More people live in towns and cities now than at any point in human history – in both relative (percentage) and absolute (numerical) terms. The quality of life in these settlements depends greatly on the decisions of architects, designers and the government agencies that oversee development in both older and new towns and cities. China has urbanised at an astonishing rate since 1990. Around 35% of China’s citizens lived in towns and cities 25 years ago; today it is estimated to be 67% of a far larger population.
As part of the rapid urbanisation process, China has created a set of ‘replica settlements’. They deliberately copy settlements in Western countries, including iconic places such as central Paris. The question arises: is this mimicry appealing to Chinese people or not? More broadly, is it a useful model for other countries to follow?
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