In only 150 years, Shanghai developed from a harbor city of half a million people in the 19th century to one of the world’s largest urban agglomerations of 24 million inhabitants today. This development was not linear but transformed the city in several waves of population influx, with political and economical impetus of both local and international interests.
As Chinese cities make headlines for their high air pollution, one cannot avoid discussing environmental and health issues. Shanghai illustrates the rapid changes the country is facing, such as the fast paced urbanization and its impact on sustainability.
The way Shanghai deals with its environmental challenges, as well as the recent developments will be presented: understand how Shanghai modernized, its infrastructure build up, efforts to curb pollution, investment in greenery, improvement of public transport as well as the trends towards green building. Smart city initiatives around the country will be discussed as well.
At a micro scale, one scrolls through markets and shops, understanding consumer trends related to food safety and health, such as organic food, urban farming, etc. and discussing lifestyle changes.
POSSIBLE PROGRAMS
- Shanghai Mega City on the Move, with architect Fanny Hoffmann-Loss
- City Transformation and Identity, with PhD Candidate on History and Architecture Mickey Xu
- From Smoggy to Smart: Smart City Move, with Urban Planner Dr. Annette Erpenstein
- And more!