'The soul of the city cannot be planned'
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"In 1987, Beijing was known for its taxis. The trumpet of the taxis and its exhaust filled the streets. New slab-type buildings were constructed and foreigners were no longer special 'exhibits on display.' I could still have the sense of being an 'outsider.' But the feel was no longer that obvious. Beijing was no longer exclusively for Beijing natives. It was also for the outsiders. Artists, poets, philosophers, or simply living artists emerged in the city. These artists were independent, sometimes subjected to some discrimination. But the discrimination was within a tolerable scope. Girls were becoming more open. They bought imitation products of the world's luxury brands at a relatively lower price. The city is no longer quiet. And its paces are accelerating. Beijing was full of expectation of new things. The opening of the first McDonald's on Wangfujing Street was a sensational event at that time.
"In 2006, Beijing was known for its notorious traffic jams. Beijing was developing into an international metropolis. People in Beijing are exhausted by the fast pace of life and the environmental pollution. Shopping malls, McDonald's, coffee shops can be seen everywhere in the city. Instead of drinking instant coffee, people began to enjoy freshly ground coffee. Girls still wear luxury clothing. The difference is they no longer wear fake designer clothing but genuine ones.
"…[A] city needs planning and control, especially cities like Beijing. Beijing is under great pressure from population growth and real estate speculation. However, the soul of a city cannot be planned. You should leave room for the soul of the city to develop. A small investment or a little room can make imagination take root. A city without free space to develop, or an over-planned and over-controlled city, can be really fashionable, but it will have no soul."
(The speech was delivered in Chinese and was edited and translated by Li Huiru.)
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