Im Jahre 2020 soll es 400 „New Towns" in China geben, eine Entwicklung von beispielloser Dimension. Einige dieser Wohnsiedlungen sind heute von fast unheimlichem Leerstand gekennzeichnet, andere aber gelten als gelungene Neugründungen. Ziel der chinesischen Regierung ist es, für bis zu 250 Millionen Menschen Wohnraum zu schaffen, vor allem für Migranten aus den ländlichen Regionen. Während in Europa oder Amerika Städte oft aus kleinen Ansiedlungen organisch wachsen, werden diese "New Towns" komplett fertiggestellt, bevor die ersten Bewohner einziehen. Diese interdisziplinär verfasste Publikation analysiert die "New Town" als neues Phänomen des Städtebaus. Eigens für das Buch entstandene Fotografien sowie neu gezeichnete Pläne dokumentieren beispielhaft solche Großsiedlungen.

By 2020, some 400 Chinese New Towns will have been built, representing an unprecedented urban growth. While some of these massive developments are still empty today, others have been rather successful. The substantial effort on the part of the Chinese government is to absorb up to 250 million people, chiefly migrants from the rural parts of the country. Unlike in Europe and North America, where new towns grew in accordance to the local industries, these new Chinese cities are mostly built to the point of near completion before introducing people. The interdisciplinary publication, written by architects, planners and geographers, explores the new urbanistic phenomenon of the "Chinese New Town". Especially commissioned photographs and maps illustrate many examples of these new settlements.

"It is refreshing to see an attempt to address the new-town phenomenon with a modicum of academic rigor, though this can sometimes Iead to overly dense descriptions that are not suitably differentiated from the officious proclamations from the authorities from which they are derived. There is thorough and honest examrnation of the trend, and representative examples thereof, rather than simplistic representation of harbingers of a dystopian future. The contrast between the formal; academic languagewith its page-long, unbroken paragraphs, and the stark, black-and-white photos and personal essays about on-the-ground visits and conversations with locals, is quite pronounced, suggesting there couid be a middle ground." (In CTBUH Journal, 07.2020)

Spaces and Imaginaries from Contemporary Urban China

The City after Chinese New Towns

Michele Bonino, Francesca Governa, Maria Paolo Repellino, Angelo Sampieri, Politecnico Torino, Italien

Michele Bonino, Francesca Governa, Maria Paolo Repellino, Angelo Sampieri, Politecnico Torino, Italy

<ul> <li> Chancen und Risiken der "New Towns" werden analysiert </li> <li> Ein Fotoessay fängt die Stimmung in den neuen Städten ein </li> <li> Forschungsergebnisse von drei Universitäten: Politecnico di Torino, Tsinghua University, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne </li> </ul>

<UL> <LI>Drawing on research from three highly reputed universities: Politecnico di Torino, Tsinghua University, Beijing, and École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne </LI> <LI>"New Towns" are an unprecedented phenomenon </LI> <LI>Attractive and inspiring photo essay </LI></UL>

Analyse eines städtebaulichen Phänomens