Supergrid and Superblock

Xiaofei Chen is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning of Qingdao University of Technology. After completing Bachelors (Built Environments) and Masters (Urban Design) degrees at the University of Melbourne, and her PhD from the University of Sydney, she returned to China and to her home city of Qingdao.Barrie Shelton, author of Learning from the Japanese City and co-author of The Making of Hong Kong (both published in the Planning, History, and Environment series), held senior positions at the Universities of Tasmania, Sydney, and Melbourne. He now lives with his wife Emiko in Yanagawa, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan.

• An Introductory Essay by Barrie Shelton 1. An Eastern Supergrid and Superblock Urban Model 2. Supergrid and Superblock History 3. Culture 4. Theory 5. Practice in China: The Kingdom of Walls and Gates 6. Practice in Japan: The Hidden Floor 7. Supergrid and Superblock: A System for Global Consideration Appendix I: Chronological Outline of Chinese and Japanese History Appendix II: Notes on Data and Method

‘The classic urban morphological studies tell us not only about the particular places they scrutinize but tend to say something enduring about urban form and society more generally. Supergrid and Superblock is a welcome addition to join the classics and should give both scholars and practitioners food for thought for years to come.’−Stephen Marshall, University College London