China's Empty Nest

Landmarks like Grand Central Station and the Chrysler Building visually articulated New York City’s rapid ascent as a premier cultural and economic powerhouse in the 20th century. What happened in the Big Apple, Vanity Fair has pointed out, is not unlike the urbanization of 21st-century Beijing. Since 2001, China has commissioned renowned architects to craft a similar post-modern identity. Now dwindling tourism and structural problems may thwart China’s hope for an architectural golden age.

Newsweek is reporting that the awe-inducing Bird’s Nest Stadium costs $15 million annually to maintain. Lagging tourism has forced plans to transform a section of the complex into a shopping mall, which would compromise its integrity.

The $731 million television headquarters (CCTV) designed by Rem Koolhaas was slated to open in May. A recent fire triggered by illegal fireworks - provided by the head of construction - pushed back the date and invited a public outcry over extravagance.

China’s new structures initially garnered critical acclaim because they provided a cohesive set of post-modern designs boasting groundbreaking technological processes. While the buildings offer a clear typology through form, they need to bring in revenue through their function to prove their worth as global cultural institutions. French architect Paul Andreu's National Center for the Performing Arts, for instance, has yet to draw in the world class performances such a space should boast.

(Photo courtesy Quan Chen via Flickr/Creative Commons)