)和管理高品質(zhì)的美麗城市已經(jīng)成為實(shí)現(xiàn)“美麗中國”愿景及人民對(duì)美好生活向往的關(guān)鍵抓手。
如今,城市已成為人類的主要家園,而家園的本質(zhì)在于人與土地、風(fēng)、水和生物的生態(tài)關(guān)系。盡管城市的美麗可以表現(xiàn)在許多方面—諸如社會(huì)的公平與和諧、文化的豐厚與多彩、經(jīng)濟(jì)的繁榮與活力、生活的富足與幸福、建筑與景觀的獨(dú)特與精美、居民的歸屬感和認(rèn)同感—但是,美麗城市的根本是人與自然的和諧共生。沒有這份和諧,再親密的人群也將被迫隔離,正如COVID-19肆虐下的居民;沒有這份和諧,再厚重的文明、再多彩的文化、再繁榮的社會(huì)也可能頃刻間崩塌;沒有這份和諧,再宏偉的建筑、再精美的園林也將黯然無光?;赝麣v史,遙遠(yuǎn)的1 900年前,古羅馬文明的精華之城龐貝,一夜之間被火山灰吞沒,留下的僅僅是烤焦的殘?jiān)珨啾诤腿运圃谕纯鄴暝娜梭w遺??;不遠(yuǎn)處的2004年,正在美麗的東南亞濱海城市享受幸福人生的20余萬名游客,瞬間被印度洋海嘯吞噬[1];最近的2008年,汶川地震轉(zhuǎn)眼便令近7萬個(gè)鮮活生命消失,美麗的山城化作瓦礫[2];以及今天正在泛濫和明天即將到來的滔天洪水,威脅著繁華的城鎮(zhèn)和歡樂的人群……
人與自然和諧共生,是美麗城市的根本。以此為根本的城市才是可持續(xù)的、堅(jiān)實(shí)而有活力的,其所呈現(xiàn)的形態(tài)是一種“深邃之美”:即將人類欲望建立在與自然格局與過程的和諧共生之上。這樣的深邃之美,需要從三個(gè)維度進(jìn)行構(gòu)建:一是美的格局,即深邃的結(jié)構(gòu);二是美的形態(tài),即深邃的外形和風(fēng)貌;三是居民的行為,即綠色生活。這便是美麗城市的“三重奏”。
其一,美麗城市的深邃結(jié)構(gòu)。城市與自然的關(guān)系首先體現(xiàn)在空間上,可以從“自然中的城市”和“城市中的自然”兩個(gè)方面來概括。前者是上帝視角下的國土景觀,城市僅僅是國土空間中一些微小的點(diǎn),甚至不足總面積的1%,因此既有的美麗城市的首要之功在于擇一良好城址。這一理念在古代山水信仰中被稱為“穴”[3],乃大自然母親的胎息所在。自然與城市的關(guān)系便如同父母之于子女,兼有不可冒犯的威嚴(yán)和難以抗拒的懲罰,及安全庇護(hù)等綿綿恩澤—這種恩澤在當(dāng)代被稱為“生態(tài)系統(tǒng)服務(wù)”[4]。而古代的龍脈、祖山、風(fēng)水林、水口、護(hù)砂等構(gòu)成的“神山圣水”格局,在當(dāng)代則被稱為“國土生態(tài)安全格局”或“生態(tài)安全屏障”[5][6]。在這一視角下,美麗城市的深邃結(jié)構(gòu)呈現(xiàn)為城市選址能否與自然和諧共生,城市能否遠(yuǎn)離洪澇和海潮、山崩和地裂、火山和海嘯等自然災(zāi)害,這將決定城市能否長存。
“城市中的自然”則是蒼鷹的鳥瞰,和諧的城市與自然的空間關(guān)系應(yīng)呈現(xiàn)為鑲嵌在城市基底上的連續(xù)、健康的自然系統(tǒng)—山-水-林-田-湖-草生命共同體在方圓幾十甚至上千平方公里的紅塵世界中鋪展開來,包括連續(xù)的生態(tài)廊道、生機(jī)勃勃的濕地與湖泊、充滿活力的公園綠地等,它們構(gòu)成了一個(gè)能為城市提供自然生態(tài)系統(tǒng)服務(wù)的生態(tài)基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施。在這一視角下,城市是否具備深邃的結(jié)構(gòu),取決于這一生態(tài)基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施是否連續(xù)完整(包括能否與區(qū)域自然山水格局和過程保持連通),以及是否具有足夠空間來維持城市的生態(tài)韌性—能否為區(qū)域洪水提供充足的調(diào)蓄空間而不致使災(zāi)害;能否有效降解污染、緩解熱島效應(yīng)、提供多樣的生物棲息地,甚至為城市提供部分水、食物、能源和建材;鳥兒在飛行中,能否找到哪怕只是短暫歇腳的“跳板”;魚兒在游經(jīng)城市水域時(shí),能否順暢地到達(dá)上游產(chǎn)卵;地震或其他災(zāi)害發(fā)生時(shí),人類是否有足夠的躲避空間和時(shí)間;城市能否為居民提供充足的身心再生機(jī)會(huì),例如當(dāng)他們被隔離時(shí),是否仍能方便快捷地進(jìn)入自然,并獲得自然服務(wù)……因此,美麗城市的深邃結(jié)構(gòu)就是一個(gè)城市基質(zhì)與自然生態(tài)網(wǎng)絡(luò)相互嵌合的和諧圖底關(guān)系,是城市適應(yīng)于自然的空間格局。那些與自然為敵的斬山?jīng)]谷、斷河筑壩、填湖造城等浩大工程所成就的“美麗”,終究是膚淺的、不可持續(xù)的。
其二,美麗城市的深邃外形和風(fēng)貌。在人們的日?;顒?dòng)范圍和視野里,城市是由街道、建筑、開放場所(如廣場、自然地和公園等)所構(gòu)成的活動(dòng)空間。在這一層面上,美麗城市的深邃之形由自然和人文因素相互疊加構(gòu)成。例如,山坡上的梯田即是底層的地形、土壤和水文過程的顯現(xiàn),而人類明智的開墾和農(nóng)作則是適應(yīng)自然過程和巧妙利用自然力的一種表征。這一深邃就在于這是人類適應(yīng)于自然的結(jié)果—猶如白鷺佇立在田間,只因其適宜生存于淺灘濕地。
這種城市對(duì)于自然的生態(tài)適應(yīng)成就了城市空間的深邃之美,也成就了城市的美麗風(fēng)貌。生態(tài)適應(yīng)的本質(zhì)是經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)意義上的節(jié)約和人類學(xué)意義的節(jié)制—用最少的能源、物質(zhì)和人力來建造城市,便可獲得街道、建筑和開放空間的深邃之美:蜿蜒起伏的道路、順地形而錯(cuò)落的建筑群、就地勢(shì)而營造的河網(wǎng)和湖泊、適地而栽植的樹木花草,都是適應(yīng)自然衍生出的深邃之美。因此,我們贊美舊時(shí)重慶的山城步道、吊腳樓和黃葛樹(Ficus virens),欣賞延安的黃土墻、窯洞和棗樹(Ziziphus jujuba),懷念北京的胡同、四合院和槐樹(Styphnolobium japonicum),迷戀廣州的河涌水街、騎樓和木棉(Bombax ceiba)。然而,當(dāng)八車道路網(wǎng)橫貫重慶,當(dāng)本地樹種被外來樹種所替代,重慶這座城市也隨之失去了深邃之美。只因不理解美的形態(tài),這樣的“化妝”幾乎在中國所有的城市上演!
其三,美麗城市的綠色生活。城市的美麗還因市民的綠色棲居、綠色出行、綠色消費(fèi)而深邃。如果說美麗城市的深邃結(jié)構(gòu)中,人類之于自然猶如子女之于父母,敬畏而又依戀;在深邃形態(tài)之中,人與自然猶如相愛的夫妻;那么,在綠色生活成就的美麗城市中,人與自然的關(guān)系就猶如父母之于子孫—其深邃的含義在于人類作為父母對(duì)其后代的責(zé)任和關(guān)愛,這便是可持續(xù)發(fā)展理念的本質(zhì):既滿足當(dāng)代人的需求,又保障后代人滿足需求的可能性。當(dāng)街道上有更多的人在步行或騎行,而不是被小汽車填滿時(shí),城市便多了一份對(duì)后代的關(guān)愛;當(dāng)建筑減少了對(duì)空調(diào)的使用,屋頂和墻面上長滿綠色的植被,城市便為后來者留出了更大的生機(jī);當(dāng)雨水被收集、廢水不再排入溪流、垃圾獲得循環(huán),城市便增添了一份讓后人感激的溫暖;當(dāng)食品能就地生產(chǎn)、包裝少去一層華麗外殼、一次性餐具和塑料袋不再泛濫,城市便多了一份愛意。而綠色的生活方式可歸結(jié)為對(duì)物質(zhì)和能源的節(jié)約、循環(huán)和再生,表現(xiàn)為對(duì)自然資產(chǎn)的珍惜、對(duì)生態(tài)系統(tǒng)健康的關(guān)愛和對(duì)其他生命的關(guān)照,這終將促進(jìn)綠色生產(chǎn)方式的發(fā)展。
終了,請(qǐng)不要誤解,我們絕不是在倡導(dǎo)極端的環(huán)保主義或宗教的禁欲主義,更不是反城市主義或出于對(duì)過往人類城市文明的懷舊。城市是人類文明的載體,是人類價(jià)值觀、審美觀在大地上的烙印,是人類欲望和自然力之間的平衡。眼前的工業(yè)文明和消費(fèi)主義,向蕓蕓眾生撩撥無度的消費(fèi)欲望、催生極其浪費(fèi)的生活和生產(chǎn)方式,并以前所未有的機(jī)械和化學(xué)力摧毀著自然格局、毒化著自然過程和生命萬物;唆使人類凌駕于自然之上,罔顧子孫的未來。于是,城市縱然綿延千里,防護(hù)之墻鋼鐵般堅(jiān)硬,街道氣勢(shì)恢弘,建筑巍峨壯麗,園林極盡奇巧,也終究淺薄無根,或毀于洪濤劇震、或掙扎于污水濁氣。只有在繼承過往文明成果的基礎(chǔ)上從與自然的矛盾沖突中不斷反思,才能使我們走向新的文明—生態(tài)文明;這樣的人與自然和諧共生的城市美麗,便是深邃之美、生態(tài)之美、(尊重自然和基于自然的)“大腳之美”,與可持續(xù)發(fā)展之美。
With COVID-19 under control, the urban quality improvement has been considered a prioritized initiative across China by many ministries, commissions, and municipal governments. In the past July and August, I was invited to participate in more than a dozen ministerial and municipal expert consultations and lectures. The Beautiful China construction requires the wise creation and management of high-quality beautiful cities to realize the people’s desires for a better life.
Today, to human beings, cities have become homes that inherently lie in the ecological relationship between human and land, wind, water, and other creatures. The beauty of a city is regarded by many aspects—including the justice and harmony of society, the diversity of culture, the prosperity and vitality of economy, the abundance and happiness of life, the uniqueness and exquisiteness of architecture and landscape, and residents’ sense of belonging and identity. Such a beautiful city is built on the harmony and symbiosis between human and the nature—without this harmony, even the most intimate people will be isolated, just like the ones under the impact of COVID-19; without this harmony, no matter how rich a civilization is, how brilliant a culture is, or how prosperous a society is, it might all collapse in an instant; without this harmony, no matter how magnificent a building or how elaborate a garden is, it would become pale. Such misfortunes are numerous: far back to 1,900 years ago, Pompeii, an epitome of ancient Rome civilization, was swallowed by volcanic ash overnight, leaving nothing more than scorched ruins and human remains that still writhing in agony; not as far as in 2004, more than 200,000 tourists[1], enjoying a happy time in the beautiful coastal city of Southeast Asia, were instantly engulfed by the Indian Ocean tsunami; in recent 2008, Wenchuan Earthquake took away nearly 70,000 lives and made the beautiful mountainous city destroyed[2]; and the monstrous floods that is threatening thousands of cities and towns, as well as our lives, all the time…
The harmony of human and the nature supports the city with sustainability, resilience, and vitality in a “deep form”—satisfying human desires while ensuring natural patterns and processes. Such beauty can be constructed in three dimensions: the pattern of beauty (the deep structure); the form of beauty (the deep appearance and style); and the behavior of residents (green lifestyle). This is the “trio” of beautiful cities.
To the deep structure of a beautiful city, the relationship between city and the nature is reflected in spatial configurations that can be summarized into “the city in nature” and “the nature in the city.” The former refers to the national-scale landscape from God’s-eye view, where cities are distributed like mosaics in the territory, taking less than 1% of the total area. Therefore, the primary merit of a beautiful city is a good site selection, which echoes with the metaphor of “cave” (a symbol of the womb of Mother Nature) in China’s ancient landscape beliefs[3]. The relationship between the city and the nature can be compared to that between children and their parents: the nature not only has the absolute dignity and can exert irresistible punishment, but also offers safe shelters and continuous kindness—which is called “ecosystem services” in modern sciences[4]; the ancient dragon veins (i.e. rolling mountains), ancestral mountains (i.e. the origin of dragon veins), fengshui forests (i.e. the forests reserved for ideal living conditions), water gates (i.e. inlets or outlets of water bodies), and earth protection (i.e. the hills that protect caves) composed the pattern of “sacred mountains and holy waters,” which is now called “national ecological security pattern” or “ecological security buffers”[5][6]. In this regard, the deep structure of a beautiful city is defined as the city’s location safety, i.e. whether the city stays away from natural disasters such as floods and tides, landslides and earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis.
“The nature in the city” is the picture captured from the goshawk’s-eye view—continuous and healthy natural systems embedded in urban matrix. A complex community consisting of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, and grasslands spreads out tens or even thousands of square kilometers on the earth, forming continuous ecological corridors, lively wetlands and lakes, vibrant parks and other green spaces, all of which constitute an ecological infrastructure that can provide the city with natural ecosystem services. In this regard, the deep structure of a beautiful city also requires a continuous and complete ecological infrastructure (which needs to be integrated with regional natural landscape pattern and process), and enough space to sustain the ecological resilience of the city. To be specific, the resilience is reflected by the sufficient spaces to retain and store the floods in the region; the effective reduction of pollution and heat island effect; the diverse habitats; the provision of water, food, energy, and building materials; a “springboard” or even a short rest for birds; a channel in urban environments for fish migration; enough safe spaces and time for people to escape from earthquakes or other disasters; and rich opportunities to access to the nature and enjoy its services for physical and mental relief in case of public emergencies such as under quarantine… Therefore, the deep form of a beautiful city must stem from an interwoven pattern between urban matrix and natural ecological network, i.e. the adaptive pattern to the nature. The “beauty” of large-scale manmade projects which destroys the nature by means of cutting mountains and filling valleys, breaking rivers and building dams, replacing lakes with new towns, etc. is bound to be superficial and unsustainable.
To the appearance and style, the deep form of a beautiful city, which offers daily activity spaces for people (streets, buildings, and open places such as squares, natural areas, and parks), is shaped by a combination of natural systems and humanity. For instance, the manmade terraced fields on the hillside manifesting the underlying topography, soil, and hydrological processes, are reclaimed and farmed through the adaptation to natural processes and the wise use of natural forces. The deep form is precisely the result of human beings adapting to the nature—like an egret living in fields, since they prefer shallow wetlands.
Such ecological adaptation processes of the city to nature witness the deep beauty of urban spaces, as well as the beautiful appearance of the city. The ecological adaptation is essentially considered “saving” in Economics and “moderation” in Anthropology, through which streets, buildings, and open spaces with the deep beauty can be created with minimal energy, materials, and manpower. Inspired by the nature, the road network, the buildings, and the constructed river systems and lakes, and the trees and flowers designed in accordance with the terrain, hydrology, and climate conditions are all of deep meaning. Accordingly, we miss the old mountain trails, irregular buildings, and Ficus virens in Chongqing city; admire the loess walls, cave dwellings, and Ziziphus jujuba in Yan’an city; appreciate Beijing’s hutongs, courtyards, and Styphnolobium japonicum; and laud Guangzhou’s Heyong Water Street, arcade buildings, and Bombax ceiba. However, the beauty of these cities now are losing, for instance, in Chongqing due to the construction of eight-lane road networks and the substitute of exotic tree species for the native ones. Unfortunately, almost all the cities in China are undergoing such “beautification movements” that run counter to the real beautiful form.
In terms of the green lifestyle, a deep beauty of the city is also elaborated by green living, green traveling, and green consumption. If the relationship between human beings with the nature is compared to what children with their parents to the deep structure of beautiful cities, to what couples in love to the deep form, then, to the green lifestyle, the relationship is like what the grandparents to their grandchildren, in which relationship the deep meaning lies in “responsibility” and “care.” They are the essence of sustainable development: not only to meet the needs of contemporaries, but also to support the living of future generations. In the city, such responsibility and care is manifested in the increase of cyclists and pedestrians and the reduction of cars; in the increase of plant-covered roofs and walls and the less use of air conditioners; in the increase of collected rainwater, recycled sewage, and recyclable garbage; in the promotion of local production of food, the decrease of unnecessary packaging and disposable tableware, and no use of plastic bags. A green lifestyle will eventually promote the development of green production mode. In conclusion, citizens’ green lifestyle can be understood as the conservation, recycling, and regeneration of materials and energy, the treasure of natural resources, the concerns on the health of ecosystems, and the care for other lives.
Please do not take it wrong. I am not an extreme environmentalists, a religious asceticism, an anti-urbanist, or a nostalgist indulging in human urban civilization of the past. Instead, I believe that cities are the fruit of human civilization, the imprints of human values and aesthetics, and the negotiation between human desires and natural forces. Today, the industrial civilization and the consumerism not only encourage people’s endless desires and wasteful ways of living and production, but also destroy natural patterns and poison natural processes and creatures with unprecedented mechanical and chemical forces. All these incite people to override and manipulate the nature without any consideration for the future descendants. Although the city could stretch for thousands of miles with steel-like walls, magnificent streets and buildings, and ingenious gardens, all the boom will be doomed to suffer from natural disasters. The ecological civilization, drawing lessons from the conflicts with the nature in the past civilizations, is the only way to achieve the human-nature harmony, as well as the deep beauty, the beauty of ecology, the “Beauty of Big Feet” (that honors and relies upon the nature), and the beauty of sustainability.
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