Urban Commons Reimagined: Revitalizing Wet Markets Through Digital Culture and Generational Exchange

Research output: Chapter in Book or Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

Traditional wet markets in East Asia are experiencing accelerated decline, driven by the growth of e-commerce, top-down urban redevelopment, and widening intergenerational disconnection. Yet, these markets remain critical socio-cultural infrastructures, supporting local economies, ecological resilience, and intangible heritage. This chapter reimagines wet markets as urban commons, proposing that digital tools, when grounded in community narratives and co-creation, can mediate between tradition and innovation. Drawing on comparative case studies from Suzhou, Hangzhou, Singapore, Jeonju, London, and other global cities, the chapter examines how QR storytelling, mobile apps, blockchain traceability, and social media platforms can enable inclusive cultural participation and youth engagement. By integrating digital placemaking, participatory urbanism, and commons theory, this work offers a transferable framework for revitalizing wet markets as resilient, intergenerational, and culturally embedded public spaces.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationTech-Enabled Urbanism and Entrepreneurship for Inclusive Cities
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
Pages157-179
Number of pages23
ISBN (Electronic)978-981-95-3873-7
ISBN (Print)978-981-95-3872-0
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2026

Publication series

NameLecture Notes in Civil Engineering
Volume779
ISSN (Print)2366-2557
ISSN (Electronic)2366-2565

Keywords

  • Cultural sustainability
  • Digital placemaking
  • Participatory heritage
  • Urban commons
  • Wet markets
  • Youth co-design

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