Shenzhen: A City at a Crossroads in its Past and Future

2021-09-10T13:55:00-04:00

The past, present, and future narrative of Shenzhen offers rich ground for architectural thought. The megacity, which emerged from the remote Chinese countryside over 40 years, has captured the imagination of urbanists seeking to understand its rise, architects seeking to contribute to its lively urban fabric, and national governments seeking to replicate the "miracle of Shenzhen" and its associated economic riches in their own country. However, despite the prevailing narrative of a highly-planned "instant" metropolis springing from nothingness, Shenzhen's history is more complex, more expansive, and more grounded in localism, than is commonly noted. Meanwhile, as the city continues its meteoric urban expansion, local and international architects, curators, and researchers are tasked with weaving the next chapter of Shenzhen's story; guided by forces of innovation, culture, climate, and geopolitics.

What is the Los Angeles Biennale of Architecture / Urbanism?

2014-05-06T11:04:00-04:00

For three days this past February, eight loosely-affiliated individuals sat around a makeshift table in Shenzhen and talked about Los Angeles. This is the purely pragmatic explanation of what the Los Angeles Biennale was, in its inaugural form at 2013’s Bi-City Biennale of Architecture / Urbanism, taking place in Hong Kong and Shenzhen.

Archinect - Features

Shenzhen: A City at a Crossroads in its Past and Future

What is the Los Angeles Biennale of Architecture / Urbanism?