Suburban Shanghai

A few weekends ago, I escaped crowded Shanghai to visit the home of a contact I have in the suburb of Songjiang Town.  Songjiang Town is one of nine newly created, still under construction towns, financed by the government and promoted as a solution to alleviate Shanghai’s increased overcrowding and poor standards of living.  Located in southwestern Shanghai about a 45 minute drive from downtown, Songjiang Town reminds me of suburban Florida with its grid layout, wide streets and canals, and gated golf communities.  It’s still unclear how many people will live in these satellite communities when they are completed, but all together, the number is expected to be in the millions.  My contact, a professor of religion at Fudan University, knows my enthusiasm for urban planning and real estate, so he planned an enjoyable afternoon touring Songjiang. 

University City

One of the highlights of Songjiang is its expansive University City.  When officially completed next year, it will be home to nine separate colleges and over 200,000 students who will share common housing, dining, and athletic facilities.  The schools will primarily focus not on a rounded liberal arts education, but on educating the scientists and professionals of tomorrow’s China.  The campus was impressive with beautifully designed buildings and grounds that were all well-maintained (something rare in China).  I am studying at the second best university in China, and in terms of aesthetics, this brand new campus blew Fudan away.

Thames Town

Thames Town is an entire planned community that is an exact replica of a small English country town.  Its residential areas mixes beautifully designed, 4000 square foot homes with four story apartment buildings featuring accurate detailing and abundant Western landscaping.  In the commercial area, the architects, designers, and builders captured the essence of England, albeit somewhat Disney-like, through its cobblestone streets, pubs, and even a replica church.  Despite being brand new, there is a definite attempt at creating history through varying buildings and architectural styles from different time periods.  Aesthetically, I was impressed by the choice of materials and details, but I am definitely not convinced that it was worth the USD750 million that it cost to build.

Thames Town showcases more than just China’s ability to copy; it also is an example the real estate speculation that has occurred in China over the last few years.  When properties went on the market in Thames Town in 2004, people slept outside of the sales office to own a part of this community.  Four years later, most of the town remains empty except for brides and grooms taking their wedding pictures.  Many who own properties in the town (including my friend who took me to Thames Town) remain convinced that in the coming years it will become successful as a tourist attraction when nearby University City is completed, but I am not convinced.  The prices for the single family villas are in the one-million USD range—far out of reach for most Chinese.  Even if it is marketed as a tourist destination, the shops and restaurants will need to have affordable prices, which is difficult to do with the cost of the buildings being so expensive.  The Chinese who could afford to buy homes or visit the town’s restaurants, boutiques, and galleries can actually afford to travel to Europe, so why would they choose to spend their money here?  It’s certainly an interesting case study of speculative, high-end real estate development in China.

Just when I thought I understood China and nothing could shock me anymore, I visited Shanghai’s new suburbs.  The overall design of the suburbs was strangely familiar and Western; it was based on an auto-centric culture with large streets, parking lots, and single-family homes with garages, just like US suburbs.  The expansive pre-professional college campus reveals a lot about what China believes higher-education should consist of, while Thames Town provides a solid example about China’s ability to copy and its recent real estate speculation.  Right now, at least in Songjiang Town, the suburbs are a playground for the newly wealthy Chinese.  I would love to come back in ten years to see how successful these satellite communities are at providing solutions for the overpopulation and poor living conditions of central Shanghai.