4. Gains and Sentiment: Bittersweet Sedimentation

●Surprise and cheer

It is encouraging that students live up to our painstaking efforts. During the 18 week course, we can clearly see their accumulation of knowledge as well as their progress and growth. When students are excited to describe how they traced the purchase flow of a wholesale market, how they served as volunteers of disaster relief in Lushan earthquake-stricken areas and how they encountered danger in urban villages before a tactful escape... What we saw from their face is more and more satisfaction and self-confidence.

For each design work, the twists and difficulties they have suffered still come clearly into view. We are pleasantly surprised at how much particular discovery they have made and also fascinated by their love for humanity reflected in their works. Those design results seem to not achieve perfection and even part of the works are still immature or of the “Utopia” somewhat, but there are always some visual angles and shining points of concept that we cannot forget. Each of humans’ progress generally starts with the “Utopia”, doesn’t it? Maybe in the near future, students’ design can be really integrated into our urban life. Hence, their enthusiasm and efforts deserve our cheers.

●Confusion and worry

The development course of “Informal Living” exactly synchronizes with the National “Twelfth Five-Year” Plan. Currently, China’s cities are still in the process of earth-shaking changes. Here, we only take Beijing as an example: Like movements, elimination of urban villages, demolishment of illegal buildings and transformation of shantytowns are quickly erasing the so-called city “scars” one by one. The original intention of these movements must be surely out of good will, that is, to enhance people’s living standard. However, due to lack of objective respect and meticulous research, the methods people have taken are often too simple and crude, which have also eased the vulgar life and unique charms that were originally vivid in cities, whilst improving the urban landscape on the other hand. Facts have proved that the achievements in the crude transformation of urban villages are often short-lived. After the transformation of “Tang Jia Ling” (a habitat of people with low-income and unstable job), people who formerly lived there migrated to North Sixth Ring Road quickly, forming another “Tang Jia Ling”. In fact, the reason is quite clear. After all, people who lived there still exist and always constitute an indispensable part of urban life. Can you imagine how we can sustain our beautiful life if there are no longer small tradesmen, porters, nannies, security guards and cleaners?

Confusion and worry are the starting point of this course. Unfortunately, in face of fast-changing urbanization process, the research cannot even keep pace with the urban development. So far, we are still wandering around the starting point. Teaching practices of “Informal Living” are just like life experiences mingled with happiness and suffering. We harvest both surprises and worries. Although we will feel a little bit discouraged sometimes, the original intention of this course is always firm - we never stop our efforts and appeals, in hope of making our efforts, even humble efforts, for the cities and people we love.