I'm a complete sucker for these intricate displays, a reaction that probably could have been predicted by my obsession with miniatures as a child (and as a young adult...and in my 20s...Have you ever been to the Art Institute of Chicago's Thorne Miniature Rooms? They're incredible! But I digress.).
Anyway, I posted some pictures already from the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall, and we will be visiting the Chongqing Urban Planning Exhibition Hall this weekend, but in the mean time (in case anyone else has hidden obsessions with miniatures), I'll post a few photos of two of the private scale models we've seen. These seem to be a favorite tool for real estate developers, to demonstrate what their project will look like and sell space.
This is a model of the not-yet-finished Jiaochangkou development in the CBD. So far they have completed the enormous mall and a strikingly empty plaza. I've included photos of the model, followed by the real thing.
Not sure why the space for cars and people is not more clearly delineated in this parking garage model, but I suppose that reflects reality here.
And, the real thing. Significantly fewer trees and people, but this was taken at the heat of the day, when most people are inside. We have been assured that the lack of furniture/shade/anything in this plaza is not an intentional decision to discourage loitering; rather, it was a design choice made by the developer.
Here's another scale model of a town development (presumably) outside the center of Chongqing. This one lit up in the evening, to attract even more attention.
The incredible thing about this scale model is that an entire building was constructed to house it. We happened to see this building mid-construction on Friday, no idea what it was intended for, and when we returned to the area on Sunday, the building was finished and the scale model was on display.
It's possible (likely?) that this building will be gone before we are. Though it certainly has some qualities of a temporary structure (no walls, astro-turf floor, oddly located in the middle of a pedestrian-only plaza), it is certainly less temporary than the preferred tent/table combo which probably would have sufficed in the US (you know, if we were to ever decide to build a structure in a major plaza to house a scale model of a suburb as a promotion and sales tool).
Without getting too critical here, it seems reflective of the general philosophy towards building in China: fast, cheap, with a short lifespan, but shiny and attractive from the outside. The philosophy of building has come up a number of times already, at work and in social settings with other expats. I hope to do some broader investigation into this issue and the obvious environmental concerns with this disposable construction mindset.
3 comments:
Oooh--this makes me nostalgic for the Queens Museum: http://untappedcities.com/2013/06/14/new-york-panorama/
And this model of LA is on exhibit at the Natural History Museum: http://www.kcet.org/updaily/socal_focus/history/la-as-subject/
You're missing some fun stuff here (Mucca Pazza!) and my rise to power, muwahahahaha, but it looks like you're rockin' it out there.
I'll have to check out both those exhibits this fall!
Love Mucca Pazza!
One of my favorite aspects of having friends experience China is that they study it or live there for a while and they just get it. Some of it is beyond words, but we can feel it between the lines. It's happened with all of my friends who have visited/lived there.
Reading your blog makes me nostalgic but at the same time the total understanding of your descriptions makes me feel like a kindred spirit in frustration. Perhaps it's just me projecting my feelings on you, but the whole fast/cheap/temporary/superficial element you're picking up is a lot of what I feel about the whole place. It's a very love/hate thing for me, and I think you feel it too. — Tiffany
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