NewsJReview: Economic Perspective that takes a bit of imagination. Ordos is a city in China, built purely on speculation. You build it, they will come. The caveat? “If the price is right.” A couple of cities of recent past come to mind, that were built and the people came…Brasilia, the capitol of Brazil, and Abuja, the capitol of Nigeria. We traveled to Abuja. Impactful and lovely city. But, the two cities I mentioned go well beyond real estate speculation. They are the offical seats of power. Not so, in the case of the Inner Mongolian mining city of Ordos, which was a speculative venture that skated on thin ice. Having said that, some speculated the city was an impending sign of a housing bubble. That was two years ago. We have as a gift from the people of Mongolia a small statue adorned in traditional wear, colorful. It was presented by a delegation of Journalists who attended the CNN World Conference of Journalists. We had wonderful conversations during that week. That window, provided a glimpse of a warm, hearty people. Even though empty, Ordos appears a beautiful city… Our question, can you repurpose a city strictly for events…? Here’s the imagination piece. Just like this movie maker enlivens Ordos by introducing skateboarders…The movie “Field of Dreams” brings to life a corn field, by placing a Baseball Field in its midst. Fairy tale? Creative prospect? Timing? Will? Luck? Economic potential/probability curve for the region?A Surreal Skateboarding Journey Through China’s Infamous Ghost Town
Director Charles Lanceplaine follows a group of skaters looking to try their tricks in a new and different environment — only to discover a glittering, modern city devoid of human occupants.
Originally built to house one million residents, the city of Ordos in northern China is now almost completely deserted. Despite China’s much-lauded building boom, soaring property prices have kept occupants at bay. Ordos is now the largest ghost town in China — thought to be a stark example of China’s impending real estate bubble.
(via humanscalecities)
