June 2011
25 posts
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Research No. 2 // ZPark
Known as China’s “National Software Export Base,” Zpark is one of our six primary research sites around Beijing. We are looking at this development as it is indicative of the global economic development that the country is perpetuating through its land clearance policies. Most interestingly, the site’s single land use has spurred the growth of several areas with urban...
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The Return of Ai Weiwei
Before leaving for China, I had little knowledge of the man known as China’s preeminent contemporary artist. I was introduced to Ai Weiwei by virtue of the international news media. Just about the time I bought my ticket to travel abroad, Ai Weiwei was detained by the Chinese government for a number of crimes, including his departure procedures [to visit Hong Kong…] and past financial actions. ...
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Around The World [in one afternoon]
Upon arrival in China, we heard about this place called The World, a Chinese amusement park with replica miniature monuments from around the globe. We all immediately knew we had to go check out this place for both the extreme kitsch factor and cultural intrigue. Why would anyone care to see a replica of something they could see for real?
About the same time, I read that only 1.5% of Chinese...
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China Daily // Panic driving rush to join... →
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Eating My Way Through China No. 8 // Burning...
As I mentioned previously, we all pitch in to prepare the communal meals at BASE each Friday evening. Following my help with Team Mexican, I lobbied my way onto the Pizza team. Since my cousin’s gift of a pizza stone has made me somewhat of a gourmet pizza snob, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to help make one of my favorite foods.
A previous student at BASE built a brick pizza oven in the...
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Father’s Day Half a World Away
As I was sitting down today to enjoy my daily ice cream cone while soaking up the heat of another Sunday in China, a young Chinese boy and his father came and sat next to me. The son quickly said hello to and they continued to eat their popsicles as well. Then the boy started asking me where I was from, what I was doing in Beijing, and what I liked to do at home in the states. The nine year old...
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Li Na and a sense of destiny…
Along with 116 million other people in China, we tuned in to watch Chinese tennis star Li Na in the Finals of the French Open. Li ousted Italian Francesca Schiavone to become the first Chinese man or woman to win a grand slam tennis title. Winning a grand slam is no small feat, but there was something particularly exciting about being in China, watching, and cheering for Li in her home...
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Made in China // Porcelain Factory Tour
A few weeks back we visited the Asianera Porcelain factory, located in Tangshan, which is due East of Beijing near the Ocean. It is an extremely industrial city, which was readily apparent by the large number of trucks finding their way around the local streets. The city is a lot grittier than Beijing, but feels more like the suburban industrial landscape of the states rather than an urban...
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Eating My Way Through China No. 7 // Fodder...
Our favorite place in Caochangdi [and Beijing] is easily Fodder Factory. Started by Jason Zhao, a friend of BASE and all around nice guy, the cuisine is traditional Chinese, taken mostly from Jason’s family recipes. Jason has made efforts to add Western touches to the restaurant, including a few fusion dishes, Erdinger Beer, Iced Coffee, trendy décor, and a menu for each patron—a rarity in...
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BD Online // China to get a new skyscraper every... →
More evidence pointing toward the overbuilding in China. There is such ambition here to speed through the process of development and become an industrialized nation instantly. However, merely building luxury homes does not mean that people want this type of living nor does it indicate that Chinese citizens can afford this type of lifestyle. At least not yet… Since the economy cannot...
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Research No.1 // BASE > Start
It’s about time that I finally talk about what we are doing here in terms of research. Along with Jordan Hicks and Leland Berman, we are looking at the land uses and life of previous urban villages after they are demolished.
As part of a midterm presentation, we formulated our thoughts in this statement:
Over the past decade, the Chinese government has instigated and carried out a process of...
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Eating My Way Through China No. 6 // Burning...
At Base, we end every week with a Friday evening communal grilled meal. It is organized by the program as a whole with the intention of bringing different groups of people in Beijing together, be it a group of artists one week and architects the next. The meals are both visually beautiful and delicious. You can’t deny the fact that the space itself, our small linear courtyard space adjacent to...
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"Buildings of Non-Normal Death" →
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Eating My Way Through China No. 5 // Street Food _...
I’ve had a variety of different clams on several occasions now and have to say they might be my favorite variety of seafood here in China. They cook them very much the same way that one might cook mussels or clams in the states and serve them in a broth. However, here instead of a butter/garlic broth, it is a chili pepper/onion/cilantro broth. The trick is learning how to pick out the meat...
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Learning to be Chinese No.3 // Riding the Bus: No....
Riding the bus always seems to me to be the most difficult form of public transportation to learn. How much does it cost? How do you get a ticket? How do I signal the bus to stop? I feel like buses are the easiest way to get lost in a city. For these very reasons, I usually stay far away from them during a short visit to a city, but they also have the ability to be a very efficient form of...
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Special Delivery “from [my] firend Fam”
The biggest surprise of my birthday weekend was definitely a cake delivery from my sister and parents on Monday morning. It started with a few incessant phone calls from someone speaking mandarin. I would respond to them in English that I don’t understand, told them to please stop calling me, and then hung up. We get a lot of “junk” calls here so I just thought it was that. A few minutes...
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Eating My Way Through China No. 4 // Dim Sum @ Jin...
Miao Xianchun / Surplus [2007]
We had previously gone to the Tango [on the left] – the karaoke bar where you sing with your friends in private rooms before heading to the disco located in the center of the building. However, I had yet to try the Dim Sum at the 5 story pagoda next door. It seemed like a fine Saturday afternoon activity.
Dim Sum Brunch / 5.28.2011 / South Gate of Ditan...
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Turning 26 in China
Thanks for the birthday wishes from everyone here and back in the states.
It was a pretty epic [and mostly unplanned] weekend here in Beijing for my 26th birthday. I’m not sure how to feel about turning 26, but I do know that being in a new place, trying new things, meeting new people makes me feel much younger than my chronological age.
Following our Friday night BBQ [Seafood!] at the BASE...
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NYTimes // Ambitious Plan for China’s Water Crisis... →
One of the most intriguing things about being in China is seeing the scale at which the nation is building. Not only is there a lot of construction, the size of the projects is also immense. This project seems to fall into this category. It’s sad at the lengths with which the country is going to satisfy the needs of Beijing, a “Tier 1” city. It seems like there is room for...
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China's Ghost Cities + the Search for an Apartment...
Nowhere has the story of China’s urbanization been more apparent than in the search for our own housing. Before the trip, I had heard stories of the massive number of apartments available due to the overbuilding of Chinese cities. Just recently, it was confirmed that 100,000 Apartments [are] Waiting To Be Sold In Beijing. However, at the same time that there are apartments for sale, they are...
