Beijing as a historic city now is going through with dramatic changes. There is always the confliction between preservation and new development. It is against this background that my thesis is attempted to study and propose a sensitive development whose intent would be to treasure and preserve design philosophy embodied in the old city fabric.

The proposed site Xian-yu-kou area in Beijing used to be a commercial place for over 500 years. A historic river, which was filled early last century, not only stimulated the development of the whole area, but also was the generator of its unique urban fabric. Now as many traditional neighborhoods, this area is facing both physical and environmental issues.

My thesis is to pursue a reinterpretation of the historical urban context: by restoring the most important urban element - the old river and redevelop the waterfront amenities to revitalize this whole historic neighborhood.