Shanghai is preparing for the 2010 World Expo, but the Chinese investment won't create anything like the urban investment created in Vancouver for the Olympics, says Brendon Crain.
Crain writes, "Expo 2010 will leave an indelible mark on the city, with the Chinese government pouring $45 billion into not just the site of the festival, but to neighborhood infrastructure and a transit system expansion that would make any mayor's face turn a vivid shade of green: the city has added six-count 'em-six new subway lines in preparation. But even with all of that, one can't help feeling like a rare opportunity to build a unique urban model for the future may have been lost (especially considering the expo's theme, "Better city, better life,") since most of the buildings will wind up recycled into more standard fare or, worse still, demolished completely, their materials wasted."
Read the full story: The Non-Legacy of the 2010 Expo
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