Overview
As China emerges as the economic powerhouse of the 21st century,
Bejing is undergoing the biggest and fastest redevelopment since
Haussmann redesigned Paris in the 19th century.
International architects Paul Andreu, Australia's PTW, OMA'S Ole
Scheeren, and ARUP Engineers Rory McGowan and Tristram Carfrae
change the city's face with new iconic buildings like the
Watercube, Birds Nest, Stadium, National Theatre. The end of the
Olympics has also signalled hundreds of new projects.
Not everyone is happy. Historic Qianmen, home of Peking Opera,
is demolished and re-constructed in 2008 by developer SOHO and
unveiled as a bizarre 'replica' of "Old Beijing".
Local resident Zhang Jinqi launches an inspirational project to
photograph Qianmen and other Beijing districts facing demolition,
gathering local residents to document their neighborhoods.
This project grows to encompass six Chinese cities and in
January 2009, Zhang and colleagues open the exhibition "Memory of
China", showing the vanishing cultural heritage of Chinese
cities.
Will the efforts of emerging Chinese NGO's like Zhang's or the
global financial crisis slow the pace of change? Sadly, with 400
cities of the size of Beijing to be built by 2020, China may have
little time to reflect.
Australia/China 2009 / 53min.
Director/Producer Georgia Wallace-Crabbe
Saturday 4 February - 3pm
Auditorium
