Image via Complex Original
Modern architecture is often defined by its departure from re-using classic forms such as Gothic or Baroque; however, the Chinese seem to be staying close to the classics. A trend which has boomed during the past few years, China has been simply copying famous landmarks and cities for construction of new towns and theme parks. In architecture, plagiarism or stealing arises quite rarely, with an important process of design looking at both the past and contemporary architecture. Rising powers often reference back to past empires to emulate their powers—Rome looked back to Greek architecture, American and European architecture looked back to Rome, and perhaps now China is looking to the West. In this Recent History of Chinese Counterfeit Buildings and Cities, we examine the tendency of Chinese architecture to copy towns and landmarks of other cultures, perhaps as a way to bring the outside in.
Window of the World
Window of the World
Location: Shenzhen, China
Year built: 2004
A theme park which tries to be a "Window to the World," with its 130 replicas of famous attractions from around the world. Miniature Egyptian pyramids, another miniature Eiffel Tower, and miniature Taj Mahal, are just some of the sites represented in the park. Even though the replicas are meant to entertain and educate, one must speculate that the park is a way for the government to satiate the curiosity of its people for the outside world, as international travel is highly restricted.
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Florentia Village
Florentia Village
Location: Wuqing, Tianjin, China
Year built: 2012
A replica of Venice, Florentia Village even comes with gondola rides. Built as a shopping center, Florentia Village also features a replica of the Colosseum of Rome, though a modernized and simplified version of the ancient ruins. A shopping center of 60,000 square meters, Florentia Village emulates the elegance and luxury of Italy. A common design of shopping centers in the United States as well, Italian architecture and culture has long been associated with shopping and luxury.
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Shanghai Minhang People's Court
Shanghai Minhang People's Court
Location: China
Year built: 2001
A morphing of the White House and Capital Building of the United States, the Shanghai Minhand People's Court is clearly referencing the legal system of the United States. Unlike construction residential complexes that mirror other cities, choosing to create a government building in the shape of two of the most emblematic buildings of the United States seems odd. Similar to the early American choice to emulate the power of Ancient Rome, perhaps China is trying to emulate the power of the United States in choosing a classic form of American Architecture.
Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge
Location: Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
Year built: 2012
A near-exact replica of the Tower Bridge of London, the Suzhou replica is a double construction of the original. The London Tower Bridge is emblematic of London, so why would China chose to copy an icon of a capitalist nation rather than draw on their own culture? A theory behind the construction of Western symbols, is the basic admiration of the Chinese of the Western culture. As a communist country that is trying to integrate capitalism, perhaps having a bridge associated with England - the country theorized by Marx to be the first to embrace communism, is a bit humorous.
Huaxi
Huaxi
Location: China
Year built: 2012
Nicknamed by the Chinese as "The Village of Knockoffs," Huaxi is also the wealthiest village in China. The village is perhaps best known for having constructed a super-tower that is 328-meters-tall that features a one-ton solid gold statue of an ox. The village of 2,000 is really a multi-billion dollar conglomerate with interests in steel, shipping, tobacco, and textiles rather than a village of the common sense. Another luxury of the village is construction of various replicas around the village. Because the villagers have no time to travel, they have constructed replicas of the Great Wall of China, Sydney Opera-house, Arc de Triomphe, etc.
Hadid's Wangjing Soho Complex
Wangjing Soho Complex
Location: Chongqing, China
Year built: 2013
A replica of an original design in Beijing by "Starchitect" Zaha Hadid, the replica in Chongqing is cometing to be comepleted before the original structure. Zaha Hadid is undoubtadly the most powerful and influential architect of our times, with a unique style that is sought after by high-end developers. Her buildings dot the globe, with many developments in Dubai. It can be said that Hadid's work is emblematic of contemporary architecture.
Manhattan
Manhattan
Location: Tianjin, China
Year built: 2019
While Mayor Bloomberg is calling for the demolition of Midtown East, in order to compete with the sky-scrappers of Asia, China is constructing a mini-Manhattan in Tianjin. The project had a projected completion date in 2019, as it is the largest scale construction. Contributing to the excessive construction in China, it is fact that this town is not being developed to cater to a specific need in the country for office space, but is simply part of their strategy to boost GDP.
Ronchamp Chapel
Ronchamp Chapel
Location: Zhengzhou, China
Year built: 1994
Le Corbusier, the Father of Modernism, was the architect behind the original Notre Dame du Haut the chapel in Ronchamp, France. Le Corbusier is arguably one the most studied architecture theorists, but why the Chinese government would replicate a Christian chapel. As an atheist state, the choice to replicate the chapel seems odd. Nonetheless, the replica did not stay erect for long, as the Le Corbusier Foundation sued for the demolition of the replica, which was an almost exact replica of the original.
Hallstatt
Hallstatt
Location: Huizhou, China
Year built: 2012
Hallstatt is a fairy-tale village in the mountains of Austria, situated on the Hallstatter See. It is renowned for its colorful architecture, along with the more classic chalets. Why the Chinese would chose to create a replica of Hallstatt on their land, is not certain, but they laterally recreated the center of the village, following the exact proportion and placement of buildings. Hallstatt is another residential development of the Chinese, contributing to the excess of expensive apartments across China.
Little Paris
Little Paris
Location: Tianducheng, China
Year built: 2007
The City of Light, City of Romance, and City of High Fashion—Paris—needs no introduction. However, the completion of the Eiffel Tower in 1889 stunned the world in both its scale and modern, exposed metal construction, and it remains one of the most famous landmarks of the world. The Chinese made a Little Paris in Tiaducheng by imitating Paris in the 1860s.
With a population that is heavily restricted, especially with foreign travel, it makes sense that people would bring the outside world in to the country. Nonetheless, Little Paris is not a theme park; it is a residential complex. Currently, the town has 2,000 residents, which is nowhere close to filling its capacity of 100,000. The town is nearly empty, with little street life to be seen. Furthermore, due to the high prices of the properties, the number of residents does not seem likely to rise in the near future, as most Chinese citizens do not make nearly enough to afford the price of such luxurious living.
Thames Town (Little London)
Thames Town (Little London)
Location: Near Shanghai, China
Year built: 2006
Designed as a copy of London, Thames Town even has a fake river Thames for extra authenticity. Additionally, Tudor-style homes, cobbled streets, red telephone booths, and a Gothic church make Thames Town a very accurate copy of the large, metropolitan city of London.
Built as a residential town with the capacity for 10,000 residents, Thames Town is now often used as a backdrop for wedding photos. It's one of the few residential constructions that actually reached near full capacity, so many consider it a success. Nonetheless, the town does not cater to the common Chinese citizen, rather being marketed to the elite and working off of the posh image of London. A conscious choice was made by developers to replicate London rather than create modern constructions, which speaks to the appeal of the culture amongst the Chinese.