In this study, we focus on the redevelopment of urban villages in China and the roles and evolutions of the commons that holds together these special villages. Urban villages are essentially villages that have become enveloped by the rapid expansion of cities. Villages in China collectively own their rural land, unlike state-owned urban land. This difference in ownership rights played a significant role in the formation of urban villages. While the state could develop land around the villages, the village land itself was often left untouched, leading to these pockets of rurality within the city. Due to this unique land ownership situation, development within urban villages often occurs informally. Many regulations and planning guidelines that apply to state-owned urban land do not apply to urban villages.
As millions of migrant workers seek jobs in cities, many settled in urban villages where housing is affordable. To accommodate the increasing demand for housing, the construction in urban villages happens incrementally and organically, with villagers adding floors to their houses or building new structures. They may not adhere to building codes and safety regulations. This gives rise to unique forms of urban villages such as densely packed “handshake buildings”. Because many migrant workers do not have a Hukou (i.e., a permanent residence permit) at the city where they work, they cannot access formal social benefits (e.g., education, healthcare, property ownership) provided by the city government. But they may rely on the services operated informally by community groups or businesses without licenses in the urban village. Some see urban villages as places where commons flourishes.
Notably, in contrast to the widespread demolition of urban villages in megacities over the past few decades, reuse and preservation techniques have emerged as the primary means of enhancing the value of urban villages in recent years. Nantou's redevelopment is the case in point. With an emphasis on preserving its historical heritage, which spans 1,700 years, Nantou has been developed primarily as a site with mixed uses, cultural and residential. Some of the original residents and businesses remained. We use ethnographic methods, including document research and interviews with actors to uncover the dynamics between the state, formal neighbourhood committees and informal community groups in the redevelopment of Nantou, and the roles and evolution of commons for and under redevelopment.
