The interview explains the origin and content of the Go West Project and tells background stories about the taxi project Go West organized for the Shenzhen Biennale. Moreover Daan is asked to do suggestions how one can prepare for a trip to China. Here’s a wrap up - and some additional books and websites:
More:Six (great blog on the life of Chinese students in Beijing), Patrick Chovanec (great economic insights on China) Movingcities (about urbanism in changing conditions)
Thursday afternoon, we decided to take a small sight seeing tour through Shenzhen with the 6 taxis. We wanted to visit the beach with the team and the drivers. It took us a one hour drive through the city of Shenzhen. The taxi project became a driving exhibition. Visitors could view the exhibition from their cars in the traffic jam…City Mobilization!
Next week, the Go West Project will visit the cities of Wuhanand Changsha. In Wuhan, we will focus on residential development, whereas in Changsha we will see if the new Chinese metropolis is a harmonious entity or as fragmented as the cities in other parts of the world.
In both cities we are looking for architects, urbanists, journalists and academics who can help us with these subjects.
Do you have any suggestion, or do you come from one of the cities and do you have special ideas about reports and documentaries, please let us know! info[at]gowestproject.com
Opinion article written by Dr.Li Xiangning, Lecturer at College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University Source: www.chinese-architecture.com
“A cat is good if it catches mice no matter it is black or white.” The saying was cited by DENG Xiaoping,China’s former leader,to push his pragmatic approach. The same can be said about Chinese architects’s practice. They have developed an expedient tactic, which is not a compromise with the greedy market,but a wise balance between the ultimate architectural ideal and social reality in China. It is based on a full understanding of our powerfulness and weakness. Read the rest of this entry »
Tim Johnson, Mcclatchy Newspapers – Thu Nov 13, 4:36 pm ET
HOHHOT, China — As the capital of a sprawling frontier region that was once in Mongol leader Genghis Khan’s vast domain, Hohhot has many ethnic Mongol flourishes. Streets signs are in Mongolian, yurt-themed architecture graces the city and some park benches have a Mongol saddle motif. At least one television channel airs in the Mongolian language.
There’s only one thing in short supply: ethnic Mongolians. Read the rest of this entry »
Next week we will visit Hohhot (Inner Mongolia) followed by Shijiazhuang (Hebei) the week after.
In Hohhot we will focus on the multicultural aspects of the city. Main research questions are:
- which different groups are living in the city?
- how do get along?
- do they have different places in the city where they live?
- is this a negative thing (getto’s) or a positive thing?
- in which way are the different cultures represented in the city’s architecture?
In Shijiazhuang we will make a report about relocation areas: the housing projects where people will move when their houses are torn down. What do people think of their relocation? Are they happy with their new house? How do they see their future?
Do you live in Hohhot or Shijiazhuang and do you want to share your thoughts? Do you have suggestions about these subjects, or the places to visit, contact us: info@gowestproject.com or call Daan: +86.13.81.73.42.801
The presentation we did at Factory last month has been filmed, and Factory’s Geoff Broz made a video out of it! For the ones who could not attend, and those who would like to have a wrap up of what we did there: via Go West Project presentation at Factory, 25/06/2009 on Vimeo.
For our project, we also make use of the extensive research ‘Preparing for China’s urban billion’ by the McKinsey Global Institute. They also made a beautiful infographic, to explain the urbanization in Chinese cities in different models, over time. Look at this:
Last week, we already published a post about the Blue Book of Cities. Now there’s more, especially on cities in the west, writes Tan Yingzi (China Daily) Blue book: West China still struggling.
The Go West Project is a crossover research project between architecture and journalism that studies new metropolises in Central and Western China.
It analyzes urban and social developments in the world's fastest urbanising region. Journalist Michiel Hulshof and architect Daan Roggeveen founded the Go West Project in Shanghai in February 2009.
This website gives an overview of ideas, pictures, articles and opinions related to the cities.
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