Ordos desert city Jason Pelaez “Each city receives its form from the desert it opposes...” Italo Calvino, Invisible Cities This book was produced in the context of Professor Jill Stoner’s seminar and studio Architecture on the Line 2014-15, in partial fulfillment of requirements for the Master of Architecture degree at the University of California, Berkeley. Advisors: Jill Stoner and Tom Buresh Printed by: Autumn Press, Berkeley Copyright 2015 Regents of the University of California All rights reserved. iii iv Preface 1 I: The Desert 3 Fragments of a Desert City City of Nature City of Collapse City of Abundance City of Depletion City of Sanctity City of Ascension City of Sin City of Relocation City of Transit City of Recreation 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 II: The City 27 Visions of a Desert City Architecture of Nature: Garden Architecture of Collapse: Factory Architecture of Abundance: Mine Architecture of Depletion: Silo Architecture of Sanctity: Monument Architecture of Ascension: Observatory Architecture of Sin: Nightclub Architecture of Relocation: Plaza Architecture of Transit: Station Architecture of Recreation: Carnival 29 39 43 47 51 55 59 63 67 71 75 Appendix 81 Notes on Illustrations 87 Sources 91 Acknowledgments 93 v Preface Designed for one million people, the newly constructed Kangbashi district rises up from the Inner Mongolian desert in the Chinese city of Ordos. In an effort to make this coalrich region a thriving urban center, investors poured immense wealth into the city for the purpose of building countless high-rise apartment buildings, cultural and civic facilities, schools, park-lands, and all the necessary infrastructure to support a growing metropolis. However, the decline of several key industries and a slower than expected population growth forces construction to a halt, exposing the inherent gamble of a city built by speculation. The following work explores a reallocation of resources in this over-built and underpopulated new district in two parts. Part one depicts ten desert cities with themes parallel to those found in Ordos, and part two is an architectural response to these themes for the new Kangbashi district. The resulting vision is a place of uncertainty and continual flux, malleable to shifting political, cultural, and economic climates. vi 1 I : The Desert des·ert noun 1 2 3 a : arid land with usually sparse vegetation b: an area of water apparently devoid of life archaic : a wild uninhabited and uncultivated tract : a desolate or forbidding area de·sert verb 1 2 : to withdraw from or leave usually without intent to return a : to leave in the lurch b : to abandon without leave What captivates us about the desert? There is something foreboding yet equally hopeful in its lifelessness. The desert is a primordial landscape comprised of only the most elemental materials. It is strangely familiar, what Freud might call uncanny, because going into the desert feels like returning to a forgotten home. We are drawn to the desert in spite of its desolation, or perhaps because of it. The desert is a blank slate—it is where our greatest fantasies and fears reside. What happens in a place where anything can happen? “In a landscape where nothing officially exists (otherwise it would not be ‘desert’), absolutely anything becomes thinkable, and may consequently happen…” Reyner Banham, Scenes from America Deserta 2 Ordos remains caught between two kinds of desert—one of geographical aridity and barrenness, and one of isolation and abandonment. The people will come: the dreamers, the displaced, the nomads, and the curious onlookers; but will they transform a desolate landscape or will they simply become a part of it? 3 Fragments of a Desert City In order to understand Ordos, it is important to note what it is, what it is not, and what it can be. The following case studies aim to uncover such an understanding through the lens of other desert cities. Each map reveals the specific industries or factors that gave rise and/or fall to each place. Each city contains a vision for the future of Ordos: a city of nature, collapse, abundance, depletion, sanctity, ascension, sin, relocation, transit, and recreation (see appendix p.81 for further information). Ordos Map, 1912 4 5 4.5 km .3 km 3.3 km gear up 23° 42’ 0” S, 133° 52’ 12” E City of Nature 25,000 6 2010 2000 1990 1980 1970 1960 1950 1940 1930 1920 1910 0 pop. With 45% of the develop-able land dedicated to green space, Kangbashi can serve as a refuge from the confines of other cities with limited access to nature. 7 sunken ship .25 km .1 km 32° 37’40” N, 129° 44’ 18”E City of Collapse 5000 8 1980 1970 1960 1950 1940 1930 1920 1910 1900 0 pop. Industrial growth brings jobs to the city, but what happens when these industries fail? Where do the workers go, and what happens to their facilities? Can they serve a purpose, or do they simply become decaying relics in a forgotten landscape? 9 30 km black gold 10 km 26° 17’ 0” N, 50° 12’ 0” E 790,000 City of Abundance 10 2010 2000 1990 1980 1970 1960 1950 1940 1930 1920 0 pop. Rich in coal and natural gas reserves, Ordos helps to fuel China’s predominantly coaldriven energy consumption. Can the supply meet the growing demand, and if so, is it enough to sustain a prolonged economy? 11 diamonds forever 4.5 km m .5k 62° 31’ 45.92” N, 113° 59’ 36.74” 37,000 12 What are the impacts of extended resource extraction in Ordos? Does a transformed landscape cause lasting ecological damage or can it provide new opportunities? 2010 2000 1990 1980 1970 1960 1950 0 pop. City of Depletion 13 9 km 3 km sacred ground 29° 39’ 0” N, 91° 6’ 0” E 170,000 City of Sanctity 14 2000 1990 1980 1970 1960 1950 1940 1930 1920 1910 1900 0 pop. The region, birthplace of Genghis Khan, maintains a 17% Mongol population and is one of the few places in the world where the traditional Mongolian script is still in use. As the name Ordos implies (meaning many palaces in the Mongol language), perhaps this is a place that transcends a normative definition of city, and exists more as a symbol of an enduring and rich history. 15 40 km shop ‘til drop 20 2,100,000 km 7 km 24°57’N 55°20’E City of Ascension 16 2010 2000 1990 1980 1970 1960 1950 1940 1930 1920 1910 1900 1890 1880 0 pop. With a higher GDP than Beijing, Ordos is capable of generating great wealth. But how can this wealth extend beyond the pockets of a select few, and how can it be transformative for the city’s future growth? 17 30 km 20 km 5.5 km 12 km jackpot 36°10’30”N 115°08’11”W 600,000 City of Sin 18 2010 2000 1990 1980 1970 1960 1950 1940 1930 1920 1910 0 pop. Isolated from the outside world, Ordos exists in a kind of no-man’s-land where events can unfold under a mask of anonymity. What happens in Ordos stays in Ordos. 19 0.5 km 2.5 km rising tides 29°53’15”N 107°42’53”E 1.5 km 70,000 City of Relocation 20 2010 2000 1990 1980 1970 1960 0 pop. The Kangbashi New Area sits along reservoirs fed from the Yellow River. When neighboring Dongsheng’s aging infrastructure fails to meet its water demands, how will Kangbashi accommodate an influx of new residents? 21 34° 54’ 0” N, 117° 1’ 0” W 1.3 km 6 km pit stop City of Transit 22,000 22 2010 2000 1990 1980 1970 1960 1950 1940 1930 1920 1910 0 pop. If Ordos is located in the middle of nowhere, then it is halfway to somewhere. How can a place en route to elsewhere meet the needs of a transient population? 23 35 km 4.5km 15km tee time 33° 27’ 0” N, 112° 4’ 0” W 1,500,000 City of Recreation 24 2010 2000 1990 1980 1970 1960 1950 1940 1930 1920 1910 1900 1890 1880 0 pop. With abundant sunshine and mild summers, Ordos is a destination to host activities away from the heat, humidity, and pollution of other major Chinese cities. 25 II : The City cit·y noun 1 2 3 : an inhabited place of greater size, population, or importance than a town or village : the people of a city slang : a thing, event, or situation that is strongly characterized by a specified quintessential feature or quality Like the desert, the city is full of possibilities. People are drawn inside by envisioning what could be. But unlike the desert, the city’s opportunities are embedded within the vast networks of its people and infrastructure. The city is the anti-desert, existing not as a function of its nothingness, but as its complexity. For this reason, a city in the desert seems perverse. Do the resources buried within the desert carry such a great value that settlement seems justified? Were its founders left with no place else to go? Or does the desert provide a kind of lawless escapism, removed from the constraints of outside civilization? “The Metropolis strives to reach a mythical point where the world is completely fabricated by man, so that it absolutely coincides with his desires.” Rem Koolhaas, Delirious New York 26 27 rejoice p.36 p.34 reclaim Visions of a Desert City p.32 remove The following operations expose a new vision for Ordos via four section cuts through the city. Each section examines a different stage of Kangbashi’s development from now and into the future, revealing a landscape shaped by the repurposing of existing structures, the removal of unused structures, the reclaiming of the city, and the rejoice of a growing community. Embedded within the four drawings are ten specific architectural interventions that mirror the themes outlined in part one. These projects include a garden, factory, mine, silo, monument, observatory, nightclub, plaza, station, and carnival. How can an architecture of repurpose, remove, reclaim, and rejoice respond to this underutilized and overbuilt environment, and what lies hidden beneath the city and between its walls? p.30 repurpose Kangbashi Satellite Image, 2013 28 29 30 2020 2015 repurpose 31 32 2030 2025 remove 33 34 2040 2035 reclaim 35 36 2050 2045 rejoice 37 Architecture of Nature Ordos’ population is a small fraction of its built capacity. How can unused units become amenities for the existing population? The Garden converts upper units into a rooftop greenhouse, increasing the overall property values for existing residents and offering a space of refuge in an otherwise monotonous landscape. 38 39 35000 20000 26000 10000 16000 R2500 13000 15000 30000 The Garden The demolition of top unit floors and walls creates space for a glass greenhouse with lush planting spilling out to a rooftop pavilion with expansive citywide views. 40 41 Architecture of Collapse What happens when the dilapidated buildings are beyond repair? The Factory recycles rubble from outdated structures in service to the creation of new architecture throughout the city. 42 43 48000 20000 27000 20000 The Factory The demolition of existing structures enables the production of rubble-filled gabion meshes to be used as the building blocks for future projects. 44 45 Architecture of Abundance Ordos remains one of China’s richest coal regions. If the Kangbashi New Area fails, will the land still yield revenue for its investors? The Mine is the result of a landscape torn apart by an effort to extract whatever value remains buried beneath the soil. 46 47 32000 7000 78000 2000 4000 The Mine Excavators and belts move large quantities of earth to expose the coal rich layer below, creating a massive, stepped pit in the process. 48 49 Architecture of Depletion Ordos contains an abundance of unfinished apartment buildings. Should these abandoned structures fall to waste, or can they serve a purpose? The Silo is a conversion of an empty concrete frame into a vessel for storage. 50 51 32000 1200 11500 5500 7000 R2 50 0 20000 5500 19000 The Silo The selective demolition of concrete floor slabs, and the addition of a large container and conveyor belt, transform a defunct apartment building into a facility for the storing and processing of coal. 52 53 Architecture of Sanctity Ordos is filled with scattered monuments honoring the culture, conquests, and heroism of the bygone Mongol Empire. The Monument is a tribute to the current people—the 40,000 brave individuals who have taken a chance on the Ordos dream. 54 55 2000 28000 22000 2000 14000 R6 18000 0 00 R2 0 00 14000 16000 9000 The Monument Narrow corridors open up to a space buried beneath the Ordos Museum honoring the settlers of the Kangbashi New Area with a massive desert stone. 56 57 Architecture of Ascension The rapid pace of construction of the Kangbashi New Area demonstrates an aggressive will to overcome the technical and logistical challenges of building in the harsh Inner Mongolian environment. The Observatory is emblematic of the spirit and aspirations of a people not bound by earthly constraints. 58 59 00 00 R1 7000 00 5 R2 The Observatory Punching out from the Ordos Museum, the observatory takes advantage of the region’s clear skies and low light pollution. 60 61 Architecture of Sin Every city has two sides: one law-abiding in the light of day and one of illicitness in the shadows of night. What secrets hide in Ordos’ cracks, and what back room deals are being made? The Nightclub comes to life after the museum closes. 62 63 3300 5000 3300 3300 15000 1500 19000 4000 9000 28000 The Nightclub Attached to the existing museum structure like a parasite, the nightclub features a dance floor, upstairs VIP area, and a maze of hidden passageways that permeate through the walls of the museum. 64 65 Architecture of Relocation Politically motivated construction in Ordos is a way that mayors have boosted GDP to gain a favorable impression to the Party or outshine their predecessor, creating an unnecessary surplus of new buildings. The Plaza is an attempt to circumvent this process by offering a variable construction typology without the necessity for new building projects. 66 67 29000 15000 7000 29000 7000 29000 00 70 14500 The Plaza The stockpiling of gabion blocks in the central plaza allows the mayor to rearrange the configuration of possible spaces to accommodate different functions. 68 69 Architecture of Transit Ordos suffers from poor public transportation networks. Could greater connectivity promote growth? The Station intends to establish access between the airport, regional train station, and neighboring city of Donsheng with the burgeoning new district. 70 71 16000 2000 2000 28000 10000 16000 4000 8000 The Station Constructed from gabion blocks of recycled buildings, the subway station aims to draw people from outside Kangbashi into the heart of the new district. 72 73 Architecture of Recreation With vast amounts of Kangbashi’s land dedicated to open space, expansive plazas convey a sense of lifelessness in an already desolate place. Perhaps residents could benefit from some programming of these empty spaces? The Carnival is an attempt to draw people into the open spaces by providing a recreational hub for families in and around Kangbashi. 74 75 36000 16000 22000 78000 20000 9000 16000 18 00 0 28000 The Carnival The central plaza hosts multiple rides and attractions aimed at drawing people to an otherwise empty space. 76 77 78 79 Appendix 80 p.6 City of Nature. Alice Springs, Australia. Alice Springs lies at the geographic center of the Australian continent. Tourists flock to the city for its proximity to many natural wonders such as Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Watarrka National Park and the MacDonnell Ranges. p.8 City of Collapse. Hashima, Japan. Commonly referred to as Gunkanjima (Battleship Island) for its shape and fortified perimeter, Hashima Island was a Mitsubishi worker town from 1890 to 1974 involved in the extraction of coal from undersea mines. In 1959 the island reached a peak population of 5,259 people, but declined in large part due to the Japan’s shift from coal to petroleum use. Today, the decaying buildings are all that remain of the town including one of Japan’s first large concrete structures (9 stories). 81 82 p.10 City of Abundance. Dammam, Saudi Arabia. The discovery of oil in the 1920s transformed Dammam from a small fishing village to a thriving city of over half a million people, spurred by the need for infrastructure and labor to support the major oil boom. The region now accounts for a quarter of the world’s oil reserves. p.12 City of Depletion. Mirny, Russia. The town of Mirny came into existence after geologists found diamondbearing deposits in this remote part of Siberia in 1955. An industry sprang up around the excavation of these resources resulting in a massive, open pit roughly 1200m in diameter and 525m in depth—the second largest man-made hole on Earth. In 2011 the mine closed due to increasing complications and dangerous conditions within the pit. p.14 City of Sanctity. Lhasa, Tibet. Known as the spiritual center of the Tibetan people, Lhasa is home to many historic UNESCO sites, including the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, and Norbulingka. p.16 City of Ascension. Dubai, UAE. Without substantial oil reserves, Dubai’s financial and real estate markets are based largely on the service and tourism industries. Dubai is the seventh most visited city in the world, estimated to accommodate 15 million visitors in 2015. In addition to having one of world’s busiest airports, Dubai is also home to the largest shopping mall, and the tallest building—the 830m Burj Khalifa. 83 84 p.18 City of Sin. Las Vegas, USA. Billed as the Entertainment Capital of the World, Las Vegas attracted a record 39.7 million visitors in 2013. Lured by the flashing lights, temptation of riches, and overall hedonism, visitors pour enough money into the The Strip to account for 50% of the entire state’s gambling revenues. p.20 City of Relocation. Fengdu, China. The residents of Fengdu are among the one million Chinese citizens displaced by the building of the Three Gorges Dam along the Yangtze .This displacement forced the construction of a new Fengdu at a higher elevation as rising water levels began to flood the old city. Located on a nearby mountain, the Fengdu Ghost City is a complex filled with temples, monasteries, and shrines dedicated to the afterlife. Due to the rising water levels, the mountain is now an island and popular tourist attraction for cruise passengers. p.22 City of Transit. Barstow, USA. Barstow is a major Southern California transportation hub and home to a large rail classification yard. Several major highways including Interstate 15, Interstate 40, and California State Route 58 converge in the city. Geographically, Barstow is the midpoint between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. p.24 City of Recreation. Phoenix, USA. Phoenix experienced a post-WWII population boom from returning veterans and a manufacturing industry eager to take advantage of cheap land prices. As the second fastest growing major city in the United States, people are still drawn to the affordable cost of living and the warm, dry desert climate that averages 299 sunny days per year. Many visitors come as well, attracted by the desert landscape and countless golf courses. 85 Notes on Illustrations All drawings and photographs, unless otherwise noted, are by the author. cover Crop, resize, and color adjustment of original image from Ma Yansong (see sources). pp.vi, 28 Ordos. 39°36’1”N 109°46’52”E. Google Earth. 28 September 2013. 28 April 2015. 86 p.2 Ghost towns. The Architectural Review, 28 August 2012. Web. 28. April 2015. < http://www.architectural-review.com/buildings/ghost-towns/8634793. article> p.4 Robert Sterling Clark and Arthur de C. Sowerby: Through Shên-kan. The Account of the Clark Expedition in North China, 1908-9. London / Leipsic: T. Fisher Unxin, 1912 pp.6-24 All background satellite imagery from Google Earth. 28 April 2015 (see page for coordinate information). p.26 Untitled. Google Maps, 20 July 2012. Web. 28 April 2015. <http://www.panoramio.com/photo/75658242> 87 p.80 Uluru: Heart and Soul of Australia. Wordpress, 14 May 2012. Web. 28 April 2015. < https://thetravelcrew.wordpress.com/2012/05/14/uluruheart-and-soul-of-australia/> Hashima Middle School. Panoramio. Google Maps, 3 October 2010. Web. 28 April 2015. < http://www.panoramio.com/photo/41640109> p.82 Elriz Buenaventure. Fanar Tower, Murjan Island. Tumbler, December 2012. Web. 28 April 2015. < http://elriz.com/post/37542896840/fanar-towermurjan-island-dammam-kingdom-of> Dylan Forsberg. Mirny Diamond Mine. Tumbler. Web. 28 April 2015. < http://dylanforsberg.tumblr.com/post/5167053503/the-mirny-diamondmine-in-russia-is-the-worlds> Potola Palace Scenic Spot. Beautiful China. Web. 28 April 2015. < http://www.travelchina.gov.cn/tirms/front/en_US/spot_115.html> Downtown Dubai Overview. Capital Radio. Web. 28 April 2015. <http://promo.capitalradio.co.uk/dubai/local/> p.84 Night Time Vegas. The Federal Highway Administration. Web. 28 April 2015. < http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/byways/byways/2032/photos/all> Yangtze Cruise Ship. Our Our 2010 China Tour. Web. 28 April 2015. < http://prstevens.stonehippo.com/China2010/page7.html> Ron Reiring. Barstow, CA train station. Flickr, 19 January 2012. Web. 28 April 2015. < https://www.flickr.com/photos/84263554@N00/287198996> Golf at Arizona Biltmore. Arizona Biltmore. Web. 28 April 2015. <http://www.arizonabiltmore.com/sports-and-activities/golf/> 88 89 Sources Banham, Reyner. Scenes in America Deserta (Cambridge: The MIT Press, 1989). Calvino, Italo. Invisible Cities, trans. William Weaver (San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1974). Gras, Menene. MA YANSONG: From (Global) Modernity to (Local) Tradition (Madrid: Actar, 2013). Koolhaas, Rem. Delirious New York (Oxford University Press, 1978). 90 91 Acknowledgments The preceding work would not be possible without the generous support from a great number of colleagues and advisors. I am deeply grateful to the UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design and the Chester Miller Fellowship for affording me the unique opportunity to visit Ordos, and to Mrs. Zheng Xiaodi (Assistant Professor, Tsinghua University), Mrs. Zheng Xiaojin (Vice President, Tsinghua Design and Planning Institute), Mr. Liu Bo (Ordos Planning Institute), and Mr. Tian (taxi driver extraordinaire) for their great assistance and insight. Additional thanks to Professor and Chair of Architecture Tom Buresh for his sound and ready advice, and to Professor Jill Stoner for her continued guidance, enthusiasm, and encouragement. 92 93
© Copyright 2024