Over the past 30 years, the population of Chinese cities has grown by 450 million people. Shenzhen is the fastest-growing city of China, thus an ideal model for the investigation of 'high-speed urbanism' in Asia. The goal of the course is to develop a general understanding of the themes of urbanism in China by means of a spatio-medial study of the city of Shenzhen (excursion).We combine conceptual analyses at the macro level (for example urban future strategies) with analyses on the micro level (e.g. cultural-emotional dimensions of everyday life).
Background
Urbanism and the rise of China
The rise of China is based on a strategically devised, unprecedented industrialization and urbanization process. To understand China, including the ONE BELT ONE ROAD project (the 'New Silk Road') - perhaps the largest global infrastructure project initiated by a single actor - we need to understand the country's urbanization strategy.
Why Shenzhen?
There is a proverb in China: "If you want to see the future, go to Shenzhen." Shenzhen is branded as ‘city of the future’.
Shenzhen was a fishing village with 30,000 inhabitants. In 1980 it was declared to be the first special economic zone (SEZ) in China - this was the beginning of the spectacular rise of the city. Its population today is 11 million - if one includes the 'floating-population' of seasonal workers - it is over 18 million. The city has become one of the largest and most important business centers in China. It is located next to Hong Kong on the Pearl River Delta. The region is assumedly the largest production area in the world. Shenzhen was once the center of "copying", today it is innovating on a large scale. The city is compared with Silicon Valley.
WHAT?
In Shenzhen we conduct ‘social-space analysis’ using multi-media methods. We use the methods of 'visual and digital storytelling'. It is a self-organized, experimental course.
HOW?
We make interviews, videos, photographic narrations, everyday life observations etc. Through a series of micro-documentaries we will examine different layers of the city: a) everyday life layers (physical, social, cultural, emotional); b) Conceptual layers (new planning approaches, strategies, etc.). The results (the micro-documentaries) are presented like mosaics of non-linear stories on a website in the form of a 'mood-board'. An introduction and a conclusio complete the stories on the website. The results are publicly presented and discussed.
WHY ?
Shenzhen is an important reference for the Asian cities. Technological knowledge, a complex innovation ecosystem ('rapid micro-innovation') and high-speed urbanism characterize this city. It is also interesting to investigate how planners here are experimenting with new social-spatial and economic development models.
Why do we use spatio-medial methods? In order to understand the novelty of this city (which is representative for many Asian cities), we must understand the emotional-cultural aspects of everyday life. The visual-narrative approach is believed to be an appropriate method for this. What drives people? What aspirations do they have? What are their fears etc.?
Preparation for the LVA / Excursion
As preparation for the excursion, we will discuss various topics with a number of experts of China, watch films, read scientific literature and also contemporary novels. We will look at China in a global context (Global Agenda). Those who are considering to take this course, should have a general interest for the methods of storytelling, and in particular for video work.
Due to the nature of the self-organized LVA, it is necessary to prepare the excursion as a collaborative project. This is a compulsory part of the LVA. Likewise, the ability to independently and collectively develop the content of research is expected.
The idea is to produce one or more, micro-documentaries' in the form of videos, photographic narrations, animations etc. Depending on the scope of the stories, groups of two or three persons can be formed. The evaluation is based on the group work. At the end, the project website “should be larger than the sum of its parts".
Bei Interesse Mail an: thomas.leimer@tuwien.ac.at
