The order characteristics of daily life space in Chinese urban communities--a case of Ningbo Green Axis Sports Park

Abstract

This paper explores the order characteristics of urban daily life spaces in China through ethnographic studies and field research data, with a focus on Ningbo Green Axis Sports Park. The study identifies four key characteristics of urban community daily life spaces: hierarchical ''bounded space'', rhythmic temporality, physical embodiment, and habitual occupation. In Chinese urban contexts, the delineation between work and life proves challenging, intertwining hierarchical relationships among neighbors and colleagues within public spaces, thereby forming a structured hierarchy of subcultural groups.Individuals engage with colleagues, neighbors, and diverse individuals within daily life spaces to negotiate identity and hierarchy, thereby shaping the social space of the subject through public interactions. Our analysis posits that the orderliness of public spaces hinges upon empowerment and domain delineation; the preservation of order sustains the publicness, social connectivity, and interactive dynamics of such spaces. The tension between publicness and domain delineation may indeed serve as the linchpin of public space efficacy. Consequently, urban planning endeavors should prioritize the orderly attributes of public spaces and foster the development of human-centric urban environments.

Keywords

• Public space
• Daily life space
• Order characteristics
• Social space construction
• Qualitative case studies