Big, bigger, biggest? Modern urban planning is enjoying a renaissance around the world. Apart from the gigantic infrastructure projects, new, utopian cities are being built everywhere these days. At the same time, existing cities are being expanded through far-reaching spatial interventions in their appearance and infrastructure.
In the Middle East, new metropolises are being built where before there was only desert. In a sad countermove, Indonesia is forced to relocate its capital, Jakarta, because of rising sea levels. From Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Nigeria to Indonesia and Japan, different players are pursuing their own urban utopias. Discover five utopian cities in the making – but beware, not all are doomed to success!
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Urban development: 5 utopian cities of the future
Is the sky the limit? New utopian cities are emerging everywhere. But not all are doomed to success! (Symbolic Foto: Urbanauth / VGO / 2022 / Paris)
Utopian cities: the linear desert city of Neom “The Line” in Saudi Arabia
A way of modern urban planning in the Middle East! The futuristic project around the linear desert city of Neom, also known as “The Line” is setting new standards. Under the initiative of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and in cooperation with Jordan, this utopian city is to be built in the northwest of Saudi Arabia in Tabuk Province. In addition to the planned linear structure and a remarkable 170 kilometers in length, other innovations and ideas are making the future a reality.
One focus is on “walkability“. All important facilities, such as schools, clinics and green spaces, are to be reached on foot within five minutes. Thanks to new mobility, commute times are also to be reduced: With an automated high-speed transit system based on state-of-the-art technologies, no trip should take longer than 20 minutes. A densely populated zone will be created through the linear construction of high-rise buildings, which should reduce the impact of humans on the environment. Renewable energy sources will be incorporated into the project planning, as will technological advances related to smart cities and artificial intelligence.
France: Eco-districts – a new way of building and planing cities
The French concept of sustainable neighborhoods: Ecodistricts takes into account the disruption of climate change. Discover more about sustainable neighboorhoods
It is one of the most ambitious urban development projects and also one of the most expensive. The planned costs are already in excess of $500 billion – with a possible upward trend. But thanks to the support of Saudi Arabia, there is no shortage of financial resources. The Middle Eastern country is well aware of the transience of its mineral wealth. Neom is intended to provide new impetus and enable a future away from the oil market. The project, which was unveiled in 2017 and whose first phase of construction began in 2019, has suffered its first schedule delays due to the Corona pandemic.
An example of a once new urbanism: architects and urban planners in France created the urban landscape of the 15th district with its buildings from the 70s. (Symbolic Foto: Urbanauth / VGO / Paris / 2022)
Meanwhile, the imagination and creativity of architects and developers knows few bounds. In the spirit of the Dubai skyline, Neom is also building tall. Proposals such as the futuristic Downtown Circle, a gigantic doughnut-shaped building in the center of the city, and the proposal of a mile-long line of buildings are creating imaginative dreams of the future with elaborate and somewhat misguiding renderings. Not to mention other utopian ideas and outliers! A Jurassic Park with robot dinosaurs, as well as an artificial moon and glowing sand, lined up among “out of the box” building designs… the architects and planning offices have no shortage of flashy ideas. But which of the promising proposals and utopias will effectively see the realm of reality, only the future will show!
From afar, it can only be assumed that not everything is going according to the rules. The British newspaper The Guardian recently reported on three members of the Huawaitat tribe who were sentenced to death. The suspicion that this was in relation to their resistance to Neom and the expulsion from their lands. But other members of the tribe also face long prison sentences. The UN Human Rights Council, among others, criticized the sentences on the basis of vague accusations of terrorism.
Egypt’s new government city – the “New Administrative Capital” will replace Cairo
Semi-modern urban development with outdated concepts or the wrong role models after all? In Egypt, too, construction is underway on gigantic urbanization and infrastructure projects. As part of the “Vision Egypt 2030” agenda, the construction of a new administrative capital is now being driven forward. The country with its Suez Canal is of strategic importance for global shipping and freight traffic. As part of China’s infrastructure program, the One Belt initiative and China’s new Silk Road, Egypt receives massive investment.
The metropolitan region of Cairo, with its millions of inhabitants, is struggling with the problems of its past chaotic urban development. This may now be remedied with the “New Administrative Capital“. The new government city not far from Cairo will cost an estimated 60 billion euros. In his article for RND, journalist Patrick Hoffmann reports in detail on the project and the current implementation of the government district.
Even if the exact name is still missing, a gigantic construction site already exists 50 kilometers to the east of Cairo. In terms of modern urban development, the classic large-scale projects are being advertised. In addition to a huge international airport, commercial areas, recreational parks and facilities, hospitals, schools, mosques and housing for several million people are also being built. The new administrative capital is to become the new heart and economic engine of the country. But how modern Egypt’s urban development project really is remains an open question.
Will the buildings look like the chaotic concrete landscape in Cairo? (Symbolic Foto: Urbanauth / VGO / Paris / 2020)
In terms of mobility, 2000 kilometers of track are to be laid and 60 stations built. From Abu Simbel to Luxor, to Alexandria via Cairo and the new capital, the rail network will be expanded. The German company Siemens has signed the historic contract in 2022 and will be responsible for the construction of the transport network.
However, there is resistance to the construction of the new administrative capital – both the planning and the purpose are under criticism. For instance, the indebted country is already unable to cover its costs without outside investment. At the same time, the construction of such a gigantic project devours an incalculable amount of resources and risks having long-term effects on the economy and the environment.
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At the center of criticism: outmoded, urban planning concepts from the 1970s, as well as a discriminatory, territorial approach with an unevenly developed mobility network, and questionable use of water resources. But above all, the outdated, urban planning approaches with their large boulevards and expressways, as well as the spatial separation of housing, work, consumption and leisure in different neighborhoods, stands in contrast to the contemporary, urbanist approaches of a productive city, which is easily walkable. So far, little is known about the progress of the new administrative capital, and it remains to be seen whether the construction project will succeed…
Uncertain realization: The Eko Atlantic City near Lagos
Little noticed by the media, and currently at a standstill, and also an example of modern urban development on the African continent: Eko Atlantic City as an extension of Lagos. New living space was to be developed on an area of about 25 square kilometers, and up to 15 square kilometers were to be built into the sea. “Eko” does not stand for ecology, as an Anglophone reader might think, but probably for the Yoruba pedant of Lagos.
RV-ing in a risk zone
Recreational Vehicles are a very popular mode of transport among foreign tourists in Baja (MX). However, some are settling on risk zones.
The construction project, which was to be implemented with Chinese financial support and know-how, is at a standstill at the present time. Apart from vast amounts of piled-up sand and a few, relatively few buildings are existing. The consequences of the Corona pandemic have delayed the construction project and call into question a realistic completion.
Modern urban construction in Africa has already hit the headlines recently when serious allegations of corruption surfaced over Congo in the Congo Hold Up leaks. The French-language news site RFI reported extensively on the financial entanglements of former President Jospeh Kabila and also uncovered some dubious real estate projects in Kinshasa.
Climate change induced relocation in Indonesia: The new capital Nusantara
The wild nature of the Indonesian island of Borneo in East Kalimantan will probably have to make way for the construction of the new capital Nusantara. (Symbol photo: Urbanauth / VGO / 2021 / urban nature)
Bad times for the most populous island state. For the unpleasant reason of rising sea levels, the current capital of Indonesia, Jakarta, has to move. With over 40% of the urban area below sea level, the megacity’s future prospects are not bright. But the pent-up problems of Jakarta’s chaotic urban development – which include urban sprawl, massive traffic congestion, informal settlements, widespread flooding, lack of clean water and waste disposal, and land subsidence – also led to the decision to relocate.
The new beginning should help avoid the previous mistakes. It remains to be seen how the move will affect the capital’s ten million inhabitants. Likewise, what will become of the metropolitan region of Jakarta, which with its 34 million inhabitants is one of the largest urban agglomerations in the world. But the Southeast Asian island state is inevitably confronted with the effects of rising sea levels, so there is no alternative but to move.
Design and the right to the city: iconography of public transport
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The new capital Nusantara is being built on Borneo and is to be inaugurated as early as 2024. The name refers to “Wawasan Nusantara“, “the Indonesian archipelagic vision“. This corresponds to Indonesia’s national vision in relation to its citizens, the nation and the territory of the Republic of Indonesia.
Even though the project of a new capital city was already put forward by previous governments, it only started to gain momentum in 2017. In 2019, the URBAN+ proposal “Nagara Rimba Nusa” (“Forest Land Archipelago“) won after an international tender. Thus, 80% of mobility is to be covered by public transport, as well as pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly routes.
In the initial phase, building land is being developed and the first public facilities are being built. In addition to lessons learned from climate change, experiences from the Corona pandemic also take a place in the urban planning implementation of Nusantara. According to the news site Blomberg, work has already begun on the $34 billion construction project. Financing, much of which is expected to come from the private sector, is a hurdle for the project. But the profound impact on Borneo’s natural reserves also raises questions about sustainability and environmental protection.
Design and the right to the city: iconography of public transport
The design of public transport and the right to the city are deeply connected. Discover more…
Utopian cities in Japan: Toyota’s “Woven City” smart city
Last on our list of five utopian cities, this smart-city pioneer is not to be missed: Toyota’s Woven City is a project in Japan that is both ambitious and high-tech. On February 23, 2021, it was officially announced that an innovative mobility center would be built in the city of Susono on a former Toyota automobile plant. In keeping with Japanese culture, traditional values with modern technology play an important role in the overall project. With Mount Fuji behind it and secured financing – a promising project.
Modern urbanism versus futurism – What really remains will be revealed by time. (Symbol photo: Urbanauth / VGO / 2021 / Paris)
The work, which began last year, is still in the development of the site. The second phase will then involve the architects. The private project is financed mainly by Toyota Motor Corporation, one of the largest automobile manufacturers outside Europe. To enable safe and efficient mobility, freight logistics will be separated from personal and public transport and given their own lanes. While a route for automated driving systems is planned on the surface, freight traffic will be routed underground. The original understanding of mobility has a deeper social meaning in the undertaking. Hydrogen as an energy source, for example, is to be the main focus. With a “Smart City Platform,” the Internet of Things shall interconnect the urban space with the lives of the citizens. Other offerings relating to health, education and work complement the holistic concept.
And even if the surface area and the relatively small amount of living space make the Woven City the smallest of the utopias in modern urban planning, it is perhaps precisely the feasibility of the project that gives it its appeal and credibility. In terms of futurism, the highly mobile city concept harbors ambitions just as strong as the other building projects presented. In contrast to Google’s discontinued smart city project in Toronto, Canada, Toyota currently remains the most promising developer of a smart city with Woven City.
Global issues. In recent years, the issue of climate change has increasingly entered the public discourse. Of particular importance for conventional urban development: urban resilience and climate-resilient cities. But what are we talking about when we talk about urban resilience, and what challenges will the cities of tomorrow face in the future?
While cities continue to grow and combine living, working and urbanity as metropolitan areas, they are subject to environmental factors. In this context, human-induced climate change increases the risks for urban living spaces and has serious implications for infrastructure. But social inequalities, societal problems as well war also affect the city as a closed system. These circumstances influence the way cities are built and planned. How climate-resilient the cities of tomorrow will be, depends on their design.
When cities get hot: Urban Heat Islands
Urban Heat Islands are on the rise and become more and more of a problem for big cities.
What is urban resilience?
Green facade in the center of Paris. (Urbanauth / VGO / 2023)
The technical term resilience originates from ecology and was first used in the 1970s. It describes the ability of a system to maintain or restore its ability to function in the event of a disruption or disturbance. Urban resilience thus describes the ability of different actors(institutions, business, individuals)to adapt to changing conditions, to survive and even to continue to grow.
Urban resilience seeks solutions to the challenges and developments of our time: climate change, globalization and urbanization, but also social inequalities. The aim of urban development is to reduce the risk of disasters and to adapt our urban habitat to the consequences of climate change. For this to be successful, a holistic approach is needed that takes local conditions into account.
Urban resilience: What challenges for the cities of tomorrow?
Cities as urban habitats are exposed to several climatic and geographic risks. On the one hand, heat with droughts, which cause food insecurity, and in cities themselves, the creation of urban heat islands due to the excessive use of asphalt, steel and glass. On the other hand, heavy rainfall can lead to flooding and overwhelm water drainage systems, but hurricanes and earthquakes are also concrete dangers for cities.
France: Eco-districts – a new way of building and planing cities
The French concept of sustainable neighborhoods: Eco-districts takes into account the disruption of climate change. Discover more about sustainable neighborhoods
Beyond the risks posed by man-made climate change, cities also face other problems. From cyber-attacks that cripple critical infrastructure to societal problems such as: Unemployment, violence, food insecurity and water stress. The factors and challenges that impact our capacity for resilience are many, though the future is uncertain.
One way to increase the resilience in cities are the so-called green infrastructure systems. At an urban scale, these systems consist of interconnected green areas, almost always complemented by blue infrastructure (ponds or lakes). Green infrastructure aims to preserve the natural conditions of the environment, reducing temperatures and allowing the infiltration of clean water to the subsoil. Examples of green infrastructure are: parks, urban forests, rain gardens, infiltration planters, permeable pavements and green roofs with rainwater harvesting.
France. The Arc de Triomphe of Paris was wrapped. In the posthumous project Christo, the lifelong dream of the wrapping artist was realized. Urbanauth was for you on the spot in Paris and has looked at the wrapped Arc de Triomphe!
The wrapped Arc de Triomphe by Christo and Jeanne-Claude (Foto: Urbanauth / VGO / 2021)
The Arc de Triomphe in Paris: About the monument
Feared by drivers, loved by tourists. In the middle of a huge, multi-lane traffic circle stands the Arc de Triomphe.
The Arc de Triomphe is a monument in Paris with its history. In 1806 by Napoleon the 1st began construction and was completed 30 years later. The architect Jean-Francois Chalgrin conceived this masterpiece of about 50 meters high, 45 meters long and 22 meters wide. But at the time of his death, it only stretched to five meters. In the meantime, the construction site had to be put on hold. Finally, the triumphal arch was completed in 1836. In the urbanistic concerns of Haussmann, the Arc de Triomphe became a central place to which some of the most iconic boulevards of Paris lead.
Originally conceived as a victory gate for the battle of Austerlitz won, the Arc de Triomphe is now used to commemorate the victory in World War 1. In 1920, the “Tomb of the Unknown Soldier” was inaugurated. From 1923, the “Flamme du Souvenir” (“Flame of Remembrance”) is lit there. The Arc de Triomphe is an emblem of French national pride. During the riots in 2018 of the Gilets Jaunes movement, there was structural damage to the monument.
Christo’s posthumous project: the veiled Arc de Triomphe
Christo who died on May 31, 2020 in his apartment in New York City, had a last dream with his wife Jeanne-Claude. To wrap the Arc de Triomphe of Paris. In the posthumous project, the artist’s wish was realized from September 18 to October 3, 2021. For Christo and Jeanne-Claude, it was always important to make their art free and accessible to all. They have succeeded in this with their posthumous project.
The Arc de Triomphe was wrapped in 25,000 m² of recyclable blue-silver polypropylene fabric. The costs of the project were financed exclusively by self-financing and without public funds. Among other things, works by Christo were sold for this purpose. The total cost was 14 million euros and about 1000 people were involved in the implementation.
The driving force behind the implementation of the posthumous project is Vladimir Yavachev. For him the heart of Christos and Jeanne-Claude’s work, one that is the “pure expression of their freedom“. The project was realized with the help of the City of Paris and the Centre Pompidou.
He described Christo’s conception of the shrouded Arc de Triomphe as follows: “It will be like a living object that moves in the wind and reflects the light. The folds will move and the surface of the monument will become sensual. People will want to touch the Arc de Triomphe.“
For reigning mayor Anne Hidalgo, the work is a tribute to the creative process and artistic freedom to transcend the traditional boundaries of sculpture and architecture to create a living work of art that is accessible to everyone.
Work and creation of Christo and Jeanne-Claude
The artist Christo was born in 1935 in Gabrovo, Bulgaria. His life is characterized by travel. Thus, his path brought him to Prague, Vienna, Geneva, Paris and finally New York, among other places. In Paris he met his wife Jeanne-Claude Denat de Guillebon. Deceased in 2009, she played an important role in the life and work of Christo.
The veiling of objects, as a form of urban art. Christo’s projects wanted to cover the monumental. Even if only for a limited time, but the large had to escape the view. He realized his first installation with his wife Jeanne-Claude in 1961 in Cologne (“Dockside Packages” & “Stacked Oil Barrels”). One of his first works to attract attention was the “Wall of Oil Barrels – The iron curtain” in Rue Visconti in Paris (1961-1962). After unsuccessful attempts to obtain permission from the authorities, the project was carried out illegally. Using oil barrels, Christo erects a barricade on a street. Below is a list of the most important works of Christo and Jeanne-Claude:
“Wrapped Coast” near Sydney (1968-1969)
“Alley Curtain” in Colorado (1970–1972)
“Running Fence” in California (1972–1976)
“Surrounded Islands” in Miami (1980–1983)
“The Pont Neuf Wrapped” in Paris (1975–1985)
“The Umbrellas” in Japan and California (1984–1991)
“Wrapped Reichstag” in Berlin (1972–1995)
“The Gates” in the Central-Park of New York City (1979–2005)
“The Floating Piers” in Italien Iseo-See (2014–2016)
“The London Mastaba” at the “Sepertinne” of London (2016–2018)
PTK und sein Background-Rapper Tayler zum ersten Mal in Paris
Von Berlin nach Paris: Am 15.11.2019 (Freitag) sowie den 16.11.2019 (Samstag) hat Urbanauth zwei Konzerte für den Berliner HipHop-Künstler PTK veranstaltet. Im Rahmen eines internationalen, urbanen Kulturaustausches haben wir für den Künstler und seinen Background-Rapper Tayler ein Konzert in der Aubergine3000 in Malakoff (92) organisiert. Dieses besetzte Haus liegt in einem südlichen Vorort von Paris. Den darauffolgenden Tag ging es dann weiter in den nördlichen Vorort Saint-Denis (93) zum Bike Wars-Festival, einem Intersquat-Event. Der Artikel ist ein Throwback auf ein musikalisches Wochenende.
Der Kontext des Konzerts ist unkommerziell im Rahmen der “Free-Party”-Philosophie (Eintritt und Getränke auf freiwilliger Basis) gewesen. Für die Bike Wars trat Urbanauth als Vermittler auf. Urbanauth hat dies auf ehrenamtlicher Basis organisiert und keine Vergütung bezogen. Um die Sprachbarrieren zu überwinden, haben wir eine Auswahl an Texten des Künstlers übersetzt, welche in einem Videomapping an die Wände projiziert wurden.
Durch den kulturellen Austausch zwischen diesen beiden europäischen Hauptstädten wollten wir Einblicke in die Vielfalt der europäischen Hip-Hop-Bewegung geben und Verbindungspunkte zwischen verschiedenen musikalischen Akteuren schaffen. Hip-Hop, das sind vier Säulen: Breakdance, Graffiti, Master of ceremony und Discjockeys. Rap als eine fundamental-urbane Kultur steht dabei in einem tiefen Kontext zur Stadt und dem Menschen und ist zugleich Ausdruck und Sprachrohr für urbane Bevölkerungsschichten.
PTK – Straßenrap aus Berlin
PTK, das ist engagierter Straßen-Rap für eine deutsche Hauptstadt von unten. Seine kritischen Bezüge zum Urbanen hebt die Beziehung des Menschen zur Stadt in den Vordergrund. In Berlin-Kreuzberg aufgewachsen, erzählt er von der Kehrseite Berlins: die der Gastarbeiter und Hausbesetzer, vom Runden drehen in seinem Sektor und der Gentrifizierung Berlins. Neben einer kritischen Haltung gegenüber Tourismus und der Konsumgesellschaft bezieht er außerdem eine klare Stellung gegenüber Rassismus und Diskriminierung. PTK steht verdient für “Pöbel tötet König“. Eine Stimme gegen die Ungerechtigkeit in der Welt.
Im Herbst 2012, nach Protestbesetzungen von Migranten am Brandenburger Tor und anschließend Oranienplatz, folgte im Dezember die Übernahme der leerstehenden Gerhart-Hauptmann-Schule in Kreuzberg. An diesem Ort, welcher der anstatt Refugees, aber ebenso auch Roma-Familien und Obdachlosen eine Unterkunft gab, gründete er mit einigen Hausbesetzern die interkulturelle Band “Antinational Embassy“. Gemeinsam spielten sie dieses Jahr in Athen nahe des Hausbesetzerviertels Exarchia. Solo schaffte es PTK 2018 bis nach Slowenien und mit Urbanauth nun auch zum ersten Mal nach Frankreich.
Urbanauth: PTK, was macht dich zu einem Urbanauth?
Also fernab von eurer Definition würde ich sagen, dass die Themen in meiner Musik überwiegend in urbanen Räumen stattfinden. So wie eben auch mein Leben in Berlin-Kreuzberg. Meine Standpunkte und Erfahrungen sind aber nicht auf meinen eigenen Mikrokosmos limitiert, sondern in jeder Metropole irgendwie anzutreffen. Das bekomme ich dadurch mit, dass ich z.B. selbst in Paris schon ein paar Fans hatte, die meine Musik verfolgen. Umgekehrt habe ich viele Menschen in Berlin getroffen, die quasi vom anderen Ende der Welt kamen und mit denen ich trotzdem direkt auf einer Wellenlänge war. Somit trifft man irgendwie in jeder großen Stadt auf Gleichgesinnte.
PTK, November 2019
PTK in der Aubergine 3000
Am Freitag, den 15. November 2019, trat PTK in der Aubergine3000 auf. Der Name des Ortes setzt sich aus dem französischen Wort Auberge für Herberge, Aubergine und der Zahl 3000 zusammen. Letztere ist als eine ironische Anspielung auf das Jahr 3000 zu verstehen. Das Haus selbst, welches jahrelang leer stand, wurde nach der Auflösung der Stendhal-Besetzung (Anm. d. Red. Einer großen Hausbesetzung eines leerstehenden Krankenhauses) gegründet. Dieses welches einem iranischen Dissidenten gehörte sollte dabei in eine Herberge umgewandelt werden. Nach dem mysteriösen Tod des Besitzers wurde das Grundstück nicht mehr von den Eigentümern unterhalten. Die Besetzer der Aubergine 3000 nahmen die Idee wieder auf, das Haus in eine Herberge zu verwandeln.
Urbanauth: PTK, erzähl doch mal. Dein erstes Mal in Paris, wie war’s?
Die Auftritte haben Spaß gemacht. Der Abend in der Aubergine 3000 hatte ein geiles Feeling, das war eine richtige Untergrund Hip-Hop Veranstaltung. Die anderen Acts haben total abgerissen, die DJ’s waren wirklich extrem gut (so ein Level sieht man leider in Berlin nicht oft) und die Leute haben uns super aufgenommen und sich einfach auf die Mucke eingelassen. Ich habe auch sehr gutes Feedback auf das Video Mapping bekommen – Übersetzungen meiner Texte wurden synchron an die Wand projiziert – und somit auch meine Inhalte, das war nice! Beim Bike Wars am nächsten Tag hat mich neben dem Event vor allem die Location sehr beeindruckt. Mir wurde von den Leuten vor Ort gezeigt, was dort alles in nicht einmal 2 Jahren Besetzung auf die Beine gestellt wurde. Wohnungen, Musikstudio, Theater, riesige Werkstätten.. Davon können sich viele Squats etwas abgucken!
PTK, November 2019
Das Zusatzkonzert auf dem Bike Wars 2019 im Landy Sauvage: Von Kreuzberg in die Seine Saint Denis
Zusatzkonzert auf dem Bikewars 2019.
Im “Au Landy Sauvage” unter dem Motto: Create and Destroy
Urbanauth: Konzerte in Slowenien, Athen und jetzt Paris. Wo würdest du gerne als Nächstes hin?
Ich hab da kein konkretes Ziel vor Augen, sondern freue mich einfach, wenn mich meine Musik an immer weitere Orte bringt. Für die Zukunft werde ich meine Texte auch in andere Sprachen übersetzen lassen, um die Sprachbarriere zu knacken. Die Welt ist halt größer als immer nur in Deutschland, Schweiz und Österreich zu spielen.
The most important news at a glance – Our press review of calendar week 38. This week: From Beijing’s starfish-shaped airport to its highest skyscraper and the Urban Design Awards in Toronto. Also: a picture of the families who occupied the Parc de la Villette in Paris in August and a return of the Yellow Vests in France for the Acte 45 last Saturday. Our summary of the most important urban news.
Urban development
A look at Beijing’s construction boom
According to a report on the North American news site CNN, Beijing‘s newest airport will be completed in September. The Beijing Daxing International Airport was designed by the late architect Zaha Hadid in cooperation with Chinese partners. The architecture is based on the shape of a starfish and the new airport is located in the south of Beijing. By 2025 it will be able to carry up to 72 million passengers – up as much as Paris Charles de Gaulles airport and two million tons of goods. Started in 2014, the construction’s costs raised to an amount of over 11,5 billion Dollars. The construction of the airport is in line with China’s ambitions to modernize its airports and transport 720 million passengers by 2020.
In addition to this huge construction project, CNN reported on another urban giant rising over Beijing’s urban landscape: the Citic tower, locally known as China Zun tower. The shape of the building is intended to tie in with China‘s past and at the same time stands for the country “striding into a new era“. Financed by the Citics Group, a state-owned company that manages investment funds and owns various subsidiaries in the financial sector, the basic form was developed by the Beijing Institute of Architecture Design with the help of the British architectural firm TFP Farewells, and the final design was realized by Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF). Based on a ceremonial wine vessel that can be traced back to the Bronze Age, it is Beijing’s largest skyscraper with a height of 1.731 foot.
Ceremony for the Urban Design Awards 2019 in Toronto
The online news site Urban Toronto reported on the awarding of the Toronto Urban Design Awards (TUDA) in Canada‘s largest metropolis. The award’s ceremony took place at the Palais Royale, in the presence of Toronto‘s current mayor John Tory. Innovative projects in many areas of architecture were honored. The categories range from art installations in public spaces, which enrich the quality of life of residents, to public buildings or areas and buildings from the private sector. The article is written in English and is accompanied by many images.
Urban space and appropriation
After the occupation of the Parc de la Villette – What happened to the families?
The French news blog BondyBlog accompanied the families after the eviction of the occupation in the Parc de la Villette in the north of Paris. The 28th August, 157 people had been evicted from a section of the park which they had occupied for a week in protest to the degrading conditions of their accommodation and life. In this way one learns more about the composition of the occupiers, including the youngest – 23 days old. In addition, one person had to go to the hospital during the occupation to give birth. The inhumane conditions – some families have been on the streets or in temporary shelters for several months – reinforce the problematic social situation on the ground. Urbanauth had already reported on this in a previous WeeklyUrbanauth edition.
Act 45 – When climate activists and Yellow Vests come together
On the 45th Saturday of the Yellow Vests (Gilets Jaunes) movement on September 21st, there was a “Convergences of fights” as reported by Mediapart (Paywall). The union between the Yellow West and the climate activists took place in a tense atmosphere. In Paris, between 15,000 and 38,000 people took part in the climate demonstration. On the same day, the Gilets also announced Jaunes rallies on the Champs-Elysees, which didn’t occur by day due to the massive intervention of the police. Journalist Clément Lanot reported about clashes and massive use of teargas-grenades in the evening. The television chain BFMTV showed images of tourists, which got exposed to the teargas. A collective called Le nombre Jaune, which counts the number of the participants, announced over 90,000 demonstrators throughout France for this Saturday. With a contingent of about 7,500 police force, the French capital was locked up, while already in the late morning riots broke out. After the excessive use of tear gas and rubber bullets, groups such as Greenpeace and Youth for Climate were forced to break off their demonstration and call into retreat because there was no pacifist way possible. Among other incidents, tear gas was used inside Saint Lazare train station, causing collateral damage to uninvolved passers-by. Burning barricades and rubbish bins led to a tense situation. According to figures from the French government, about 1,000 Black Blocs took part in the demonstrations. The protesters dispersed in many tiny protest marches known as “manifestations sauvages” – unannounced demonstrations which marched into the night for the first time.
The Yellow Vests movement in France was founded in November 2018. Since then, it has been close to various social movements. In addition to Attac’s political activists and the Droit au logement (right to accommodation), climate activists took part in the demonstrations very early on. The fuel tax, which is seen as unfair because it is intended to disadvantage lower-income households more strongly, is part of a context of social justice. Many are aware of climate change. According to sources from Urbanauth, the Yellow Vests exchanged views with other structures critical of capitalism and climate activity during the G7 summit in Biarritz.
Hong Kong and burning barricades
During the 15th protest week of the citizens of the Chinese Special Administrative Region Hong Kong there were riots. In the week’s photo series by the British newspaper The Guardian, burning barricades in front of the Mong Kok police station, tear gas use and police controls are shown. In addition to a demonstration through a shopping centre, damage was caused to railway ticket machines in Sha Tin and an unspecified subway station.
