Shanghai 2020 is the largest city scale model in the world

vann0000
December 04, 2008, 12:34 AM posted in General Discussion

s far as scale models go, I'm not sure you'll ever find out quite as impressive as this absolutely enormous one depicting what Shanghai is supposed to look like in 2020. At over 1,000 square feet, it shows every single building in China's most populated city, or at least every single building planned.

It's on the third floor of the Shanghai Urban Planning Museum, and it is in fact the largest scale model of a city in the world. The attention to detail is absolutely astounding. And really, while it would be a shame to damage such amazing work, boy would I ever love to romp Godzilla-style through this thing. Maybe someday.

http://www.neatorama.com/2008/08/05/gargantuan-scale-model-of-shanghai-in-2020/

 

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pearltowerpete
December 04, 2008, 01:22 AM

Hi vann0000

That is truly incredible. I remember seeing a scale model of Rome that Mussolini built during the 1930s to build national pride. But for sheer size it's nothing compared to this.

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changye
December 04, 2008, 01:40 AM

I can see the PLA (人民解放军) attacking Godzilla (哥斯拉) in the scale model! 

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kimiik
December 04, 2008, 03:44 PM

I went to this museum last year and saw this scale model but (even if I'm not a practical person) I still wonder how they dust it and take away the small coins that chinese people are throwing from the overhanging boards to show where they live. ;o)

Btw, the 3D (circular-screen) animation of Shanghai is also amazing.

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urbandweller
December 04, 2008, 05:31 PM

我爱建筑学! This should be posted in my group.

a ya! I knew i should have went inside the Shanghai Urban Planning Museum! I have a pic of it because that building is pretty cool looking. I didnt know it had that cool model though. Thanks for sharing with us Vann. Thats awesome!

zhongwen zenme shuo? City model? 城市模型??

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urbandweller
December 04, 2008, 05:46 PM

Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Centre (Shanghai Chengshi Guihua Zhanshiguan)

http://www.supec.org

heres a review from Frommer's online:

Filmmakers and science-fiction writers have imagined it, but if you want to see what a city of the future is really going to look like, take yourself over to this museum on the eastern end of People's Square. Housed in a striking modern five-story building made of microlite glass, this is one of the world's largest showcases of urban development and is much more interesting than its dry name suggests. The highlight is on the third floor: an awesome vast scale model of urban Shanghai as it will look in 2020, a master plan full of endless skyscrapers punctuated occasionally by patches of green. The clear plastic models indicate structures yet to be built, and there are many of them. Beleaguered Shanghai residents wondering if their current cramped downtown houses will survive the bulldozer (chances are not good) need only look here for the answer. The fourth floor also offers displays on proposed forms of future transportation, including magnetic levitation (maglev), subway, and light-rail trains that are going to change even the face of the Bund. The rest of the building includes a U-shaped mezzanine with photographic exhibits of colonial and contemporary Shanghai, a temporary exhibit hall on the second floor, and a cafe and art gallery on the fifth. There are restaurants and retail outlets crafted in the style of 1930s Shanghai on the underground level that connects to the Metro. The museum is well worth an hour of your time.

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vann0000
December 12, 2008, 01:11 AM

Check out my other post....

http://chinesepod.com/community/conversations/post/3535