Patterns, Characteristics and Enlightenment of Urban Underground Complex Practices in China

Urban underground complex (UUC) appears in urban underground space with three-dimensional redevelopment of the city. It is a public transit-oriented underground architecture, integrating with more than two functions such as commerce, entertainment, office and parking, etc. As an important part of urban space, UUC assumes part of the urban functions. Also, Independence, connection, and blurred boundaries are the basic features of UUC. It has advantages in effectively alleviating the problems of land tension, traffic congestion, and environmental pollution in urban center, and can improve the quality of urban space and environment. In China, UUC is mainly characterized by large-scale development and rapid construction. However, the theoretical attention related to the planning and design patterns and characteristics of UUC is far from enough, resulting in extensive construction and failure of meeting the needs of users, which is also a waste of resources. Therefore, this article starts with the current construction background of UUCs in China and the demand of rapid urban development. With in-depth interpretation of the connotation of UUC, this article reviews the development and evolution of UUCs, and the planning and design practices in China in the past four decades. Representative UUCs are chosen as case studies. Their development patterns from the macro planning level are summarized. Their connection with the surrounding urban environment at the meso-level are interpreted. At the micro-level, the characteristics of the spatial form, function distribution, circulation organization, and environment construction of UUCs are analyzed. By summarizing the design patterns and characteristics of UUCs, this article tries to get inspirations and propose corresponding planning and design strategies. The research results can provide references and strategic support for the planning, design and development of UUCs, in order to make the city more livable. References: 1. Gideon S., Ojima T., 1996. Geo-Space Urban Design. John Wiley& Sons, Inc, United States. 2. Linhsu T., 1994. Underground Architecture. Shandong Science& Technology Press, Jinan, China.