Why China Banned Skyscrapers | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

China's government has introduced measures to restrict the construction of super high-rise skyscrapers, banning buildings over 500 meters in height, in an effort to focus on placemaking and create more economical, green, and practical cities.

Key Insights

• 🇺🇸 China has built more skyscrapers in the last 30 years than the United States did in the entire 20th century.
• 🏛️ The new policy in China restricts buildings over 500 meters in height and aims to protect natural areas, historic buildings, and Chinese culture.
• 🏗️ Skyscraper construction in China involved financial risks and inefficiencies in floor plans, leading to buildings struggling to attract tenants.
• 🌐 China's approach aligns with the global trend of questioning the value of extremely tall buildings.
• 👳 Placemaking and creating more practical and sustainable cities are becoming priorities in China's urban development.
• 🙈 Skyscrapers are often seen as a way for countries to announce their arrival on the world stage, but regulations and economic realities can redirect projects towards more modest paths.
• 🤬 Concerns around skyscrapers being vanity projects or symbols of wealth are growing globally.

Transcript

fueled by a booming economy and ever-expanding urban population China has built more skyscrapers in the last 30 years than the United States did in the entire 20th century with relaxed planning regulations and near limitless capital cities across the country have transformed from small regional centers into some of the most densely packed metropoli... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: Why has China introduced measures to restrict the construction of high-rise skyscrapers?

China's government aims to shift focus towards placemaking and create more economically and environmentally sustainable cities. The construction of extremely tall buildings is seen as contributing to vanity projects and does not provide significant benefits to cities overall.

Q: What are the specific restrictions imposed by China's government?

The notice restricts the construction of new buildings over 500 meters in height and heavily restricts buildings over 250 meters, except when necessary and with permission. Towers taller than 100 meters must go through intense reviews by relevant authorities. Copycat architecture is also banned.

Q: How does China's approach to skyscrapers align with global trends?

Concerns around extremely tall buildings have been growing globally, with many considering them as vanity projects or symbols of wealth. China's cooling view towards skyscrapers reflects this trend and focuses on creating more practical and green cities.

Q: What is the impact of China's skyscraper boom on the economy?

The construction of skyscrapers involves significant financial risk due to long construction periods and changing economic conditions. In some cases, the government has had to take on the financial burden of unfinished projects, such as the Goldin Finance 117 in Tianjin and Wuhan Greenland Center.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• China has built more skyscrapers in the last 30 years than the United States did in the entire 20th century.

• Chinese government has issued a notice restricting the planning and construction of super high-rise skyscrapers.

• New policy aims to protect natural areas, historic buildings, and Chinese culture, and ban plagiarized or copycat architecture.