Beijing 2010: Everything's Harmonious

Ya know, sometimes I worry that the good people running Beijing might be facing an insurmountable challenge, what with the rampant growth and environmental degradation, etcetera ad nauseum. Turns out there's a big modern facility called the Beijing Planning Exhibition Center, a modern three-story megalith featuring all sorts of high tech displays about where Beijing's been, and where it's going. We can rest easy - every problem Beijing faces, from transportation to waste-water management, is well in hand. Phew, and to think I had my doubts there for a while...well, if you can put up with the snapshots marred by reflective glass and plastic, you'll pick up some useful tidbits concerning Beijing's future, if you're one of those diehards planning to hang around until 2010.

This is the first place to stop, on the second floor - a massive aerial and model recreation of greater Beijing. The thrill of finding your apartment building is better than the first cigarette of the day, or having the subway come to the platform just as you reach the bottom of the steps.

Who needs a Dark Side of the Moon laser show? Here's the city lit up, as seen from the mezzanine. The gold part's the Forbidden City, and the photo recreation areas extend past the airport and Changping.

Sorry about the tilt - but this pic shows the incredible detail of the room. Also, the transparent buildings are still in the works. Good way to ponder the real estate market!

These are all the new Beijing highways that are going to be finished [ahem] by 2010. It's meant to provide smooth drivin' to an estimated 3.8 million cars. Funny, that's how many I saw on Changan coming to work this morning.

Subway lines and light rail galore! Those yellow lines are the new subway tunnels being dug as you read this. The blue lines are commuter trains that will allow the modern scratch farmer to bring his jujubees in from Miyun by rail, rather than by horse. The weird fold at the top is the plastic screen I peeled off to get a decent pic, to the consternation of the guards. Nerds.

What air pollution problem? Plenty of touch screen monitors relay pacifying factoids to quell all those nervous nellies who imagine their lungs are being compromised by living here.

Things sure have gotten greener since the Liberation, and the 80s, when white people used to lie on all the available grassy spots...but what on earth is a 'shelterbelt'? Sounds like an accessory that unfolds into a pup-tent.

Nothing worse than a glaring PPT slide writ large. But it's good to know those pesky Hubei and Hebei farmers won't be using up all our precious plaza fountain water.

Great use of color, and technically accurate. But what does it mean?

Aha. It's gotta be a labor of love, trying to strictly control those scattered groups, keeping those zany fringe groups on their side of the green belts. At least the satellite towns in the suburban areas oughta have adequate TV entertainment - time's hard to kill in the sticks. You want specific forecasts and hard data ? Call the psychic hotline.

And now: the future of Beijing Business Planning.

Blue Triangle = Existing Business Center

Orange Triangle = Planned Business Center

Purple Square = Current 'Major' Business Center

Red Square = Planned 'Major' Business Center

Red Circle = Planned 'New City' Business Center

Green Circle [that looks like a square] = Planned Urban 'Huge Combined' Business Center

Make a Geek's Year - the Model 2010 BJ Airport [Planes sold separately]

Goodness - what is Bruce Willis up to now?

OK, Ansel Adams I ain't - I was sure the print would be viewable. But you can always pretend you're the red mutant in the middle and work it out. When you're actually on the street and think you're close, just start pointing randomly with your eyes crossed, asking all and sundry, " Uh - leem - pee - kuh?" You'll be taken care of.