Sky is still high in China-Expert Meeting Report

Sky is still high in China.Many of China's architects today have enjoyed some or all of their education in the USA. One of the first things they do, is to visit Las Vegas.

Huang Weiwen, director of the Shenzhen City Design Centre, wants to leave the “Las Vegas” model behind for a model that has more consideration for the end user. Large scale developments are still common practice in China with high rise iconic architecture as a result – Las Vegas as a role model. Huang pleads for more social design and planning to create pleasant public spaces and a better city. He also strives with his Design Centre, that started less than a  year ago, for more diversity in design. The centre aims to create awareness for these issues and organizes events to enhance the knowledge of design in urban planning.

SICA organized this expert meeting for professionals in the field of urban planning, architecture &  design to inform on recent developments, to stimulate cultural exchange and to create an opportunity enhance existing networks. Together with Netherlands Architecture institute, International New Town Institute, Dutch Design Fashion Architecture and the Chinese European Art Centre, SICA was able to create a highly interesting afternoon and network dinner.

About 75 people attended the event at Lloyd hotel. All partners gave presentations of their work in China and there was interaction with the audience. Mr Huang gave the key note speech and is guest of NAi for The 5th International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam: Making City//, that starts today.

For more on architecture in China, please see our Mapping of the field. The digital presentations that were made by Mr. Huang and our partners are available upon request. Please contact Alex Lebbink with your request.