THE SUSTAINABILITY GAP: A CASE STUDY OF OLYMPIC DEVELOPMENT IN SYDNEY ...

132 Pages·2009·1.96 MB·English

THE SUSTAINABILITY GAP: A CASE STUDY OF OLYMPIC DEVELOPMENT
IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA AND BEIJING, CHINA
by
ANDREA BLASER
A THESIS
Presented to the Interdisciplinary Studies Program:
HistoricPreservation
and the Graduate School ofthe University ofOregon
in partial fulfillment ofthe requirements
for the degree of
MasterofScience
September2008
11
"The Sustainability Gap: A Case Study ofOlympic Development in Sydney, Australia
and Beijing, China," athesis preparedbyAndrea Blaser inpartial fulfillment ofthe
requirements for the Master ofScience degree in the Interdisciplinary Studies Program:
Historic Preservation. Thisthesis has been approvedandaccepted by:
Mark Gillem, Chair ofthe Examining Committee
Date
Committee in Charge: Mark Gillem, Chair
Deborah Hurtt
Liz Carter
Accepted by:
Deanofthe Graduate School
111
© 2008 AndreaBlaser
iv
An Abstract ofthe Thesis of
Andrea Blaser for the degree of Master ofScience
inthe Interdisciplinary Studies Program: Historic Preservation
to be taken September2008
Title: THE SUSTAINABILITY GAP: A CASE STUDY OF OLYMPIC
DEVELOPMENT IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA AND BEIJING, CHINA
Approved: _
Mark Gillem
Amedia uproar occurred in2006 after a wrecking ball flattened an Imperial-era
hutong neighborhood inBeijing. While this kind ofnews storywould oftenbe ignored as
justanother example ofthe Chinese government destroying cultural history inthe name
ofprogress, the story ofQianmen had anewtwist. Notonlywas Qianmen aprotected
heritage area under a2002 Beijing Municipal Government ConservationPlan, butthe
destruction was saidto have happened because ofthe upcoming 2008 Summer Olympic
Games. Was the development ofQianmen in step with Olympic ideals and sustainable
development?
This thesis explores the sustainable development agendaofthe International
Olympic Committee, Agenda21, in orderto analyze the agenda, its impactindriving
development policies inhost cities Sydney, Australiaand Beijing, China, and to what
v
extentplanners incorporated historic preservationinto Olympic developmentpolicies in
bothcities.
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CURRICULUMVITAE
NAME OF AUTHOR: Andrea Blaser
PLACE OF BIRTH: Eugene, Oregon
DATE OF BIRTH: October 30, 1983
GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE SCHOOLS ATTENDED:
University ofOregon, Eugene, Oregon
DEGREES AWARDED:
Master ofScience, September2008, University ofOregon
BachelorofArts, Art History, June 2006, University ofOregon
AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST:
Architectural History
Cultural Resource Management
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Architectural Historian, Archaeological Investigations Northwest, Inc.,
2008-Present
GRANTS, AWARDS AND HONORS:
School ofArchitecture andAlliedArts Dean's Graduate Fellowship, University
ofOregon, 2008
Dean's List Scholar, University ofOregon, 2003
Staton Opportunity Scholar, University ofOregon, 2002
VB
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I wouldliketo express deep thanks to mythesis committee for theirpatience
throughthese lasttwo years, and give special thanksto mycommittee chair, Mark Gillem.
They have all playedanintegral role indeveloping this thesis, andhave continuallypushed
me to achieve mybest.
I wouldalso like to thankmy family, who has stoodproudlybymy sidethroughout
my academic career, as theyhave inall aspects oflife. Their supportand love give me the
energyand drive necessaryto accomplishthe daring, explorethe new, and smile
throughoutthe process.
Finally, I couldnothave completedthis thesis withoutthe love and supportofmy
bestfriend and fellow adventurer, TedNiedermeyer. Wo ai ni.
V111
ForMartinand Lisa.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter Page
I. INTRODUCTION 1
The Olympic Games, Prestige, and Development 5
Preface on Sustainability and the Importance ofHistoric Preservation 8
Methods and Reasoning 13
II. THE IOC AND AGENDA 21 : 17
What Is the IOC and the Olympic Movement? 17
Agenda 21 and the Olympic Movement 21
III. CASE STUDY: SYDNEY OLYMPIC PARK . 29
Introduction to Sydney Olympic Park . 29
History ofHomebushBay . 33
Sustainabilityat Sydney Olympic Park .. 44
The Local Preservation Context . 51
IV. CASE STUDY: BEIJING'S OLYMPIC AMBITION . 58
Introductionto Beijing's Olympic Development .. 58
Bel·J..lng andQ'lanmen HI'stOry . 66
Sustainabi1ityin Beijing .. 76
The Local Preservation Context .. 83
V. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .. 100
Sydney and Beijing: A Contrast inApproaches to Sustainabi1ity .. 100
Recommendations for Further Research andAction .. 104
Limitations ofthis Study . 111
APPENDIX: CURRENT EVENTS UPDATE .. 113
BIBLIOGRAPHY .. 118
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure Page
1. A sketch map ofvenue andheritage precinct locations 30
2. Building C ofthe AbbatoirHeritage Precinct 33
3. BuildingA oftheAbbatoirHeritage Precinct 36
4. BuildingNo. 20 at the Newington Armory 39
5. The Ring Walk, hovering above the BrickPit 43
6. Aftera large-scale clean-up ofdioxin inHomebush Bay............................. 45
7. In the spirit ofre-use 50
8. Highlighting the cultural historyofHomebush Bay..................................... 52
9. The Bird's Nest 64
10. The newNational Theater 65
11. A sketch drawing ofa Beijing siheyuan 68
12. A sketch map ofthe Qianmen area................................................................ 69
13. Billboards hide construction from view........................................................ 71
14. Yu Yuan Gardens in Shanghai 73
15. An overviewofForestPark 78
16. Siheyuan in the Xisi conservation district 81
17. Xianyukou DaJie, in the Xianyukouconservation district... 85
18. Olympic logos on ZhushikoudongDaJie 88
19. Visitors crowdQianmen DaJie 115