Beijing
Emptiness in Beijing After Olympic Building Boom
The 2008 Summer Olympics brought a boom of construction to host city Beijing. But now, six months later, much of the office space built in the lead up to the games sits empty -- and likely will for years.
Beijing Adds 1,466 New Cars Daily
For the first month and a half of 2009, the amount of new cars added daily in Beijing has climbed from 1,350 in 2008 to more than 1,450, bringing more than 65,000 cars into the city so far this year.
Beijing Disappearing
Wrecking crews continue to clear the old hutongs of Beijing, replacing them with modern streets and skyscrapers. Meanwhile, a handful of scavengers work to save pieces of history from the wreckage.
Planners Need to Treat New Orleans Like Beijing and Dubai
This article from The New York Times contrasts the rapid development of cities like Beijing and Dubai, while New Orleans continues to struggle in its Hurricane Katrina recovery effort.
Beijing Sees Brighter Future Than Athens
As the Olympics leave town, Beijing appears to be in a much better position to benefit from the games than previous Summer Olympic host Athens.
Beijing's Temporary Clean Air Policies May Stick
With some of the its cleanest air in decades, Beijing is warming up to some of the pollution-cutting regulations officials have enacted during the Olympics. Some may become permanent.
Olympic Games Not Performing For Beijing Businesses
The economic boost expected from Olympics-related tourism has fallen way short of predictions in Beijing. Many business people blame the government's stringent visa-granting policies.
China Says Car Bans Will Stop After Olympics
Despite improved air quality, China says it has no plans to continue the car control measures it has enacted during the Olympics to clean the city's air.
A Struggle Between Security and Civil Rights at Beijing's Olympics
Security is a major concern during large public events like the Olympics. The Chinese government is making preparations for a safe event, but could they go too far?
Beijing's Olympic Lessons for Chicago
Olympics-related construction in Beijing has impressed many, but does little to make the city a better place. Architecture critic Blair Kamin says Chicago needs to be careful about not repeating China's mistakes if it hosts the games in 2016.
The Mega Capital of the World
China is rapidly becoming home to more and more mega-cities, and there's little sign of it slowing down.
China Rail Goes High Speed
A new high-speed rail line has opened in China, just in time for the Olympics.
China's Architecture of Control
For China, the Olympics represent a struggle between letting people in and controlling what they see and do. This is a problem, writes Andrew Yang, that implicates the Olympics-related architecture in a bad way.
Pay No Attention to the Neighborhood Behind the Curtain
In a last-minute effort to beautify the city before the start of the 2008 Summer Olympics, officials in Beijing have put up walls and screens to hide unsightly neighborhoods from the eyes of visitors. Those behind the walls are not happy.
Underpreserved Beijing Feels Sting of Gentrification
As Beijing undergoes rapid redevelopment, many historic buildings have been lost in the scramble. Now the few that remain are inspiring a flood of gentrification.
Evictions Continue As Beijing Prepares for Olympics
With less than a month left before the start of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, residents in the Chinese metropolis are still being evicted to make way for event-related construction.
Orange County, China
The extent of China's embrace of American-style suburbanization is best illustrated by one of its newest gated communities, which is actually called Orange County.
In the Eye of Beijing's Boom
This article from National Geographic looks at the construction boom that is rapidly changing the face of Beijing.
Beijing to Polluting Construction Industry: Stop
In an effort to improve the city's air quality in time for this summer's Olympic Games, officials in Beijing are planning to halt all construction and other polluting processes for two months starting in mid-July.
A Look Inside Beijing's Mind-Boggling Development
This article from Metropolis Magazine features a tour of Beijing as it prepares for the Summer Olympics. The scale of development is almost overwhelming, according to author Philip Nobel.
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