An emphasis on city dwellers' needs seems to be catching on in urban construction, as the slogan "people first" has come to prevail in the field. It is surely a good thing that urban construction and architecture now pay more attention to the people, however, some cool-headed analysis is needed before we hail this new phenomenon.

It is not uncommon that regardless of the density of the population, houses are torn down to give way to roads, whether in the city centre or in the suburban area. Closed trunk roads are being built in cities to guarantee the rapid movement of vehicles, which has forced pedestrians to resort to flyovers and underpasses when crossing streets. All these have served the interests of car owners rather than pedestrians.

Our cities are full of unnecessarily broad scenic avenues, squares and large areas of greenbelt that can only be looked at but not walked on. Such urban beautification efforts add to the scorebooks of government officials and do more to meet their needs than those of the common folks.

We can also easily find luxurious buildings with styles passed down from the feudal and imperial periods filling public spaces, with huge pillars, grand doorways and gorgeous halls. A reminder of the authority of emperors, these buildings represent the rich and the powerful, not ordinary citizens.

In recent years, a worship of foreign architecture has made Chinese cities a test ground for foreign architects. Their weirdest designs are likely to get the green light in China. Such an attitude shows excessive attention to foreigners, not the Chinese.

Obviously, we are justified in casting doubt on "urban construction for the people" if it does not seek to meet the needs of ordinary Chinese.

A user-friendly city should have streets with proper width so pedestrians can shuttle to and fro with ease and not have to give up visiting half of the shops and public facilities because the roads are too wide. When pedestrians can use all the resources on the streets, they get not only convenience but also safety. It is the core task of roads and crosswalks to guarantee safety in a city. Few people are aware of the well-designed scenic belt in the middle of Shiji Dadao in Shanghai, because the avenue is so wide that it takes two green lights for some pedestrians to cross it, while most have to rush.

A city that truly serves its people must try to please the largest majority of ordinary citizens. Scenic avenues and grand buildings can satisfy the vanity of ordinary people for a certain period of time, but the fundamental demand of daily life is comfortable living, which requires a space people feel intimate with rather than a space for display only.

For example, ordinary people need parks and greenbelts that are a part of their lives, not those kept at a distance. The scenic greenbelts built in Shanghai lately are so delicate that the public would not dare to get close even if they were allowed to do so.

An architect once said that "Public architecture for the people should give visitors a feeling of intimacy. It should not stand high above the masses and make visitors feel oppressed." How many of our public buildings meet these standards? How many government buildings in Shanghai allow free access to citizens?

If a city wants to develop an affinity among its citizens, local characteristics are key ingredients. A familiar environment for everyone can provide a source of shared memory, connecting people and facilitating their communication.

It is natural that people have a strong sense of attachment to historical houses and old neighbourhoods because they never fail to stir up emotion. I myself became familiarized with the pace and charm of downtown Shanghai in my childhood and teenage years. I am still moved every time I pass the old neighbourhood where I lived. A city becomes intimate to us because of our experience in it. When we resort to bull-dozers to handle these old neighbour-hoods, can this still be called urban construction with a sense of humanism?

(The author is a sociology professor of Fudan University)