Allmetropolis: learning from China’s growth model

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

Go West in Shenzhen Biennale

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…

Chengdu Biennale: Special Artistic Zone

Cities are more than concrete and highways. A lot of emerging Chinese cities are now facing the choice how to program their buildings. As part of our contribution to the Chengdu Biennale 2011 we organized an event on October 2 where we invited around 50 specialists from the cultural field in Chengdu. In a tea session, 8 groups of people discussed the concept of the Special Artistic Zone.

Every group tried to describe what are the ultimate conditions for a cultural life in an emerging Chinese megacity. Throughout the evening there were small statements, ideas and a lot of discussion. We’re now gathering all the ideas that were produced in the event.

Program Exploding China – China’s New Megacities

Exploding China – China’s New Megacities

13 September 2011, 20.00 – 22.30h

Over the next two decades around 300 million Chinese villagers will move to the city, creating the largest urban society the world has ever seen. Unknown Chinese megacities like Wuhan (10 million inhabitants), Shijiazhuang (9 million) and Chongqing (33 million) are transforming at breakneck pace into the big brothers and sisters of global cities like Rio de Janeiro, London and Moscow.

The transformation follows a ruthless logic: farmers demolish their homes and build their own high-rise apartment blocks, torn down again by city authorities in the name of progress. Everywhere in the country, new business districts, skylines and even complete ghost cities emerge. The effects are felt far outside China. The growing urban middle class has ever more money to spend, driving up demand for luxuries worldwide. Chinese students are conquering the lecture halls of Harvard and Yale.

In a refreshing program with presentations, live interviews, theatre, music and debate, Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam and the Go West Project will offer you a program with Chinese and Dutch experts who shine their light on the breathtaking developments in these new cities, and the implications for the rest of the world.

Idea and realisation:
Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam and Go West Project Melle Daamen, Wiepke Westbroek, Michiel Hulshof, Daan Roggeveen

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“Architecture most important form of art in China”

Last may, we interviewed architect and Chengdu Biennale curator Liu Yuyang for Dutch magazine De Architect. In the interview, Liu gives an insight in the chaotic and challenging conditions of the Pearl River Delta in the nineties, and the current architectural debate. And we touched upon a thing his work and ours have in common: a journalistic approach. With help of Wim van de Poll, the article is now also available in English:

‘The Chinese real estate market is overheated, and the workload is extreme’, says Liu Yuyang. ‘Most architects hardly have the time to do their day-to-day work, let alone theoretical reflection on their profession.’ The architect is sitting on a terrace in Shanghai and takes a sip from his cappucino.  There are not many architecture critics, says Liu. ‘If a make a list, I get to a number of thirty or forty. But the eagerness to debate is growing.’
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Exploding China: Chinese Cities in Amsterdam City Theatre

On September 13, the City Theatre of Amsterdam will host the program Exploding China – China’s New Megacities on unknown Chinese megacities like Wuhan, Shijiazhuang and Chongqing. These cities are transforming at breakneck pace into the big brothers and sisters of global cities like Rio de Janeiro, London and Moscow. Here, China is constructing the biggest urban society the world has ever seen.

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