Tianjin Eco-City In China: The Future Of Urban Development? (PICTURES)

From Inhabitat:

Green building is becoming so prevalent these days that it may not be enough to erect individual eco buildings anymore - the newest trend is entire eco-cities. Expected to be up and running in 2020, Tianjin Eco-City is one of these real-life sustainable communities, spanning 30 square kilometers and showcasing the hottest energy-saving technologies. Designed by Surbana Urban Planning Group, the city will have an advanced light rail transit system and varied eco-landscapes ranging from a sun-powered solarscape to a greenery-clad earthscape for its estimated 350,000 residents to enjoy.

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Tianjin Eco-City is a fascinating, 30 square kilometer development designed to showcase the hottest new green technologies and to serve as a model for future developing Chinese cities. Designed by Surbana Urban Planning Group, the city is being built just 10 minutes away from the business parks at the Tianjin Economic-Development Area, making for a commute that should be a breeze with the development's advanced light rail transit system. Even cooler, the community's expected 350,000 residents will be able to choose different landscapes ranging from a sun-powered solarscape to a greenery-clad earthscape to enjoy.

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Tianjin Eco-City is a fascinating, 30 square kilometer development designed to showcase the hottest new green technologies and to serve as a model for future developing Chinese cities. Designed by Surbana Urban Planning Group, the city is being built just 10 minutes away from the business parks at the Tianjin Economic-Development Area, making for a commute that should be a breeze with the development's advanced light rail transit system. Even cooler, the community's expected 350,000 residents will be able to choose different landscapes ranging from a sun-powered solarscape to a greenery-clad earthscape to enjoy.

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Fredday said on 13 Thursday 2011 pm31 12:38 pm: See America, instead of blowing trillions on two failed w.a.rs, money that we borrowed from China, we could be building this here in America. But nope, you wanted your w.a.rs and you got'em. Good luck with that.

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Eh. Not impressed Awesome view of this city!

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Comments

[Kenz300]

03:39 PM on 02/18/2011

There once was a time when America led the way to the future.

It looks like American will be dragged kicking and screaming into the future.

Wind, solar, wave energy, geothermal and second generation biofuels are the future
despite what the oil and coal companies would like us to believe.

[klywilen]

08:18 AM on 02/13/2011

Nice plans - shame about the people presently living on the site of this vision of the future.

[brish]

05:20 AM on 02/22/2011

In many case you are right, but at this site there were few if any residents, it was a hardened salt flat...picked specifically to demonstrate the contrast in the existing stressed land and the vision of the Eco-city. (My firm is involved in the eco-city www.bluepathcity.net)

If you are interested you can get a glimpse from Green Leap Forward's post and additional great reporting from: http://greenleapforward.com/2008/11/21/update-from-tianjin-report-on-the-ground/

[moutonnoir]

06:09 PM on 02/04/2011

Some good stuff in there.

[douglas puckett]

08:03 PM on 01/26/2011

i made a gasoline and diesel fuel saver 80% more MPG . 63% less exhaust polution and all these figures come from EPA. takes 3 hours to install . i have 150 built and on the road. these are 3 years old and works on existing cars and trucks. i build these on my own and i have no company. i did put a international patent on it . i call it fuel for change . [e-mail] or address hc60 box 114 salyersville kentucky 41465

[Lisa Troup]

02:20 PM on 01/21/2011

We nees to make space like this the norm....like at ground zero area,can you imagine the tourism to it alone?...But no..we build the single family monstrosities no one can afford,and millions are with out homes....we need my socialistic ideas for the PEOPLE!!A roof for eveyone!!O;)

[Dennis Yuen]

02:44 AM on 01/20/2011

It's 'green' but it's not really green, you know? It all looks a little too artificial.

[Samuel Perry]

10:31 PM on 01/19/2011

Dude this looks awesome. I am so disappointed this isn't us doing this first. Thanks to the backwards and anti-science republicans, America is getting left behind while we take people out of and add God into the History books.

[Bergen2]

07:36 PM on 01/19/2011

It looks beautiful. Am feeling a little jealous that we don't seem to be able to do much long term planning for our own American future. We seem to handle things/problems as they come along like in the whack-a-mole game.

[Daisytoo]

06:59 PM on 01/19/2011

Am I automatically supposed to like it because it's called 'eco city'? That's not going to work because it's ugly, sterile and boring.

[Freedoms Friend]

12:20 PM on 02/17/2011

You need to stop looking in the mirror

[Rockinon]

12:40 PM on 01/19/2011

It is odd reading the comments. Yes, this Chinese urban experiment might well fail but then the U.S. is dotted with failed or failing communities from coast to coast --- at least, this was the case when I drove across the States in 2010. Personally, I'm not impressed with the North American approach to great suburban planning: New Urbanism. Let's look at the ideas of others, even the Chinese, and then do it better. More urban sprawl under a new moniker (NU) doesn't cut it.

[monique rn]

11:57 PM on 01/18/2011

Putting aside all our fears and misdirected resentments re China, this place looks awesome.

[mike72]

04:23 AM on 01/19/2011

It is not really resentment but a strong sense of "helpless fear" that is disguised as resentment.

[monique rn]

10:16 AM on 01/19/2011

mike, I agree. Helpless fear is a more accurate description.

[emilyringstrom]

08:33 PM on 01/18/2011

China already has about 5-10 empty cities that are waiting for their ever so rich(seeing that the properties built are all on the expensive side) tenants. What's yet another one, built on the backs of more or less slaves, adults and children alike?
Mind-boggling...!

[mike72]

04:28 AM on 01/19/2011

I am not sure that is a good comparison. Those so called Ghost Cities were built somewhere far off in the western part of China, in the desert or in a remote mountain site.

This project is in Tianjin, a major city right off Beijing, connected by a high speed train with travel time less than 30 minutes. Tianjin itself is the business hub for the greater north east economic delta zone.

So it won't be a ghost city once it is build. It is actually the daily operation that is a concern to me. Will it degrade to a slump after a while? So it is very important that this development is not an "enclosed" zone but a starting point that expands further into the rest of the city. Making it an open district with fresh influx from the rest of the city.

[kevdjb]

01:36 PM on 01/19/2011

Well with a population of 1.3b people, i doubt they're going to stay empty for to long.

[Lisbeth35]

01:57 PM on 01/18/2011

The sky never looks that blue in major cities in China. The need to clean the air first.

[mike72]

04:30 AM on 01/19/2011

Tianjin's sky is actually VERY BLUE. It is right off the coast of Yellow Sea and it is a major business hub, NOT a manufactoring hub with massive pollution.

[Wisdo]

07:19 AM on 01/18/2011

these fantasy architecture things never get built.

[clearasmud]

03:55 AM on 01/18/2011

Next trick...getting 350,000 people to move there. China already has three other empty cities built. This is just part of the real estate crisis China will experience within the next 2 or so years.

[TYRANNASAURUS]

07:00 PM on 01/18/2011

You're right....I wonder what's on their minds?

[Freedoms Friend]

12:24 PM on 02/17/2011

They are building them to be ready when Americans flock there for work, maybe?

[aprilus]

06:23 PM on 01/20/2011

Tianjin WAS and IS one of the biggest cities in China. Google it.
I'm interested in what is the three other empty cities. I'm native Chinese even dont know that.

[clearasmud]

07:30 PM on 01/20/2011

"Empty". used as a relative term, and I did not mention the partially empty ones.

Kangbashi
http://www.businessinsider.com/forget-empty-housing-developments-china-is-full-of-new-and-totally-empty-cities-2010-2

Ordos
http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2009/11/chinas-empty-city/

Zhengzhou New District
Erenhot
Dantu
Bayannao’er

http://www.businessinsider.com/pictures-chinese-ghost-cities-2010-12#