scale model
The scale of this model, China 2009, is nearly beyond comprehension....
I asked my design partner what it was about China, that he had to actually see to really believe? "Easy. The scale of things; everything is on a much larger scale. More people. More traffic. More development. In Vancouver we might build (rarely) twin apartment towers simultaneously; in China you will see 10, 20 storey towers, sprouting up in the same place at the same time, in the city, as you might expect, but also throughout the countryside," James said. The streets are bumper to bumper with cars, taxis, busses and trucks (not to mention bicycles), and more than 7,000 new cars are being registered in Shanghai alone every month.
This was so true with the massive growth of Shanghai. We viewed the scale models of the city’s development at the Museum of Urban Planning; the next day we viewed the same land from the infamous Oriental Pearl TV tower (naturally it was gray, foggy, and raining). Even from 468 meters high, you simply can't see the whole thing (even looking down thru the glass floors!)
Our investment banker friend Gregory, who orchestrated another remarkable China food-experience for us at LOST HEAVEN which served exotic Yunnan fusion food in an appropriately designed restaurant, had visited the urban planning museum in 1989, again in 1993, and from time to time through the years since. Most remarkable for him were the predictions; he told us that in 1989 no one in their right minds would have viewed the plans as realistic, yet in 1993 these expectations had already been exceeded! Like many people in China we talked to, Gregory is concerned about the rate of growth (in everything), and whether it can continue at the same rate. Really, I don't think it can.......
Several of the people we talked to, including Gregory, are alarmed by the psychological repercussions of this extremely rapid growth; the intense striving to get ahead, get wealth, often instant. "People have lost their basic respect for each other; everything is me-me-me". Curiously, James noticed something similar with the driving. No "lane respect", everyone cutting in and out of the lanes, rarely with a turn signal, even more rarely with enough room between cars. 3 painted lanes becomes 5 or 6 at the intersection. There seems to be a parallel here between the driving and the lack of respect. Another acquaintance said: "If you slow down or stop to let someone in, you will lose your place, then you will lose your job, then you will be poor again!". A bit simplistic maybe, but that shows a bit of the intensity behind the striving in China today.
CASUDI in Shanghai, 10 November
