The Go West Project was founded in the beginning of 2009 by Michiel Hulshof and Daan Roggeveen. The idea started out of a feeling of surprise and excitement about the mega-cities in China’s hinterland. “What??? This city has 7,8 million inhabitants and we’ve never heard about it! Let’s go there!” The combination of a critical journalist and an architect with a camera turned out to be highly successful.

Michiel Hulshof works as China-correspondent for the Dutch weekly Vrij Nederland and the Netherlands Press Agency (ANP). Between 2001 and 2008 he wrote for several newspapers, amongst which Vrij Nederland, de Volkskrant, die Tageszeitung and le Courier International. He is (co-)author of several Dutch books and publications, amongst others Moralitijd (Moralitime), Rare jongens die Europeanen! (Those Europeans are strange!) and Hoe word ik politicus (How to become a politician).

+86.13.52.44.15.510  / info@michielhulshof.nl

Daan Roggeveen works as a freelance architect. He worked for MADA s.p.a.m. Shanghai, NL Architects Amsterdam and IPMMC Concepts Utrecht. His own practice, Lucas&Daan Architects, Amsterdam, has realized exhibitions, prize-winning competition submissions and interior design projects.
His photographic work emphasizes on the contemporary city and its development. He made several photographic essays and photo exhibitions; from urbanism in Singapore to parking in Belgium.

+86.13.81.73.42.801 / danielroggeveen@gmail.com

宋昕霖  (Song Xinlin) Vivian Song is the research assistant for the Go West Project. She studied English & Education at Shijiazhuang University. She worked in Shijiazhuang as an English teacher in the New Oriental School and as an education adviser. She volunteered an internship for NGOs, worked as a music editor for the local radio station and plans a photo exhibition with her work, that emphasizes on the invisible beauty of small cities and villages in Hebei province.

+86.13.81.61.72.835 / xinlinsong@gmail.com