With the unfettered ability to zone, plan and fund construction projects, the government of Shanghai is turning the city into what looks like "one immense architectural competition."
"Anyone accustomed to the mixture of incremental improvement but generalized decay of Canadian cities, or the pleasing but rather stagnant cities of Europe, will be blown away by Shanghai.
There's so much money that has rushed into, and through, the city that is transforming itself daily. Sure, there is a worldwide economic slowdown, and critics apparently delight in underscoring how it has hit China. Some hit: a growth rate of 'only' 8 per cent.
The government in Shanghai has powers to rezone land, displace people and pursue projects quickly that don't exist in more democratic societies. In Shanghai, they just go ahead and build the astonishing magnetic train line that takes eight minutes to whisk people to the international airport.
Need rapid transit? Build two sensational, clean subway lines charging passengers about 60 cents, and plan a bunch more. Need a link to the domestic airport? Start building another magnetic train. It's what you can do with money, ambition and power. Plan not for tomorrow, but for a decade from now and beyond."
FULL STORY: From stagnation to swaggering skyscrapers, Shanghai is making up for lost time
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Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
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Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25,% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Idaho Data: Unexpected Vehicle Repairs Exacerbate Housing Instability, Eviction Risk
Over 21 percent of clients struggle with transportation barriers.
A Year-Long Investigation On Permanent Supportive Housing
The New York Times reveals what’s working and what’s not in the cornerstone of Housing First.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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