A new round of urban construction is about to begin, and architects have therefore begun their own new reflections: in the transition and construction between old and new cities, in what direction should cities develop? How should urban cultural heritage be matched and preserved? The answers to these questions will surely push cities along a path toward becoming more livable.

　　In the process of their own formation and development, cities have formed their own urban culture. This urban culture is the natural product of the city's geography and climate, history, population, economy, and many other human factors. These cultural characteristics are naturally reflected in the city's form, space, texture, landscape, architecture, and color. For example, Shanghai's shikumen, Suzhou's gardens, and Beijing's hutongs and siheyuan are all displays of local culture in architecture and planning. With urban development, culture continues to progress, but this progress is an elevation based on inheritance. This is the inheritance and individuality of urban cultural heritage, and it is extremely precious.

　　China's urban planning and construction can be described as magnificent. In this process, many excellent urban works have emerged, but there have also been some problems.

　　The first is the situation of cities looking the same. Excessive pursuit of the speed of economic development, emphasis on modernization and internationalization, together with local officials' personal will and developers' behavior, have contributed to rapid urban growth and blind expansion. This current situation makes a wanderer returning home immediately lose their way on the streets of their hometown and feel confused. In fact, to a certain extent, this confusion is the loss of the city's own culture.

　　The second is that communities with traditional cultural deposits are declining. These communities are either in disrepair or lack adequate public facilities and services, leaving old urban areas and villages facing the awkward situation of being forgotten or weakened in the process of urban development. In fact, through methods such as emptying the cage for new birds or putting new wine into old bottles, old urban areas can gain new vitality. Only in this way can culture continue and the city develop sustainably.

　　From a planning perspective, Li Chunhao believes that every city has its own characteristics due to differences in climate, geographical location, and various other factors. Therefore, when making different plans and designs, we must grasp these regional and traditional characteristics and apply them to our planning and architecture. Some are expressed through axes, some through the opening and closing of spaces, and some through respect for the original historic sites and remaining places in the city, forming the broad context of our urban space. Within this context, adding the architecture with local characteristics mentioned earlier will form an urban design and architectural design with local features.

　　In addition, from the broader environment, from last year's 18th National Congress to the 2013 Central Urbanization Work Conference, a very good signal has been given at the policy level. At the market level, it is even more obvious. In fact, as early as 2009, our policies already proposed tourism real estate linked with culture as an important industrial pillar. According to incomplete statistics, so far, investment in the entire market has reached nearly one trillion yuan each year. Therefore, I think whether at the policy level or the current market demand level, this is a situation very much worth anticipating.

　　Under such circumstances, "we should all the more abide by the responsibilities of designers and respect culture. Reflected in our specific work, this means making relatively pragmatic plans, deeply understanding local and ethnic characteristics through comprehensive analysis of projects, and reflecting them in planning, rather than making arbitrary and blind designs. Planners should carry out more macro-level design from a professional perspective, rather than simply complying with the wishes of local officials or individual developers. This is a requirement for designers' own profession," said Li Chunhao.

　　Many cities abroad, such as Paris in France and Tokyo in Japan, are not only major cities in urban construction but also economic centers, fashion strongholds, and cultural metropolises. These cities have still preserved very valuable historic buildings. The pairing of new and old, and of modern and traditional, has instead given the city a cultural context that can be seen at a macro level as having come all the way from the past. This is the city's cultural heritage. Whether planners or architects, while learning Western planning and architectural theories, we should also learn from their attitude of respect for history and culture.

　　Urban planning and architecture need a relatively complete legal and regulatory system to ensure respect for urban cultural heritage, avoid land enclosure and development under the banner of culture, avoid disorderly construction in cultural protection zones, avoid debt-financed city building, and avoid implementing urban cultural fast food. The government should provide support and improvement for urban areas and towns with cultural deposits. For example, improving infrastructure, connecting with the market, or introducing new activities will all be very good catalysts.

　　In addition, we should also try to avoid the crude implantation of non-local culture. Some foreign buildings unsuitable for the local context will face awkwardness and difficulties because they do not adapt to local conditions. I think these are crude and inappropriate practices in cultural terms. These problems should be avoided in the development process. Our culture should not simply stick to convention; it should also keep pace with the times and continuously incorporate new content, making it full of the spirit of the times and allowing culture to be inherited and carried forward.

　　Regarding the future development of Chinese cities, Li Chunhao said: "I think that after a round of large-scale rapid development, urban development will gradually return to rationality. At present, our respect for and emphasis on culture also reflects this demand, because culture is the soul of the city and the root of the city. Only with culture as its connotation can a city be more distinctive and have its own vitality. Therefore, from this perspective, I think better new works will gradually continue to emerge."