FALL 2008

Instructor: Jeffrey Johnson

During the past two decades, China's economic growth has fueled an unprecedented urban expansion. Never before, at this scale and sustained pace, has the world experienced such a project. This growth is projected to continue at an accelerated pace as more and more rural Chinese migrate to the urban areas. By 2030, China's urban population could balloon to almost 1 billion people, nearly double what exists today. This seminar will explore how the mechanisms of this rapid urbanization have created new urban models, and how the resultant forms and patterns might influence cities of the future as the world becomes ever more urbanized.

The seminar is be organized by topic, with each session dedicated to a specific subject. The course utilizes multiple source disciplines to discuss each topic, including film, architecture, urban planning, landscape, politics, etc. Relevant to the topic of discussion, guest speakers will participate in the seminar to offer their insight and expertise. Parallel with the course topics are be viewings of contemporary Chinese films from a new generation of urbane filmmakers.

Guest Speakers: Zhang Zhen, Yansong Ma, Jeffrey Inaba, Neville Mars, Thomas Campanella, Ackbar Abbas