PhD defence: Hongxia Pu

Hongxia Pu defends her thesis,

Filmic Scroll. Unfolding the Socio-ecological Futures of Desakota Landscapes in China

Supervisors:
Associate professor Rikke Munck Petersen, IGN
Associate professor Henriette Steiner, IGN

Assessment Committee:
Professor Fred Truniger, Lucerne School of Design, Film and Art (CH)
Associate professor Katrina Wiberg, Aarhus School of Architecture, (DK)
Professor Ellen Braae (chair), IGN

Abstract:
This PhD research focuses on the rural–urban interface (desakota) in Chongqing, China, a region characterized by rapidly transforming landscapes, ecological degradation and socio-spatial inequalities. The landscapes of the desakota area around Chongqing consist of unique mosaic assemblages of forest, mountains, valleys and 90-degree perpendicular rivers crossing the mountain ridges, providing the basis for a particular nature–culture ecological intertwinement that has supported human habitation for centuries. Currently, the central government is focusing on creating a ‘one-hour’ economic zone – containing areas within a one-hour drive from the city centre – perpetuating a city-centric, hierarchical approach to urban development while continuing to neglect the horizontal and diffused urbanization that characterizes these wider landscapes. This research primarily focuses on four topics: the emerging desakota urbanity in the transitional territory; the interactions of water, soil and habitation; the role of vernacular landscape systems (Beitang) in the desakota region; and the potential of visual research methodologies (filmmaking, mapping and diagramming) for researching desakota regions and fostering a new, caring planning vision.

Current Chinese planning methods, often adopting a top-down approach, tend to overlook the unique spatial and socio-ecological intricacies of the local context, resulting in monotonous, homogenized urban structures that insufficiently address ecological concerns (flooding and drought) and socio-economic inequalities. Therefore, this research develops the ‘filmic scroll’ methodology, building on both digital filmmaking and traditional Chinese scroll techniques. These techniques combine on-site filming, mapping, post-editing and a multiscreen format to provide close-up and broad perspectives. They capture the region’s spatial dynamics, social conflicts and ecological transformations, offering more than just spatial representations by delving into socio-ecological intricacies and changes across time and space. This filmic scroll methodology provides an enriched, dynamic understanding of the transitional desakota phenomenon, thereby offering new possibilities for navigating these rapidly transforming, intricate landscapes and enabling utopian imaginations of nature-based future scenarios. The research highlights how such methodologies can serve as powerful tools for interpreting(tell), reconfiguring (retell) and envisioning (foretell) complex desakota landscapes.

Program:
09.30: Welcome and introduction to the program for today's defence
09.40: Hongxia presents her work (45 min)
10.25: Break (15 min)
10.40: 1st opponent: Professor Fred Truniger, Lucerne School of Design, Film and Art (CH) (30 min)
11.10: 2nd opponent: Associate professor Katrina Wiberg, Aarhus School of Architecture, (DK) (30 min)
11.40: 3rd opponent: Professor Ellen Braae (chair), IGN (30 min)
12.10: Questions ex auditorium
12.15: The committee votes
At around 13.00 the committee returns with its decision

A digital version of the PhD thesis can be obtained from the PhD secretary at phd@ign.ku.dk before the defence. After the defence the thesis will become available from the Royal Danish Library Royal Danish Library | kb.dk