Lecture at TU Delft

On Tuesday 29 November, Michiel opened a lecture series about China on Delft University of Technology with an introduction on China’s emerging megacities. The university published a stream showing the full lecture that you can watch online.

7 November: lecture HKU, Shanghai

As part of the lecture series ‘Under the Skin’ we will present our book in the University of Hong Kong, Shanghai Study Centre on November 7.

In a lecture called Canary Wharf in Central China – The transformation of China’s New Megacities, we will discuss the way cities prepare for the transformation from industry-based economy to services based economy. To prepare for this change, cities in central and western China are all developing CBD’s (Central Business Districts).

In Wuhan we investigated how these CBD’s come into being and what are the processes and reasons behind its development. We describe the way urban development is used as a tool to attract foreign direct investment – the city as an economic powerhouse – and the struggle between cities to be as attractive as possible. Consultants like McKinsey play a key role in this development, as do planning departments of local governments.

As we describe in our book:

‘The strength of Chinese cities lies to a large degree in projecting of an image of success before anything has actually been achieved. You constantly feel yourself surrounded by the future, by virtual skylines or by completed buildings, ready for future use. Together, these form a futuristic and hope-inspiring décor.’

At the same time we show that this process is part of the transformation of Chinese cities into more or less generic cities – with architecture produced by firms like SOM, HOK and Gensler leading to skylines that are alike the world over.

‘The first designs of the large towers evoke the feeling you have seen them somewhere before, in another business district in a different large town, in Asia or somewhere else on the planet.’

Date: 7 November, 7.30pm
Venue: University of Hong Kong, Shanghai Study Centre,
Adress: No. 298 North Suzhou Road, 2nd Floor, Hongkou District
Entry: Free

Our book will be for sale after the lecture for 300 RMB; cash payment only.

Launching the book in Shanghai

Last Sunday, 16 October we launched our book in Shanghai’s Glamour Bar. After an introduction by the Consul General of the Netherlands, mr Peter Potman, we shared stories and ideas with an audience of over 100 people. Presenting the book in our hometown Shanghai was the last in a series of presentations in Europe and China. It was also quite an experience: could we tell an audience of both Chinese and foreigners living in China something they did not know yet? Judging on the reactions afterwards, we think we managed to give the audience some insight in our work, our ideas, our trips and our book.

Photography: Frans Schellekens

Book launch and exhibition in London

Last Thursday, we launched How the City Moved to Mr Sun in The Gopher Hole Gallery in London during the London Design Festival. The book launch consisted of a presentation and a Q&A, and a small exhibition in the gallery.

Go West at Beijing International Book Fair

The first sneak preview of our book How the City Moved to Mr Sun – China’s New Megacities will be held at the 2011 Beijing International Book Fair. Our book is part of an exhibition of Dutch books on art, architecture and design, in the Dutch Pavilion at the Book Fair. The 120+ books on display show the oeuvre of renowned artists, designers and architects from the Netherlands, and present the best of Dutch book design.

On September 4, 16h, we participate in the panel ‘Blue eyes looking at China’ in Ullens Center for Contemporary Art in 798, Beijing. In this round table discussion, architecture critic Zhou Rong interviews three Dutch authors of recently published books about their experiences as architects and researchers in China.

In the past few years, many Western architects and urban planners have made an attempt to become involved in projects in China – with varying results. How do Western designers experience the tempestuous developments that are now taking place in China? What can they contribute to Chinese building practice? And what can the West learn from the Chinese approach?

With Zhou Rong, John van de Water (You Can’t Change China, China Changes You, 010 Publishers),Daan Roggeveen (with Michiel Hulshof: How the City Moved to Mr Sun – China’s New Megacities, SUN Publishers) and Harry den Hartog (Shanghai New Towns. Searching for community and identity in a sprawling metropolis, 010 Publishers).

Time: September 4, 4:00 pm
Venue: Ullens Center for Contemporary Art
798 Art District, No. 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China 100015
RSVP, admission free.

The lecture and the exhibition are made possible with the support of Netherlands Foundation for Visual
Arts, Design and Architecture (FBKVB), NAi, SUN and 010.

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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Workshop at Design Academy Eindhoven

On April 6, Go West did a lecture and workshop for master students at Design Academy Eindhoven. The workshop was aimed at finding new solutions for the use of urban villages and the programming of historic structures  in Chinese cities. Students finished the workshop with a 5 minute presentation with ideas varying from urban villages on the roofs of skyscrapers to one single preserved building functioning as a monument.

(images courtesy of DAE students)

Chinese urbanism in Holland

Go West was invited by the International New Town Institute and CASLA to do an exhibition about our work in Almere. Together with research offices Dynamic City Foundation and Urban Language we will present an overview on urbanisation called Chinese Triptych.

The exhibition will open with debate between Neville Mars, Harry den Hartog and Daan Roggeveen, hosted by Michelle Provoost, director of INTI.

Date: 8 April, 16h. Address: CASLA, Weerwaterplein 3, Almere NL.

Sunday 6 March, 11AM, Go West lecture at Glamour Bar Shanghai

This weekend, we will read from our book for the first time in our hometown Shanghai. Sunday, 11AM, we will be part of the Shanghai Literary Festival, where we will read and show images about an empty business center, villagers that build skyscrapers and how to buy an apartment on a rainy morning. You’re all more than welcome at the Glamour Bar. Tickets can be purchased online.
Address: 6/F, No.5 The Bund, Shanghai. Tickets 10 RMB (children, students) /65 RMB, one drink included.

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Go West in seminar: “Design for Daily Life”, 17/9, Shanghai

(FLTR: Bert de Muynck / Pan Jianfeng / Daan Roggeveen / Wiki Somers)

Go West participated in the Dutch Design Dialogue seminar: “Design for Daily Life” on Friday 17 September at the Dutch Design Workspace in Shanghai. Please find the outline of the seminar below:

13:30 > Dutch Design Dialogue seminar: “Design for Daily Life” (RSVP only: limited seats available!)

DDFA cordially invites you to take part in the Design Dialogue: Design for Daily Life

During the Design Dialogue seminar Dutch and Chinese designers will present work and discuss the notion of ‘Design for Daily Life?. The seminar consists out of three sessions of two short presentations, one by a Dutch, one by a Chinese designer, each time followed by a discussion. The seminar is set-up as a ?research by debate? session questioning what comprises quality of life, today and in the future. Is daily life about the mass objects we use, buy and produce? And how do product designers, architects, graphic designers and artists respond with these questions?

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Lecture Go West at Tongji University, May 19

How does Kunming deal with its history?
Where in Shijiazhuang can you find farmers?
What is the relation between modern architecture and urban villages in Lanzhou?

The Go West Project tries to answer these and more questions in a lecture at  Tongji University / College of Architecture and Urban Planning, this Wednesday. The lecture will give an overview of urbanization in China, and will deeper go into three phenomena in three different cities in central and western China.

DETAILS

May 19, 10.00 AM

College of Architecture and Urban Planning of Tongji University
Auditorium Hall, Building B
1239 Siping Road
Shanghai
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Go West lecture @ De Balie online

The lecture Go West did 2 weeks ago in De Balie, Amsterdam, is now online.