This is the last week our proposal ‘Allmetropolis‘ is on show at the International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam. If you’re interested in how Europe can develop a Special Economic Zone following the Chinese model, visit the NAi. Or check our video on YouTube. Contact us if you want to know more about our idea to turn Flevoland Province into a Special Economic Zone.
Images from video ‘Allmetropolis’, courtesy Go West
Last Thursday, the 5th International Architecture Biennial Rotterdam themed ‘Making City’ opened. Our contribution Allmetropolis perfectly fits this years’ subject: we propose to learn from Chinese urbanization by introducing the concept of the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Europe. By superimposing the concept of the SEZ on Flevoland, we think Flevoland could act as an economic powerhouse for The Netherlands. Below you can see some screenshots of the movie introducing the idea. Want to see the whole movie? Visit the IABR at the Netherlands Architecture institute, or contact us for a personal YouTube login!
Last week, we had a studio interview on Business News Radio, one of the leading news stations in the Netherlands, about our plan to change the Dutch province Flevoland into a new metropolitan area, using Chinese models for urbanisation.
You can listen to the whole interview below (note: it’s in Dutch!)
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A few days later, Omroep Flevoland made a special about our proposal for a Special Economic Zone in the Flevopolder.
What would happen if Europe created a Special Economic Zones following the Chinese model? To anwer that question, we compare two regions that started their urban growth at the end of the 1970s: one, Shenzhen Special Economic Zone in China, the other, the manmade island of Flevoland in the Netherlands.
Over the years, both urban regions have developed in a completely different manner. The New Towns in Flevoland have a population of 400,000 for large part commuters working in the Randstad and looking for a suburban living environment. Shenzhen, for its part, has grown into ‘the factory of the world’ with more than 10 million migrant workers from all over China.
In the research Allmetropolis, Go West Project compares policy, economy, residential areas and future plans of the two regions. It then poses the question what would happen in Flevoland would implement China’s successful model for growth, meaning it would transform itself into a Special Economic Zone with preferential tax and other policies compared to the surrounding area.
This research project addresses consequences of current international developments where Europe is increasingly looking at China for financial help to solve the debt crisis. When Europe wants to attract Chinese investors, it’s not more than logical to have a close look at Chinese models for investment and growth.
In a special edition of WorldTalks, the weekly Urban Mixer for the internationally minded community of Amsterdam, we will present the Dutch edition of our book.
Together with NEXT Architects, an office with extensive experience in China, we will give short, provoking presentations about the lessons that Europe can learn from China’s rise. And we will talk about our plan to turn the Dutch province of Flevoland into a Chinese-style Special Economic Zone…
Friday 13 April | 18:00 | Café Cox | Marnixstraat 429 | Amsterdam | Free entrance | More information
During the 5th International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam, Go West will present a futuristic plan that turns the Dutch province Flevoland into a Chinese-style Special Economic Zone. Drawing on our research in Shenzhen, we show the possibilities and chances that a free-trade zone could bring to Europe in terms of economic growth and employment. During the Biennale, this plan will be shown in Rotterdam and Almere in conjunction with other plans to create jobs in Flevoland by MVRDV and Zandbelt&vandenBerg.
April 20th – August 20th | IABR | Rotterdam, Almere
After the exhibition in the Shenzhen Biennale 2011, we recently published a booklet containing our proposal for a Special Economic Zone in Europe, called Allmetropolis – een Speciale Economische Zone in de Flevopolder. The publication, which so far only is available in Dutch, deals with the narratives of both the Shenzhen SEZ and the Flevopolder. Although both areas have a similar background, they developed in a total different way. Where Shenzhen turned into the ultimate business city, the Flevopolder became the suburban residential dream. What would happen when you would superimpose the concept of the SEZ on the Flevopolder? Contact us if you’re interested in the publication.
After the exhibition in the Shenzhen Biennale 2011, we published a booklet containing our proposal for a Special Economic Zone in Europe, called Allmetropolis – een Speciale Economische Zone in de Flevopolder. The publication, which so far only is available in Dutch, deals with the narratives of both the Shenzhen SEZ and the Flevopolder. Although both areas have a similar background, they developed in a total different way. Where Shenzhen turned into the ultimate business city, the Flevopolder became the suburban residential dream. What would happen when you would superimpose the concept of the SEZ on the Flevopolder? Contact us if you’re interested in the publication.
Last week, our new exhibition Allmetropolis opened in the Shenzhen Biennale of Urbanism & Architecture. The show, which is located in venue B10 in OCT Loft, shows a comparison of the urban areas of Shenzhen and Flevoland, the largest mainmade island in the world. The main argument of the project: what would happen if we turn Flevoland into a Special Economic Zone?
To be continued…
Team:
Concept & Research: Michiel Hulshof & Daan Roggeveen
Research assistance: Xia Yixuan
Translation: Song Xinlin, Amanda Wan
Concept graphic design: Job, Joris & Marieke
Starting Thursday 8 December, Go West Project will present a new research project during the Shenzhen/Hong Kong Biennale of Architecture. Central theme: What would happen if Europe created a Special Economic Zones following the Chinese model? To anwer that question, we compare two regions that started their urban growth at the end of the 1970s: one, Shenzhen Special Economic Zone in China, the other, the manmade island of Flevoland in the Netherlands.
Over the years, both urban regions have developed in a completely different manner. The New Towns in Flevoland has a population of 400,000, for large part commuters working in the Randstad and looking for a suburban living environment. Shenzhen, for its part, has grown into ‘the factory of the world’ with more than 10 million migrant workers from all over China.
In the exhibition Allmetropolis, Go West Project compares policy, economy, residential areas and future plans of the two regions. It then poses the question what would happen in Flevoland would implement China’s successful model for growth, meaning it would transform itself into a Special Economic Zone with preferential tax and other policies compared to the surrounding area.
This research project addresses consequences of current international developments where Europe is increasingly looking at China for financial help to solve the debt crisis. When Europe wants to attract Chinese investors, it’s not more than logical to have a close look at Chinese models for investment and growth.
Venue: B10, OCT, Nanshan, Shenzhen
Exhibition from 8 December 2011 – 18 February 2012
The similarities between the Chinese city of Shenzhen and the Dutch Flevoland region with the city of Almere are stunning. Both areas started their urban development in the late 1970s: Shenzhen as a promising Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and Almere as promising New Town on Flevoland, the world’s largest man-made island. Both are located in a river delta, adjacent to major international metropolises: Shenzhen near Hong Kong and Flevoland next to Amsterdam. In spite of these similarities, both urban areas developed in a completely different manner.
In the 2011 Shenzhen Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture, Go West Project puts into perspective the economic, social, spatial and ecological developments of Shenzhen and Flevoland. This forms the starting point of a research that shows the possibilities and opportunities of using the Shenzhen model in a European context…
Allmetropolis
8 December 2011 – 18 February 2012
Shenzhen/ Hong Kong Biennale of Architecture, CN
Curator: Terence Riley
What would happen if Europe created a Special Economic Zone following the Chinese model? To answer that question, we compare two regions that started their urban growth at the end of the 1970s: one, Shenzhen Special Economic Zone in China, the other, the man-made island of Flevoland in the Netherlands. Over the years, both urban regions have developed in a completely different manner. The New Towns in Flevoland has a population of 400,000, for large part commuters working in the Randstad and looking for a suburban living environment. Shenzhen, for its part, has grown into ‘the factory of the world’ with more than 10 million migrant workers from all over China.
In the exhibition Allmetropolis, Go West Project compares policy, economy, residential areas and future plans of the two regions. It then poses the question what would happen in Flevoland would implement China’s successful model for growth, meaning it would transform itself into a Special Economic Zone with preferential tax and other policies compared to the surrounding area. This research project addresses consequences of current international developments where Europe is increasingly looking at China for financial help to solve the debt crisis. When Europe wants to attract Chinese investors, it’s not more than logical to have a close look at Chinese models for investment and growth.
Chinese Triptych
8 April – 18 June 2011, Casla Almere, NL
Curator: INTI / Michelle Provoost
The International New Town Institute and CASLA invited Go West for an exhibition about our work. The era when Europe had its heyday of demographic growth and industrialization and subsequently built dozen of new cities is over. Nowadays we find the economic power has shifted towards the east and it is there that New Towns spring up, especially in China. More
About a minute
9 December 2010 – 13 February 2011, Gopher Hole, London, UK
Curator: Beatrice Galilee
Go West was invited to take part in the inaugural show of the new London gallery The Gopher Hole. This exhibition ‘About a Minute’ brought together a key group of individuals and studios – from writers to architects and composers – that represented the spirit and character of the space. More
6 Taxi Drivers
11 February – 1 March 2010, de Balie, Amsterdam, NL
Amsterdam centre for culture & politics De Balie showed a photo exhibition about the performance of the Go West Project at the Shenzhen / Hong Kong Architecture Biennale. More
100 Days of Stories
6-12 December 2009, Shenzhen/ Hong Kong Architecture Biennale
Curator: Ou Ning, Wei Wei Shannon
It seems a ludicrous idea: ask a Chinese taxi driver to get in his cab, pick up some local passengers and drive to the other side of the country. In December 2009, this is exactly what the Go West Project did. More