The bar has officially been raised.
“The Washington Post reports on Solar Valley, a planned $740 million development outside Dezhou, China, that aims to be the clean energy technology hub of the country, if not the world. It will be anchored by Himin Solar Energy Group, but will accommodate about 100 companies in total.”
(via China’s Building “The Biggest Solar Energy Production Base in the Whole World” - GOOD Blog - GOOD)
What it is is a handsome, varied, occasionally ingenious, occasionally even beautiful piece of very expensive, very dense urban planning for 67 acres of short- and long-term housing, luxury shopping, eating and drinking, gambling and other entertainment in a conurbation unique in the world. Presuming it survives, perhaps even helps to turn around that place’s’s near-disastrous recent decline in visitors and revenues, its greatest contribution may be what it has to teach visitors and other observers about the value of fine art, decoration and architecture, careful planning, and sustainable design.
uth:
This publication presents the work of the joint UNECE/OECD/Eurostat Working Group on Statistics for Sustainable Development. It identifies good concepts and practices to assist national govenments…
Planetizen: Planning, Design & Development … a public-interest information exchange provided by Urban Insight for the urban planning, design, and development community. It is a one-stop source for urban planning news, commentary, interviews, event coverage, book reviews, announcements, jobs, consultant listings, training, and more. Planetizen prides itself on covering a wide number of planning, design, and development issues, from transportation to global warming, architecture to infrastructure, housing and community development to historic preservation. (via About Planetizen | Planetizen)
