The Positive Spaces

The Positive Spaces is a montly issued newspaper centered around the Nantou Village community, Shenzhen. The form and structure of The Positive Spaces could be applied to any community. By saying that, it is a model and a template that structured into five sections. All the contents (includeing photos) are crowd-generated through disposable cameras, message books, community bulletin walls on site, or online submissions.


Urban villages (Chinese: chenghzongcun; literally: “village in city”) are villages that appear on both the outskirts and the downtown segments of major Chinese cities. They are surrounded by skyscrapers, transportation infrastructures, and other modern urban constructions. Urban villages are a unique phenomenon that formed part of China’s urbanization efforts. Urban villages are commonly inhabited by the poor and transient, and as such they are associated with squalor, overcrowding and social problems. However, they are also among the liveliest areas in some cities and are notable for affording economic opportunity to newcomers to the city.

The goal of this project is two-folded:
1. To bring attention to the locals of Nantou Village. Empower them and have them feel included. Add their voices to the larger conversations.
2.Have the outsiders feel welcomed and comfortable to physically go into the space by building more understandings through personal stories, community gatherings and civil discussions. Let the visitors identify with the locals and engage actively in the space.

Urban Villages
(Chinese For “城中村”)

Research + Notes

Visual Research

Outcome