Landscape Empowerment : A Participatory Design Approach to Create Restorative Environments for Assembly Line Workers in the Foxconn Factory

This book discusses essential strategies and approaches to creating mentally restorative environments for highly stressed and depressed workers at sweatshop factories. Drawing on the Foxconn factory in Longhua, China and an adjacent urban village as a sample site for research and design practice, the book employs a bottom-up and participatory process. The content is divided into two main parts, the first of which investigates economic, cultural, human rights, and environmental issues related to the electronic industry and urban village, providing in-depth research on various aspects, especially the working and living conditions for Foxconn workers. Based on these findings, the second part highlights potential landscape designs to address a range of issues, locations, and scales. The book’s goals are to provide a set of original methods for research and design practice in a complex social and economic context, and to raise awareness regarding the health, dignity and freedom of millions of workers. Contents Preface Urban Villages as the World Factory Workers’ Habitat Foreword by Mathew Pryor Foreword by Lunjing Wu Part I: Introduction and Background Research The Foxconn Factory Site, Methods, and Procedure for Design Interventions Background Suicide Tragedy Site Introduction of a Design Studio Design Methodology: Deep Participatory Design Work Plan Individual Project 1: Geographies of Global Industrial Network, Sweatshop Factories and Adjacent Urban Villages Individual Project 2: A Light Landscape Intervention Theme 1: Between Space of Factory and Community Theme 2: Inside the Factory Theme 3: Riverfront Urban Space Theme 4: Qinghu Community Learning Outcomes Evaluation and Assessment Background and Methodology Materials Research Reports Public Media Reports Research Method Understanding the Manufacturing Plant of Foxconn: Global Visions and Local Practices in the Labor Regime of China Global Electronics Industry Development LOW-COST REALITY OF GLOBAL E-INDUSTRY IN THE CASE OF APPLE AND ITS SUPPLIERS Establishment and Expansion of Foxconn Kingdom Foxconn in China Environmental Impact of Foxconn Manufacturing Factories Spatial Reconfiguration Pollution of the Natural Environment Water Crisis Social Impact of Foxconn Factories Workers in Sweatshop Factories National Movement of Workers in China Two Types of Workers The Origin of Sweatshops Concluding Remarks: Marginalization and Resistance of CHINESE Workers Appendix References Part II: Between Space of Factory and Community Transformation of Prototype: A Planter Design Based on the Behavioral Characteristics of Residents Condition of Qinghu Community Residents’ Activities in Pocket Parks Record of Daily Activities in Different Sites (Fig. 5) Hotspot Analysis in Pocket Parks Analysis of Trash in Planters Conclusion of Residents’ Activities Around Planters The Pose of People Using the Site The Connection of Spaces and People (Fig. 23) Form Evolution-Transformation of Prototypes (Figs. 26 and 27) Proposed Master Plan (Fig. 28) Perspectives Transformation 2.5: Existing Condition Transformation 2.5: Eating and Chatting Transformation 1.5: Existing Condition (Fig. 31) Transformation 1.5: Watching People Playing Cards and Chess Acknowledgement Lonely Planets: Reorganize the Sequence of Effective Space in the Qinghu Community Conceptual Idea (Figs. 3 and 4) Messages from Workers (Fig. 5) Effective Public Space (Figs. 6, 7, and 8) Concept: Reforming the Sequence (Fig. 9) Various and Flexible Place Making (Fig. 10) Human Activity Analysis and Zoning (Fig. 11) Morphological Evolution (Fig. 12) Introduction of Installations (Fig. 13) The Insertion of Planets: Master Plan (Fig. 14) Perspectives (Fig. 15) A. Riverside B. Riverfront Buffer C. Alley D. Square E. Bridge Here – There: A Scenario-Based Restorative Landscape System Design Concept (Fig. 3) Mental Maps of the Workers (Drawing by Workers) (Fig. 4) Activity Scale Map Matrix (Fig. 5) Typology of Virtual Space Usage (Fig. 6) Virtual Space Network in Qinghu (Fig. 7) Participatory Research Method – Live Drama Show (Fig. 8) ‘Being Away’ Framework (Fig. 9) AR Customer Journey Design (Figs. 10 and 11) AR Perspectives (Figs. 12 and 13) Plan of Pilot Interventions Deconstruction of Urban Spaces’ Interfaces (Fig. 15) Urban Space Interface Deconstruction on Site (Figs. 16, 17 and 18) Invisible Boundary Boundary Conflicts in Urban Village Location Plan of Boundary Conflicts The Testing Site for Boundary Changes (Figs. 21 and 22) Concept Plan of AR Boundary Series of Testing Boundary Interventions (Figs. 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29) Scenario Collages (Fig. 30) Front View – Forest Scenario Scenario Collages (Fig. 31) Front View – Universe Scenario Made in Qinghu: integration of Landscape Design and Public Art The Voice of Qinghu Connection Map (Fig. 8) The Texture of Qinghu Daily Life Distribution Map Waste Circulation Diagram (Figs. 10 and 11) Daily Necessity Street (Fig. 12) Usage Arrangement of the Building Daily Object Revitalization (Fig. 14) Sorting out the Texture (Fig. 15) Installation Location (Fig. 16) Characteristics of Each Park (Fig. 17) A Sense of Home (Figs. 18 and 19) Decorative, Inspiring The Sound of Taste (Fig. 20) Decorative, Inspiring The Flower of Wishes (Fig. 22) Engaging, Communal Artwork Guide (Fig. 24) The Attitude to Life (Fig. 25) Interactive, Functional Spatial Quality (Fig. 28) The People of Qinghu (Fig. 29) Interactive, Functional Spatial Quality (Figs. 31 and 32) The Dream of the People (Figs. 33 and 34) Autonomic, Spontaneous The Texture of Freedom (Figs. 36 and 37) Autonomic, Spontaneous Part III: Inside the Factory Restorative Factory Intervention: Our Lens, Our Voice: A Deep Participatory Design Approach for Creating a Restorative Working Environment for Assembly Line Workers in a Foxconn Plant Introduction Data Analysis Modelling Result of Problem Mapping in the Whole Park (Fig. 4) Result of Problem Mapping in Selected Sites (Fig. 5) Selected Least Liked and Most Stressful Environment in Workers’ Eyes Design Strategy Diagram Design Progress (Fig. 7) Proposed Master Plan (Figs. 8 and 9) Site I Design Master Plan Site II Design Master Plan Perspective View of the Proposed Design Location A: A Road Between Two Industrial Buildings Before Design (Fig. 11) Location A: A Road Between Two Industrial Buildings After Design (Fig. 12) Location B: An Area Near North Gate Before Design (Fig. 13) Location B: An Area Near North Gate After Design (Fig. 14) Location C: A Square of the Factory Before Design (Fig. 15) Location C: A Square of the Factory After Design (Fig. 16) Location D: An Entry Area of the Factory Before Design (Fig. 17) Location D: An Entry Area of the Factory After Design (Fig. 18) Physical Model (Fig. 19) Conclusions References 10′ 35′ and 90′: Multifunctional Landscapes in the Compact Manufacturing Plant Time Frame Declaration of Time Window and Behaviour of Foxconn Workers Research – Living Environment of Foxconn Workers Resting Area Around the Workspace Way of Relaxing Smoking Area Lighting and Safety at Night Research – Workers’ Needs Research – Living Environment of Foxconn Workers Research – Environmental Colour Analysis Site Analysis Shadow Analysis Strategy – Environment and Colour Strategy – Material Analysis Strategy – Privision of Additional Facilities (Fig. 18) Proposed Master Plan Sections Perspectives Conceptual Models (Fig. 30) Conclusion Part IV: Riverfront Urban Space Outside and Inside: Mental Healing Waterfront Space for Qinghu Residents Qinghu Community Analysis Guanlan Riverside Site (Fig. 4) Systematic Plan (Fig. 5) Node No.1 (Figs. 7 and 8) Ergonomic Analysis For Foxconn Worker (Figs. 9 and 10) Node No.2 (Fig. 11) Proposed Activities (Fig. 12) Node No.3 (Fig. 14) Intimate Relationship Analysis (Fig. 15) Vegetation Strategy (Figs. 16 and 17) Node No.4 (Fig. 18) Interaction Between Fishmen and Viewers (Fig. 19) Design Plan (Figs. 20 and 21) River Guide: Participatory Design of River Front Landscape Intervention in Qinghu Motivation and Inspiration Design Concept Hydrology Map of Qinghu (Fig. 5) Evolution of Design (Fig. 6) Installation 1: Flow (Fig. 7) Installation 2: Wind (Fig. 8) Installation 3: Sound (Fig. 9) Installation 4: Rock (Fig. 10) Perspective (Fig. 11) Installation 5: Water (Fig. 12) Installation 6: Sunset (Fig. 13) Perspective (Fig. 14) Part 5: The Qinghu Community Low End Plant - Persistent Growth: Spatial Vitalization of Handshaking Houses Hometown (Fig. 3) Foxconn Workers (Fig. 4) Left-Behind Children (Fig. 5) Residents’ Routines (Fig. 6) Activities in the Alleys (Fig. 7) Circulation of Activities in the Alleys (Fig. 8) Existing Site Conditions (Fig. 9) Existing Plant Types (Fig. 10) Design Interventions Existing Element Design Strategies Existing Element Design Strategies Existing Element Design Strategies Existing Element Design Strategies Existing Element Design Strategies Planting Experiment Perspective of Proposed Design (Fig. 17) Shenzhen Planting Condition Analysis Plant Selection (Fig. 19) Joy Around the Corner: Outdoor Event Space for Children What Is Next for Us? (Fig. 3) Parks and Public Space Around Qinghu Village (Fig. 4) Occupancy of Outdoor Space (Fig. 5) Can I Go Out and Play? (Fig. 6) Family Composition and Inner Voice Children Skill and Learning Process (Fig. 7) Lessons Learned from the Existing Space (Fig. 8) What Are Suitable Streets? (Fig. 9) Understanding the Site Design Approach (Figs. 10 and 11) Inter-usage of Materials (Figs. 12 and 13) Water Pool X Sand Pit (Figs. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19) One Track X Different Games (Figs. 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, and 26) Repetitive Cocoon (Figs. 27, 28, 30, 29, 31, 32, and 33) Visible-Invisible Frame: Discover the Aesthetic Moments Hiding in the Corner Chapter One: Discover the Beauty of Daily Life (Figs. 4, 5 and 6) Frame Editing On-Site Installation Behind the Scenes (Figs. 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12) Chapter Two: Reformed Public Space (Fig. 13) Correction to: The Foxconn Factory Site, Methods, and Procedure for Design Interventions Correction to: Chapter 1 in: Bin Jiang (ed.), Landscape Empowerment, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-2067-9_1 Appendices Appendix A – Review of Significant Events and the Impact of the Project Exhibitions Introduction Exhibition in the Bi-City, Biennale of Urbanism and Architecture, Shenzhen, Hong Kong Exhibition in FEI Art Museum, Guangzhou One Studio Work by Siu Man Kwok Was Exhibited in Vanke Design Club, Shenzhen Honor Introduction: Related Social and Academy Activities Publications in Influential Platforms Cooperation with HKGBC Publications and Presentations in the Annual Conference of the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture (CELA) (Based in the USA) International Symposium: Between Architecture and Landscape Architecture An Invited Talk on YiXi: Healing the Souls in the City Lecture for the Urban Management Bureau in Shenzhen, China A Report for www.guancha.cn Lecture for the International Symposium at the Shenzhen University: From Research to Design Other Lectures in Universities and Forums (Fig. A.16) Awards Public Media Report (Fig. A.17) Academic Publication/Professional Reports (Fig. A.18) Appendix B – A Public Talk: Healing the Souls in the City About the Talk on YiXi.TV Living and Working Environment Impairs Our Health Trapped Souls in F Factory The Health Impact of the F Factory Environment Traditional Urban Renewal Squeezes Workers’ Living Space Design Projects of Light Intervention Strategy A Beginning of Our Research Appendix C – Author Information Acknowledgement