Chinese Archimage Phenomena

When I walked around the new district of Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, I found a series of interesting ad for a new residential development. I don’t really care about the concept at all, but just the text. If you are an architect, and you can read a little bit English, you will be surprised to see this. “If there were only one form, there would not be  Le Debuxixie .” Actually, the Chinese counterpart is “ Le Corbusier ”. This happens everywhere in China when the Chinese try to imitate something they don’t really understand but they thought they do. But as Baudrillard says, “The whole system becomes weightless, it is no longer anything but a gigantic simulacrum – not unreal, but a simulacrum, never again exchanging for what is real, but exchanging in itself, in an uninterrupted circuit without reference or circumference.”By Fei Wang (please click and read the English part, if you are an architect.)

This is a cell-phone-like building in Tianjin. I have no idea what it is for. It's similar with the Key Board Building in Shanghai . [via abbs ]

BBQ On the Ronchamp original site, 2008 There was a Ronchamp in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, my hometown, in the West Economy Development District. I have post it a while ago, here . On the same street, there are different simulacra from many other cultures, including Greek Temple (posted here ), St Marco in Venice, Dutch style, American Style, etc. When I went back this year, I found out the fake Ronchamp has disappeared and turned into a BBQ restaurant, which is the only one on the street. However, Corbusier's sculpture is kept inside the wall. Many other buildings have transformed into other programs, such as Gas company, Kindergarten, University, Fine Arts school, seemingly private house, besides original programs of entertainment centers (sauna, Kara OK, hotel, etc.). But there are still many buildings empty and abandoned. [CAIP owes the copyright of all images] Ronchamp, Zhengzhou, 2004

The Administrative Building's back facade The Administrative Building's front facade European Commercial Street Another view This is a new university in Zhengzhou. The administrative building has 2 faces, like the god Janus, but with the East and West. There is also another European Commercial Street . [iamges via http://sias.zzdxs.net/xinsheng/2008/0527/article_39.html ]

Due to what is happening in China and of the Chinese, I came across this image from Cute Hisotry . Olympics turns to Olympolitics, and now Patriotertainment. Where is the splendid? There is also another counterpart of Splendid China in the same city Shenzhen, the Window of the World . "Splendid China ( Chinese : 锦绣中华, Pinyin : Jinxiu Zhonghua) is a comprehensive miniature park reflecting the history, culture, art, ancient architecture, and customs and habits of various nationalities in China. It is one of the world's largest scenery parks in the amount of scenarios reproduced. The park is developed and managed by the major travel and tourist corporation, China Travel Services . Over 100 major tourist attractions have been miniaturized and laid out according to the map of China. Most attractions have been reduced on a scale of 1:15. It is divided into Scenic Spot Area and Comprehensive Service Area. The entire park covers 30 hectares. There are cars and trains to transport vis...

[images via 163 & xinhuanet ] The lights on the plaza around the Bird's Nest, Beijing Olympics Stadium , designed by Herzog & de Meuron , are like mini Nests. According to Xinhua Net, they are amazingly showing up and corresponding to the big Nest. But the material of all the small Nests is just showing the exterior appearance of the imitation of the big one, and the section of the small lamps are with the same proportion as the big one. I am interested in who is the architect or landscape architect of all these mini nestles, and I don't think they are designed by H&deM. It reminds me Galileo 's discussion in his final treatise Dialogues Concerning Two New Sciences ( Discorsi e dimostrazioni matematiche, intorno a due nuove scienze , 1638). from Galileo Galilei, Dialogues Concerning Two New Sciences (The Discourses and Mathematical Demonstrations Relating to Two New Sciences, Discorsi e dimostrazioni matematiche, intorno à due nuove scienze, 1638)

Chinatown gate at Foreigner Street (London Style) I was quite speechless seeing this Foreigner Street . Strictly speaking, it is a theme park, just a pedestrian street by the river, but fairy-tale like. It has everything, and everything is with each other: St Antonio River with 32 world-famous bridges, Liberty Statue on Titanic, even a Chinatown gate (London style), Golden Reception Hall, Dutch style, Chinese style, Sphinx, and the world-biggest public bathroom with 1000 capacity , etc. This is the extreme of simulacra in China, quite not well educated intuitively application. The collage/montage is very colorful and vivid for local people and some tourism. Some slogans are quite remarkable. “God bless Foreigner Street.” “Similar Harmonious Society 仿和谐社会.” “Respect other people’s property.” “If you are Titanic, the iceberg will sink.” “Lenin says, no rest, no work.” Etc. everything could happen here. I cannot wait to visit there as well. More images are here and here and here and h...