Research and Other Investigations from 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.

“China Dreams” – New South China Mall in Time Magazine

Time Magazine Clipping: China Dreams

I published another photograph in Time Magazine this week. Apparently it can be found in the international version and some of the domestic ones as well. They used a photo from my recent series New South China Mall: The Empty Temple of Consumerism for a China investment story entitled China Dreams. I also took some portraits for Time Magazine in Guangzhou last month for a story that should be published in the near future (can’t talk about it yet). However, the rebellion in Libya and disasters in Japan are consuming most news outlets right now and a lot of scheduled features are being pushed back. It was great working with the editors at Time Magazine. Hopefully more of my work will be in print soon.

New South China Mall: The Empty Temple of Consumerism

A lone security guard watches over one of the empty courts at the South China Mall.

A local billionaire built it, and they did not come. The South China Mall was the most ambitious and largest retail space every conceived in China, if not the world, when it opened in 2005. Constructed smack in the middle of the Pearl River Delta between Shenzhen and Guangzhou, about 4 million people live within six miles of it, 9 million within twelve miles and 40 million within sixty miles. Nonetheless, six years later, the South China Mall only maintains a 1% occupancy rate at best. This unabatedly empty temple to consumerism remains unfinished on top floors and is only sporadically visited thanks to the attached amusement park, Amazing World. For the time being dust and dismembered mannequins reign over the 6.5 million square foot venture. Although China might be the fastest growing consumer market in the world, the South China Mall reveals the vulnerability of this burgeoning economic giant. Also, check out this short film done on the place by Sam Green.

Mannequins and shelving are all that remain of a shuttered clothing store in the South China Mall.

Much of the retail space in the South China Mall remains unfinished and layered in dust.The empty food court at the South China Mall.Much of the retail space in the South China Mall remains unfinished and layered in dust.

Some people still take boat rides on the canal winding through the empty South China Mall.Four abandoned mannequins are all that remain in this retail space at the South China Mall.A child and his parents play with remote control cars in the main hall of the empty South China Mall.

A security guard patrols the empty halls of the South China Mall on a bike.Advertising lightboxes remain empty at the South China Mall.The seven-floor parking lot of the South China Mall remains empty.