Research and Other Investigations from China

Peak Consumption at the New Century Global Centre Goes in Chengdu

The New Century Global Center is the largest building in the world in terms of floor space.

The opening of the New Century Global Centre marked a new pinnacle for temples of consumption in China. Catering to the 14 million constituents of Chengdu, it is the largest building on the planet in terms of floor space and hosts all the necessities for the “modern” and “harmonious” Chinese Dream. The bulky complex boasts apartments, offices, conference rooms, a university complex, luxury malls, a skating rink, an IMAX theatre, and two luxury hotels with “ocean views” of an artificial indoor beach flanked by a faux Mediterranean village. One could potentially live a full life under a single roof especially with a 500ft LCD screen in the water park projecting simulated sunsets. The opening of the complex this past summer was mired in controversy though, as the billionaire behind the project, Deng Hong, is now missing and presumed in police custody. More than fifty other government officials including the mayor of Chengdu were also detained in what appears to be a massive corruption scandal at the heart of one of China’s fastest growing metropolises. Such lavish projects are meant to cater to a rising tide of urban migrants looking to enact lavish consumer lifestyles in China’s rapidly expanding cities, but the New Century Global Centre seems to be another vehicle for the personal enrichment of a select group of businessmen and municipal officials. The management office of the building claims that all the spaces are sold, but it appears to be filling up very slowly. The future of the New Century Global Centre will be an interesting litmus test for similar outsized urban development projects across China.

The Paradise Island Park sits under a massive atrium at the center of the New Century Global Centre in Chengdu.

The Paradise Island Park sits under a massive atrium at the center of the New Century Global Centre in Chengdu.

The Paradise Island Park sits under a massive atrium at the center of the New Century Global Centre in Chengdu.

A Zaha Hadid-designed art center will eventually be built across from the New Century Global Center.

A master model of the New Century Global Center sits on display for in the center's main office.

A massive atrium sits at the center of the New Century Global Center and houses the Paradise Island Waterpark.

The New Century Global Center is the largest building in the world.

The Paradise Island Park sits under a massive atrium at the center of the New Century Global Centre in Chengdu.

The New Century Global Center houses a massive mall with both domestic and international brands.

The Paradise Island Park sits under a massive atrium at the center of the New Century Global Centre in Chengdu.

The Paradise Island Park sits under a massive atrium at the center of the New Century Global Centre in Chengdu.

The Paradise Island Park sits under a massive atrium at the center of the New Century Global Centre in Chengdu.

The Lotte department store in the New Century Global Center contains dioramas and wall paintings for customers to pose with while shopping.

The Lotte department store in the New Century Global Center contains dioramas and wall paintings for customers to pose with while shopping.

The Paradise Island Park sits under a massive atrium at the center of the New Century Global Centre in Chengdu.

The Paradise Island Park sits under a massive atrium at the center of the New Century Global Centre in Chengdu.

The New Century Global Center is the largest building in the world.The New Century Global Center is the largest building in the world in terms of floor space.

A massive atrium sits at the center of the New Century Global Center and houses the Paradise Island Waterpark.

The Paradise Island Park sits under a massive atrium at the center of the New Century Global Centre in Chengdu.

Counterfeit Paradises in the Media

Counterfeit Paradises is seeing a lot of play this year. So far it was featured in Bloomberg Businessweek in the United States, Wired in the United Kingdom, and Sonntagsblick Magazine in Switzerland. A big Stern feature will also show up in Germany sometime in the coming months. More importantly, I am in the midst of speaking to a number of publishers about a Counterfeit Paradises book. Hopefully more details will become apparent in the near future. Otherwise, check out an updated description of the project as well as an expanded cut here.

Given the choice between a good hell and a counterfeit paradise, what will people choose? Whatever you say, many people will believe that a counterfeit paradise has got to be better than a good hell. Though at first they recognize that the paradise is bogus, they either don’t dare or wish to expose it as such. As time passes, they forget that it’s not real and actually begin to defend it, insisting that it’s the only paradise in existence.” – Chan Koonchung

China’s grand development plan continues to grow at an unrelenting pace. It is undoubtedly the largest infrastructure buildout in the history of mankind. However, too much is at stake to slow down such a gargantuan economic force, even as cracks appear in it across the country. Pollution, relentless traffic, and corruption are now a daily part of urban life. Counterfeit Paradises explores these cracks through the “harmonious” cities and sites of leisure emerging throughout China. Such locations are shaping a greater architecture of materialism that gives rise to unsustainable consumer patterns. A billion more people in China cannot live in the same manner as urbanites in American and Europe. The pooled natural resources of the planet could not bear it. For now the Chinese nouveau riche partake in an imagined space of contentment even as reassuring political rhetoric regarding the trappings of their “modern” lifestyles wears thin. This fantasy plays out in many spaces: newfangled municipal districts, communist heritage sites, amusement parks, cultural institutions, and themed luxury residential developments. They all serve to prop up a consumer paradigm that is increasingly important to the short-term economic growth of China but detrimental to its long-term sustainability. The hopes and dreams of many are woven into such spurious ventures, even if in practice many of them remain underused. These fanciful but alienating terrains are the Counterfeit Paradises of China.

Clippings from the Counterfeit Paradises project investigating urban development and leisure habits in China.

Clippings from the Counterfeit Paradises project investigating urban development and leisure habits in China.

Clippings from the Counterfeit Paradises project investigating urban development and leisure habits in China.

Clippings from the Counterfeit Paradises project investigating urban development and leisure habits in China.

Clippings from the Counterfeit Paradises project investigating urban development and leisure habits in China.

Clippings from the Counterfeit Paradises project investigating urban development and leisure habits in China.

Clippings from the Counterfeit Paradises project investigating urban development and leisure habits in China.

Counterfeit Paradises: The Halstatt of China

The new Hallstatt in Guangdong is now the centerpiece of a massive luxury villa development set against a artificial lake in Guangdong province.

Hallstatt didn’t even see it coming. The UNESCO World Heritage village nestled against a pristine lake in the Austrian alps hosts thousands of tourists drawn to its picturesque setting. Still, it didn’t realize some of them were slowly taking its measurements in order to recreate it as a whole in China. The new Hallstatt is now the centerpiece of a massive luxury villa development set against a artificial lake in Guangdong province. Although possibly a compliment to the original Hallstatt’s idyllic nature, many of the residents were quite stunned by the development. A local hotel owner told The Telepgraph, “I don’t like the idea of knowing that a team was present here for years measuring, and photographing, and studying us. I would have expected them to approach us directly – the whole thing reminds of a bit of Big Brother is watching.” Although the core of the new Hallstatt is finished, the developers continue to frantically build the surrounding units in order to capitalize on the publicity. It’s success lies on the reception of the ersatz Halstatt centerpiece.

The new Hallstatt in Guangdong is now the centerpiece of a massive luxury villa development set against a artificial lake in Guangdong province.

The new Hallstatt in Guangdong is now the centerpiece of a massive luxury villa development set against a artificial lake in Guangdong province.

The new Hallstatt in Guangdong is now the centerpiece of a massive luxury villa development set against a artificial lake in Guangdong province.

The new Hallstatt in Guangdong is now the centerpiece of a massive luxury villa development set against a artificial lake in Guangdong province.

The new Hallstatt in Guangdong is now the centerpiece of a massive luxury villa development set against a artificial lake in Guangdong province.

The new Hallstatt in Guangdong is now the centerpiece of a massive luxury villa development set against a artificial lake in Guangdong province.

The new Hallstatt in Guangdong is now the centerpiece of a massive luxury villa development set against a artificial lake in Guangdong province.

The new Hallstatt in Guangdong is now the centerpiece of a massive luxury villa development set against a artificial lake in Guangdong province.

Counterfeit Paradises: Minsk World Aircraft Carrier Theme Park

Tourists pose in front of the Minsk World aircraft carrier theme park.

Chinese nationalism continues to peak with the country’s emerging status as a world power, even if its military technology remains decades behind other nations. In 2012 the People’s Liberation Army christened its first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, which in actuality is a retrofitted Soviet aircraft carrier, the Varyag. Right now the Liaoning is still years away from being fully operational. It was only recently that a Chinese-manufactured J-15 fighter jet successfully landed on and took off from the aircraft carrier. In open battle the Liaoning would be a large, rather useless, sitting target, but symbolically it is still very potent. Such ex-Soviet aircraft carriers also see other uses in China, including the Minsk, which is now part of the Minsk World military theme park near Shenzhen. Here Chinese patrons can wander exhibits extolling the prowess of the People’s Liberation Army and indulge in other martial fantasies. It is the perfect place to fantasize about China’s future military potential, especially with all the saber rattling occurring over the Diaoyu Islands.

A couple poses for wedding photographs on the deck of the Minsk World aircraft carrier theme park.

An attendent walks off the Minsk World aircraft carrier theme park.

Tourists inspect the deck of the Minsk World aircraft carrier theme park.

A tourist poses in front of a fake naval backdrop in a hold on the Minsk World aircraft carrier theme park.

An attendent takes a nap in the cafe at the Minsk World aircraft carrier theme park.

Old military aircraft pepper the deck of the Minsk World aircraft carrier theme park.

A stage set up on the deck of the Minsk World aircraft carrier theme park.

Highrises stand along the shoreline across from the Minsk World aircraft carrier theme park.

Counterfeit Paradises in GEO France

Counterfeit Paradise debuts in GEO France - Chateau Montaigne

My Counterfeit Paradises series made made a strong appearance in GEO France this summer. Fourteen pages of shanzhai awesomeness. The magazine commissioned me to shoot all of my favorite ersatz European developments around China. This is only part of the Counterfeit Paradises oeuvre as China’s grand development strategies continue to spread at an unrelenting pace. The series explores the cracks in “harmonious” cities coming into being throughout China, as well as sites of leisure and luxury now enjoyed by the urban elite. This nouveau riche partake in an imagined space of contentment and growth even as a gap widens between the promising rhetoric espoused by municipal governments regarding urban planning and actual implementation. This fantastical future plays out in many spaces including newfangled urban districts, cultural institutions, amusement parks, and themed residential developments. In practice, many remain underused, fanciful but alien terrains. Most of the hopes and dreams woven into this urban fabric remain false in nature. These are only a smattering of the many Counterfeit Paradises in China.

Counterfeit Paradise debuts in GEO France - Tianducheng
Counterfeit Paradise debuts in GEO France - Florentia Village
Counterfeit Paradise debuts in GEO France - Little Holland
Counterfeit Paradise debuts in GEO France - Thames Town
Counterfeit Paradise debuts in GEO France - Weimar Town
Counterfeit Paradise debuts in GEO France - Broad Corporate Campus