Bruce Zhao

Where is it?

Daliushu, Nanlouxinzhaung Subway Station,Beijing, China


What is it?

A night market spontaneously formed by people.


Who did it?

In ancient times it was initiated by the descendants of the nobles of the Qing Dynasty,now anyone can conduct sales activities


What purpose does it fulfill

Selling second-hand small goods


What rules does it break (if any)?

It breaks the store-based sales form


Can it/should it be integrated into the formal framework?

It can be intergtated into the formal framework, but it's not necessary and shouldn't


How can the city accommodate informal initiatives?

I think what should be done is to provide space and scope for informal activities, and to formulate a subject based on history. The most important thing is that we should not intervene with large-scale design, but provide necessary small facilities without direct intervention to assist the occurrence and development of informal activities.


Does it belong to any "family" of informalities?

I think it belongs to the family of "People, Place, and Culture".


Are there example of similar informal interventions in different contexts?

The Panjiayuan Flea Market is a good example, but too much intervention has changed its organic and disordered nature, making the market too formal and losing too much atmosphere.

< Back
Write to us at informalcity@urbz.net