Archinect - News

China says no to "weird" architecture

2016-02-22T13:56:00-05:00

A directive issued on Sunday by the State Council, China’s cabinet, and the Communist Party’s Central Committee says no to architecture that is “oversized, xenocentric, weird” and devoid of cultural tradition. Instead, buildings should be “suitable, economic, green and pleasing to the eye.” The directive also calls for an end to gated communities. The guidelines come two months after a high-level meeting to address some of the problems that have arisen as a result of China’s rapid urbanization.

The New York Times notes that this will most likely result in "stricter design standards for public buildings":

Wang Kai, vice president of the China Academy of Urban Planning and Design, under the Ministry of Construction, said that functionality should take precedence in public buildings. “We shouldn’t go overboard in pursuit of appearances,” he said.

Orhan posted a very prescient piece on this back in 2014, when China's President Xi Jinping denounced buildings like the CCTV tower, aka "Big Pants", and the "formerly penis-shaped" People's Daily building (below), for not being "morally inspiring art".

China hopes to improve its cities with newly released urban planning vision

2015-12-28T14:54:00-05:00

China has detailed its urban planning vision, which has been designed to make its sprawling cities more inclusive, safer and better places to live. [...] policymakers pledged to transform urban development patterns and improve city management. The last time China held such a high-level meeting was in 1978, when only 18 percent of the population lived in cities. By the end of 2011, in excess of 50 percent of the population called the city their home.

China considering drastic ban on coal

2014-08-27T13:30:00-04:00

State-owned news outlets reported this month that the government would ban the use of coal in Beijing and other urban areas by 2020 in an effort to reduce the noxious air pollution that chokes many cities. [...] But [President Xi Jinping] and other officials have provided few details — and, indeed, have sent conflicting, even disturbing, signals about their plans. Some measures China is considering could actually exacerbate climate change.