A city beetween the need for preservation and the legitimate aspiration for development

Through an emblematic and still poorly investigated case study, this essay aims to develop a reflection on the issue of urban heritage preservation of traditional Chinese villages, some of which are being abandoned, others - like the case at hand - engulfed by the development of the contemporary metropolis. The essay attempts to define some design strategies related to the reading of the architectural, settlement and spatial context. The very ancient city of Anhai, in addition to the presence of important monuments, still preserves rather extensive pieces of the fabric of traditional courtyard houses. A balance between preservation and transformation will be achieved by preserving these places but also fostering the vitality of residential and public spaces, ultimately avoiding the triggering of a process of touristification.