China's Motor City

The son of Hitler's architect has been hired to design the 300,000-person 'Detroit of the East' in Changchun.

1 minute read

February 4, 2006, 5:00 AM PST

By David Gest


"With its plans to build a city neighborhood dedicated to the car industry Changchun, China is taking another ambitious step toward becoming a key player in the global automotive industry. And the son of Hitler's architect is lending his services."

"Albert Speer Jr. confirmed this week that his firm won the $140,000 design competition staged by the city of Changchun to plan an entire city district dedicated to automobile manufacturing and housing for the people who will work there."

"The so-called 'Detroit of the East' will include housing for 300,000 residents and is expected to be completed within 10 to 15 years. The city said the plan will in part be inspired by Volkswagen's 'Autostadt,' or Car Town, at its Wolfsburg, Germany headquarters. The Autostadt is a mixture of both automobile production plants and cultural facilities open to the public."

Thanks to ArchNewsNow

Friday, January 27, 2006 in Spiegel Online

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Aerial view of gold-covered New Jersey state capitol dome in Trenton, New Jersey at dusk.

New Jersey Lawsuit Targets Rent-Setting Algorithms

The state of New Jersey is taking legal action against landlords and companies that engage in what the state’s Attorney General alleges is illegal rent fixing.

30 minutes ago - New Jersey Monitor

View of Washington state capitol dome in Olympia, Washington at golden hour.

Washington Legislature Passes Rent Increase Cap

A bill that caps rent increases at 7 percent plus inflation is headed to the governor’s desk.

April 29 - Washington State Standard

Low view of Glendale Narrows section of Los Angeles River with concrete bottom and cloudy storm sky over head.

From Planning to Action: How LA County Is Rethinking Climate Resilience

Chief Sustainability Officer Rita Kampalath outlines the County’s shift from planning to implementation in its climate resilience efforts, emphasizing cross-departmental coordination, updated recovery strategies, and the need for flexible funding.

April 29 - The Planning Report