Exploring Urban Micro-renewal at the Block Scale:
An Observational Study and Design Strategies from Liren Street Block in Beijing
Teng Xing, Boxia Wang
Abstract：In the context of stock-oriented urban development, micro-renewal has become an important approach to addressing
the demand for public space. Existing studies largely focus on individual sites or localized interventions. This
paper introduces a new perspective: taking the “block” as the fundamental unit of observation and practice in
urban micro-renewal. Taking the Liren Street block in Xicheng District, Beijing as a case study, this research
identifies and categorizes small-scale and fragmented spaces through on-site investigation, proposes a design
process of “observation-synthesis-proposal”, and highlights the potential of residual spaces within the block. In
terms of design strategies, the study employs type-based design thinking and adopts “light-touch” interventions,
enabling public spaces to be revitalized in ways that are responsive to residents’ needs and attentive to the
historical layering of the site. Through micro-renewal designs for four representative sites, the paper demonstrates
how diverse spatial types can be addressed at the block scale. It also proposes a replicable design path: using the
block as the unit, observation as the starting point, and type as the operational tool, thereby constructing a model for
future urban micro-renewal.
