You hear a lot of superlatives about Chinese cities - Shanghai has 17 per cent of the world’s cranes; Chongqing is the world’s fastest-growing city - the list goes on.
The truth is, as an architect there’s no better place to be right now than China. Thanks to the Beijing Olympics, Shanghai Expo, Guangzhou’s Asian Games and a thousand regional milestones, China is experiencing a new Cultural Revolution, with countless new museums, galleries, theatres and schools in the works.
And it’s using those cranes: last year China built 21 tall buildings (more than 200m), the most of any country. Three of those were the world’s tallest.
TFP Farrells: Guangzhou South Railway Station
Formerly known as Canton, Guangzhou cashed in on its proximity to Hong Kong, taking over as the country’s top manufacturer once its neighbour got too expensive. When China’s third-largest city (its population hovers around 10 million) scored the 2010 Asian Games, it began playing architectural catch-up. Last year it saw nearly as many big launches as rival Shanghai. South Station, part of China’s new high-speed rail network, is roughly three times the size of King’s Cross, designed for a daily turnover of 300,000 passengers. Farrells took inspiration from traditional Guangdong architecture (though executed with 80,000 tonnes of steel), designing the roof to mimic a trellis of banana leaves.
Courtesy: Jo Farrell and John Campbell, TFP Farrells
http://www.tfpfarrells.com
