The title of this article doesn’t actually broach the (underlying?) topic that I found most compelling within; how to balance development and growth with protection of traditions and historical/present identity.

In addition, much of the development is being designed by foreign architects, what commitment does the Chinese government have to elevating domestic talent?  With big firms like OMA, Foster & Partners, etc - establishing offices in Beijing - where is there room for local talent who don’t have the money behind them to find their place??

This story also gave voice to Chinese urban planners who see this large-scale of development as destructive of their culture, “I’m completely against this big architecture; it’s a total waste,” says Yin Zhi, president of the urban planning and design institute at Tsinghua University. “The government wants to grab the Olympic opportunity to remake Beijing, spending so much money on these stupid projects. Why not use the budget to improve Beijing’s traffic system? Why not improve the quality of people’s lives?”

Is the government adequately addressing the base level needs of urban development???

Some early morning thoughts to ruminate on….