It's a Building Blitz!

Earlier today I came across a special feature on Architectural Record's web site, called "China's Building Blitz". As the country is spending "nearly 16 percent of its GDP" on construction and using over half of the world's production of concrete in the process, it's no wonder that China is big in architectural circles these days. Rem Koolhaas, architecture's urban champion and prognosticator, is embracing China's building boom, particularly fond of the instant urbanism as cities spring up in less than ten years, and having already put together a book on the subject.

On the up side, all this fuss has given many American and European firms an outlet for their designers, with innovative solutions coming from firms like Herzog & DeMeuron, stadium architect for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, and Rem Koolhaas's OMA, who are doing multiple projects including the CCTV Headquarters, also in Beijing. As well, the construction boom is bringing attention to China's homeland talent, such as MADA s.p.a.m. and OPEN Architecture.


CCTV Headquarters, OMA.

One downside might result from architects putting their proverbial eggs all in one basket and then a crash breaking all those eggs, as happened with the Korean market about five years ago.

In anticipation of the increasing demand for construction in China, Architectural Record's owner, McGraw Hill Construction, is holding the Global Construction Summit in Beijing in mid-April, indicating that "while the market potential is enormous [in China], the challenges are equally huge and the risks cannot be ignored."


Shanghai City Planning Model, 2020.

This topic is so big that it would require much research and a lengthy post to appropriately cover all aspects of China's role in current architectural practice alone. But what fascinates me is not the business potential but the questions that are not being asked (at least not widely), such as the livability of new urban areas, the westernization of the country, the urbanization of rural areas and the effect of all this upon a population of over one billion, among many other questions.

Primarily, I wanted to bring up this topic, so please post your comments if you have nay. I'm interested in what other people think on this subject outside of my naive views.