Towards sustainable green infrastructure in Xi’an, China

Sammanfattning: One of the greatest challenges of today’s society is to achieve sustainable urban development. China is a big country with the largest population in the world, which is growing even more, and so do the already large cities. Pollution is a big problem in the cities in China, hence, it is very important that plans for green infrastructures in the cities are encouraged. Green areas can help to mitigate the pollution, they have a whole range of ecosystem services and they play an important role in creating a healthy urban environment. This master thesis concerns the green infrastructure in the city of Xi’an, the former ancient capital of China. The aim is to study the green infrastructure in three different scales; from the overall city plan via intermediate neighborhood to the fine solution for a green area of a specific site. The results are based on sustainability from an ecological and social perspective. The results could be used as a tool for suggesting a strategy for the development of sustainable green infrastructure in Xi’an and other Chinese cities. The work with this master thesis consisted of four phases; preparation and research, a field study, compilation of the gathered material and final proposal and presentation. Methods that were used during the inventory were literature study, studies of maps and plans, case study of a neighborhood, site visits, field trips, interviews, observational studies and photography. SWOT-analysis and Lynch-analysis were methods used to analyze the sites. The methods were used to get as wide perspective of the city as possible. Green infrastructure is a network of the green areas in a city and its surroundings. It provides several benefits to people and wildlife with its ecosystem services, health aspects and social values, whether it is large scale or small scale. To protect and restore the green infrastructure in the growing cities is thus essential. Western influences, such as lawns and flowerbeds, are commonly seen in the green infrastructure of Xi’an. Especially in green areas inside neighborhoods and in front of historical monuments, campuses and governmental institutions, such elements are common. The western influences are not adjusted to the Chinese culture or local conditions though, resulting in very high maintenance and bad impact on the environment. Even modern green areas have classical Chinese elements; they have lost their initial spiritual meaningfulness and have mostly functional purpose. This phenomena need to be evaluated and discussed further on. This master thesis could be a small step towards a beginning of improving green areas and the living conditions in bigger cities in China.